• September 23, 2011 |

    Clifford Chance moves to restock City funds team with Debevoise hire

    Clifford Chance (CC) has added a partner to its City funds capability with the hire of international counsel Gerard Saviola from the London office of US firm Debevoise & Plimpton. Saviola, who will join CC as a partner in the firm's private funds group, is US-qualified and advises mainly leveraged buyout funds, emerging markets funds and mezzanine funds, as well as a broad range of institutional investors in international investment funds and private equity acquisitions.

    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

  • September 8, 2011 |

    Vinson elects new managing partner and first-ever chairman

    US energy leader Vinson & Elkins has elected a new managing partner and the first chairman in its history, writes the AmLaw Daily. Scott Wulfe, a corporate partner in Vinson's Houston office, will begin a two-year term as managing partner in January, while Mark Kelly, a capital markets partner also based in Houston, will start his own two-year term as the top 50 US law firm's first chairman at the same time.

    1 minute read

  • September 7, 2011 |

    A waste of money - is the bonus round at top US firms just money down the drain?

    US law firms are conditioned to doling out tightly banded 'follow-the-leader' bonus awards to associates. But, argues Amy Kolz, there is little evidence this practice reflects market reality or even buys them any staff loyalty

    1 minute read

  • August 22, 2011 |

    Cleary opens new LatAm base with partner relocations to Sao Paulo

    Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has opened for business in Sao Paulo after receiving approval to launch from the Brazilian authorities. Capital markets partner Juan Giraldez and corporate finance partner Francisco Cestero have relocated from New York and Rome respectively to head up the new base.

    1 minute read

  • August 12, 2011 |

    CC boosts London high-yield practice with New York partner relocation

    Clifford Chance (CC) is set to strengthen its London high-yield offering with the relocation of a partner from New York.Tony Lopez will become the fifth partner with capacity to advise on high yield deals in the firm's Canary Wharf team, which also has 14 associates.

    1 minute read

  • August 9, 2011 |

    Kirkland adds eight partners in Hong Kong with Skadden, Latham and A&O hires

    Kirkland & Ellis has significantly bulked up its Asia arm with the hire of seven partners from Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, Latham & Watkins and Allen & Overy (A&O). Skadden Asia corporate co-heads Nicholas Norris and Dominic Tsun resigned from Skadden last Friday (5 August) to join Kirkland alongside corporate partner Li-Chien Wong. Norris has been at Skadden since 2005, when he joined from Simmons & Simmons, where he was the UK firm's Asia corporate head.

    1 minute read

  • August 3, 2011 |

    Simpson Thacher's City office wins trophy role alongside CC on €9bn Apax fundraising

    Simpson Thacher & Bartlett's London office has picked up a role working alongside Clifford Chance (CC) on private equity house Apax's latest multibillion-euro fundraising. The US firm's London funds chief Jason Glover has been appointed to work alongside a team of CC partners in London and New York led by Nigel Hatfield and a team from Simpson Thacher in New York on the fundraising for Apax VIII, which is hoped to raise around €9bn (£7.9bn).

    1 minute read

  • August 3, 2011 |

    The great game – can British firms retain their upper hand in Hong Kong?

    Though Hong Kong formally reverted to Chinese rule 14 years ago, it often feels as if the British are still in charge. Place names like Victoria Peak and Queen's Road remain unchanged and expatriates from Essex and Kent continue to throng the bars of Lan Kwai Fong. Pub favourites are as easily available as dim sum.

    1 minute read