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  • July 1, 2013 |

    Lawyer to the Lions: Bird & Bird partner Max Duthie's Lions tour diary - part 4

    The run-up to the first test in Brisbane was fascinating. There was the usual speculation as to who was going to make selection. And then when the match squad was announced (we were told 24 hours in advance of the public announcement), and those who were participating were congratulated by all, there was then further speculation as to how the others would react. And, crucially, would they drown their sorrows by going out on a bender, in time-honoured rugby tour fashion? It is testament to the squad spirit that they did not (or at least they did not do so obviously - it might have been that one or two of them shinned down the hotel drainpipe).

    1 minute read

  • July 1, 2013 |

    Sidley and Jones Day post healthy autumn NQ retention rates in London

    The London office of Sidley Austin has achieved a 100% trainee retention rate for its September intake, with all nine of the firm's autumn qualifiers accepting offers in their first-choice practice areas. Several of the US firm's newly qualified (NQ) lawyers were offered places in more than one practice group in the office, and it is understood that at least one practice group was left disappointed when it did not receive any trainees. However, the firm does not have any current plans to expand its trainee intake numbers.

    1 minute read

  • June 27, 2013 |

    City limits – are law firms are doing enough to combat work-based stress?

    As new research reveals lawyers are finding their jobs more stressful than ever, Georgina Stanley asks whether law firms are doing enough to combat work-based anxiety and other mental health issues Statistics on mental illness speak for themselves. Every year, about one in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem, with about 10% of the population suffering from depression and anxiety issues. Figures from Mind, a UK mental health charity, suggest that 8% of those suffering from mental health issues in any year will require specialist psychiatric help, while 2% will have problems so severe they require in-patient treatment.

    1 minute read

  • June 20, 2013 |

    Jones Day and Sullivan lead as India's Apollo purchases US tyre company

    Jones Day and Sullivan & Cromwell have taken lead roles on the $2.5bn (£1.6bn) acquisition of US company Cooper Tire & Rubber by India's Apollo Tyres. The all-cash transaction gives Apollo – which is headquartered in Gujarat – access to the lucrative US market and creates the seventh largest tyre company in the world, with a presence in four continents. Jones Day took the lead role for Cooper, fielding a Cleveland and New York team led by corporate partners Lyle Ganske, Peter Izanec and James Dougherty. The firm also advised on employee benefits, antitrust, employment and banking matters.

    1 minute read

  • May 23, 2013 |

    Open season – the influx of global firms making their mark in Singapore

    From the top of the world's most expensive casino building in Marina Bay, Singapore's central business district is an impressive sight. Overlooking the water, an array of glittering silver skyscrapers bear the names of banks, insurance companies and luxury hotel brands, while a mix of local landmarks, shopping malls and restaurants keep tourists happy. The scene, in all its grandeur, reflects not only the sunlight, but the commercial achievements of a city that has now become a hub for southeast Asia, with Singapore now ranked as one of the four leading financial centres in the world. Alongside Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, it is also one of the Four Asian Tigers.

    1 minute read

  • May 23, 2013 |

    BLP, Olswang and DLA Piper among firms eyeing tie-ups with Singapore outfits

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), King & Spalding, Olswang, DLA Piper and K&L Gates are among a group of international law firms eyeing tie-ups with local firms in Singapore after missing out on licences to launch their own local practices earlier this year. The firms have confirmed they would be open to a partnership with a Singaporean outfit, with some looking at a Joint Law Venture (JLV) and others considering a Formal Law Alliance (FLA). All were among 19 unsuccessful applicants for Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licences.

    1 minute read

  • May 22, 2013 |

    Norton Rose, Simmons and Dentons among winners in Shell review

    Shell has concluded a comprehensive review of its global external legal advisers, with a host of UK and US firms winning appointments to advise the world's largest company by revenue...

    1 minute read

  • May 16, 2013 |

    Post-merger Dentons plans first steps into Latin America

    Dentons is planning its first moves into Latin America, with the newly merged firm considering a series of launches in countries including Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil. Speaking to Legal Week, global chief executive Elliott Portnoy (pictured) said that the region was of "strategic and economic importance" to Dentons' clients, confirming the firm was actively looking at opportunities there. Following the merger of SNR Denton, Salans and Canadian firm Fraser Milner Casgrain in March, Latin America is the only continent in which Dentons does not have an office or alliance.

    1 minute read

  • May 13, 2013 |

    Singapore's Stamford Law hires Norton Rose funds partner

    Singapore firm Stamford Law has added to its corporate team with the hire of Norton Rose funds partner Daniel Yong. Yong, who will be the first dedicated funds partner for the firm and a director in the corporate department, boosts the number of overall partners at Stamford to 16.

    1 minute read

  • May 9, 2013 |

    Law firms lose lustre as students mull alternative career options

    Decreasing numbers of law students want to work in a law firm when they graduate, according to a major new Legal Week research project, as the difficulty in securing a training contract continues to hit the aspirations of would-be lawyers. Legal Week Intelligence's annual Law Student Report, which this year surveyed more than 3,000 undergraduate and postgraduate law students, found just 60% of undergraduate law students want to pursue a career as a solicitor, with the proportion declining from 80% in 2010.

    1 minute read