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  • November 1, 2011 |

    Herbert Smith sees fourth US securities partner quit since summer

    Herbert Smith is set to lose a second US securities partner to Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) in Hong Kong, marking the fourth partner to leave the firm's US securities practice globally since the summer. Melody Chen resigned from the UK firm in recent weeks and is set to join MoFo's Hong Kong office as a partner after serving out a notice period.

    1 minute read

  • October 31, 2011 |

    Quinn Emanuel boosts Euro presence with hire of Novartis GC

    Outgoing Novartis general counsel Thomas Werlen is set to join litigation leader Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in the New Year. Werlen is to join the West Coast firm in Europe as a litigation partner in early 2012. He is expected to be based in one of the firm's existing European offices, which include London and Mannheim, with a launch in Moscow imminent.

    1 minute read

  • October 19, 2011 |

    Eversheds sets sights on Brazil as UK firms continue to eye up BRIC benefits

    Eversheds is planning to join the growing rank of international firms launching in Brazil, with the firm becoming the latest to eye up opportunities in the BRIC economy. The top 10 UK law firm has confirmed that it is looking at opening in the country, joining a lengthening list of those either launching or considering doing so.

    1 minute read

  • October 12, 2011 |

    Global 100: Empire builders - does globalisation equal profit?

    Since the early days of the Global 100 survey, globalisation and profit have seemingly grown hand in hand. For the top 50 firms in 1999 – the first year that The American Lawyer published profits per equity partner (PEP) for what was then the Global 50 – the proportion of lawyers employed outside each firm's home country doubled, while PEP more than doubled. But whether there is a causal relationship between global expansion and financial success is unclear, whether one charts the performance of individual firms in a single year or over time. Star performers may be found among the most stubborn homebodies, like Slaughter and May, and the most persistent imperialists, like Allen & Overy (A&O).

    1 minute read

  • October 10, 2011 |

    Linklaters set to boost Asia presence with transfer of senior corporate trio

    Linklaters has moved to bulk up its partner ranks in Asia with corporate heavyweight Matthew Middleditch among a senior trio set to relocate to the region. Middleditch will join the firm's Hong Kong office in January next year, while Amsterdam partner Peter Goes is set to join the Beijing office in early 2012 and Madrid partner Miles Curley will transfer to Singapore next summer.

    1 minute read

  • October 4, 2011 |

    Herbert Smith names new capital markets leadership after partner exits to A&O

    Herbert Smith is set to lose two US-qualified capital markets partners to Allen & Overy (A&O), with the forthcoming departure of Jim Wickenden and Adam Wells marking the latest in a string of partner exits from the City firm. Wickenden - the global head of Herbert Smith's capital markets practice - and Wells both handed in their notice in recent weeks and are set to join A&O after serving a notice period.

    1 minute read

  • September 28, 2011 |

    Linklaters and Davis Polk advise as Rio Tinto taps bond markets for $2bn

    Linklaters and Davis Polk & Wardwell have taken lead roles on a $2bn (£1.3bn) notes offering by Rio Tinto, which saw the mining giant take advantage of current low yields on corporate bonds to reduce its debt costs. Linklaters advised Rio – a longstanding client of the firm – on the offering, which is split into three parts, comprising $500m (£324m) of notes due in 2016, $1.15bn (£746m) due in 2021 and $350m (£227m) due in 2040.

    1 minute read

  • September 28, 2011 |

    Cracking China – has Mandarin become de rigueur for modern Asian counsel?

    For would-be new hires at several international law firms in China and Hong Kong, speaking Mandarin has come to be a strict and unyielding prerequisite. "Certainly from our point of view, hiring someone in Hong Kong without Chinese language speaking skills is a waste of time," says Antony Dapiran, a fluent Mandarin speaker and capital markets partner with Davis Polk & Wardwell in Hong Kong. "I honestly do not see how they can function, especially if they are dealing with capital markets work."

    1 minute read

  • September 15, 2011 |

    How the top international law firms stack up in Asia

    Clifford Chance: 366 lawyers across eight offices. Hong Kong - 138 lawyers including 32 partners, Singapore - 72 lawyers including 15 partners, Tokyo - 51 lawyers including nine partners, Shanghai - 22 lawyers including five partners, Beijing - 29 lawyers including six partners, Bangkok - 16 lawyers including two partners Sydney - 21 lawyers including seven partners Perth - 17 lawyers including seven partners Key deals include: • advising the underwriters on Prada's Hong Kong listing; • advising the underwriters on Glencore's dual listing in Hong Kong and London; and • advising the managers on Volkswagen's dim sum bond - the first by a German company.

    1 minute read

  • September 14, 2011 |

    Battle royale - the tussle for global dominance shifts eastward

    With elite Wall Street firms finally breaking into Hong Kong law, the stage is set for a high-stakes struggle across Asia between the world's top law firms. Georgina Stanley and Simon Petersen report

    1 minute read