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  • June 27, 2013 |

    China giant breaks mould with tender for Western-style panel

    China Resources is set to appoint its first-ever roster of international law firms in a rare example of a major Chinese business adopting a formal panel approach. The state-owned conglomerate, which posted total turnover of HK$404.6bn (£33.8bn) in 2012, invited law firms to tender for places on its list of preferred international advisers at the end of last year, and is expected to announce the results in the next two months. The move follows the Hong Kong-headquarted company's establishment of a domestic panel for PRC advice last year, which saw Beijing's Anjie Law Firm – a 12-partner spinoff from domestic outfits Zhong Lun, Grandall and Mingtai – among those appointed.

    1 minute read

  • June 27, 2013 |

    Gibson Dunn appoints new Hong Kong head

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has appointed Kelly Austin as the new managing partner of its Hong Kong office, following the relocation of Joseph Barbeau to Beijing. Austin, an expert on FCPA and regulatory matters, is one of the founding partners of the Hong Kong base, joining the firm in 2010 from General Electric in Asia.

    1 minute read

  • June 11, 2013 |

    Links and Dickson Minto raise glass as AG Barr-Britvic merger gets OK

    Dickson Minto and Linklaters have taken the headline roles as AG Barr's acquisition of Britvic today (11 June) received provisional clearance from the Competition Commission. The Commission concluded that a union of the two companies is not expected to result in lesser competition and would not lead to an increase in wholesale prices.

    1 minute read

  • April 25, 2013 |

    Beating heart - British Heart Foundation GC on asking lawyers to work for free

    Deborah Prince worked in private practice, at Tesco and Which? before heading the legal team at the British Heart Foundation. She talks to Grant Murgatroyd about her colourful career and why she isn't shy when it comes to asking lawyers to work for free...

    1 minute read

  • April 22, 2013 |

    Herbert Smith HK finance regulatory partner exits to join Freshfields

    Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has made a notable hire for its Asia disputes practice with the hire of Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) financial services regulatory partner Tim Mak in Hong Kong. Mak, whose start date at the magic circle firm is still to be confirmed, is top rated by Chambers and Partners for China non-contentious regulatory work in the financial services sector.

    1 minute read

  • April 12, 2013 |

    Reed Smith boosts City finance team with Clifford Chance hire

    Reed Smith is to boost its City finance practice with the hire of Clifford Chance (CC) banking and finance partner Claude Brown. News of the move, which has not been confirmed by Reed Smith, comes days after it emerged that CC's global head of private equity David Walker, had resigned to join Latham & Watkins in London.

    1 minute read

  • April 11, 2013 |

    Linklaters, Hogan Lovells and A&O lawyers join Competition Commission

    Linklaters partner Gavin Robert and Hogan Lovells London competition head Lesley Ainsworth are among four lawyers joining the Competition Commission in an 18-strong round of new appointments to the regulator. The appointments, announced yesterday (10 April) by consumer minister Jo Swinson, come ahead of the merger of the Commission and the Office of Fair Trading to create the new Competition and Markets Authority next April.

    1 minute read

  • April 10, 2013 |

    Berrymans makes up 17 in expanded partner promotions round

    Berrymans Lace Mawer has made up 17 lawyers in its partnership round this year, almost double the number promoted in 2012. The promotions have seen seven partners made up in the insurance firm's London office, with two new partners in the professional indemnity practice and one in healthcare, alongside four promoted in personal injury.

    1 minute read

  • April 10, 2013 |

    Reed Smith continues energy push with McDermott London partner hire

    Reed Smith has recruited McDermott Will & Emery partner Rashpaul Bahia for its London office, as the US firm continues to ramp up its focus on the energy sector. Bahia, who specialises in energy and commodity derivatives transactions, marks the latest in a number of hires for Reed Smith's energy and natural resources group.

    1 minute read

  • March 27, 2013 |

    Top firms relocate more senior lawyers to Asia as East's rise continues

    UK and global law firms are increasingly relocating senior partners and practice group heads to the Asia-Pacific region as they continue to pin their hopes on the market, despite the recent downturn in activity in areas such as capital markets. A survey of 30 UK and US law firms by Legal Week found that 57% of those firms now have at least one global practice head, department co-chair or deputy chair based in Asia, with the majority of these appointed since the start of 2010. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Clifford Chance (CC) and Herbert Smith Freehills each now have at least two international practice heads based permanently in the Asia-Pacific, compared with one or fewer in 2010.

    1 minute read