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  • November 12, 2013 |

    Shoosmiths steps in for administration of Barratts shoes

    Shoosmiths has taken the lead legal role on the administration of shoe retailer Barratts, the news of which was confirmed yesterday (11 November). The retailers' third administration in four years was prompted by difficult trading conditions and the collapse of talks over a £5m capital injection offer.

    1 minute read

  • November 7, 2013 |

    The Transfer Window: recent moves including Taylor Wessing, Slaughters and Osborne Clarke

    The Transfer Window is a regular round-up of recent legal moves in the UK and abroad. Please send all announcements to [email protected].

    1 minute read

  • November 6, 2013 |

    Simmons signs up former Dentons partner to boost Middle East operations

    Simmons & Simmons has sealed the hire of Dentons Middle East disputes and construction chief David Risbridger. Risbridger, who was based in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, joined legacy Denton Wilde Sapte in 1997 and was made up as partner in 2000.

    1 minute read

  • November 6, 2013 |

    Eversheds and Baker Botts lead as Siemens spins off turbine unit

    Eversheds and Baker Botts have landed key roles on Siemens' joint venture with energy services company Wood Group, which will create a $1bn (£624m) oil and gas rotating equipment business. Aberdeen-based Wood Group is spinning off the majority of its maintenance and power solutions operation into a joint venture with the German company.

    1 minute read

  • November 3, 2013 |

    AG continues Asia growth with hires in Dubai, Singapore

    Addleshaw Goddard (AG) has added to its teams in Dubai and Singapore with the hire of two lawyers from Clyde & Co and DLA Piper. M&A expert Ben Gillespie joins the firm as a partner in Dubai from Clyde & Co's Middle East group, whilst shipping lawyer Mike Melwood-Smith joins as a consultant in Singapore from DLA Piper.

    1 minute read

  • October 31, 2013 |

    Bond Dickinson and Blackstone Chambers act on Sainsbury's legal battle with Tesco

    Bond Dickinson and Blackstone Chambers have been appointed as lead counsel on supermarket chain Sainsbury's judicial review challenging rival Tesco. Sainsbury's is requesting a judicial review after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rejected its complaint about Tesco's Price Promise campaign.

    1 minute read

  • October 24, 2013 |

    The innovation game – firms looking to corporate world for inspiration

    For the second year running, the most hotly contested category in the British Legal Awards has been the Law Firm Innovation Award. There were dozens of submissions. When the judges meet to choose the winner, it is the role of the panel's chair, City of London Law Society chairman Alasdair Douglas, to ensure consensus. It isn't always easy. I remember two general counsel a few years ago debating how far an idea borrowed from another sector could be described as innovative. One GC felt that, because the innovation under discussion was standard practice in other parts of the business world, it should be discounted. The other strongly disagreed, contending that it should be judged in context. It is striking this year how many shortlisted entries go out of their way to explain how they have adapted principles and practices from other sectors to improve client service. Perhaps this reflects a growing acceptance among in-house lawyers that they have to be steeped in the culture of their own organisations. There was a time when some GCs railed against the techniques used by their company's procurement teams, arguing that the law was special. Those days are long gone.

    1 minute read

  • October 23, 2013 |

    Eversheds, BLP advise on Manchester Airport project

    Eversheds and Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) are among five firms to have secured roles on a British-Chinese joint venture to develop the UK's first airport business district. Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has secured an £800m investment from China's Beijing Construction Engineering Group (BCEG) to build the 'Airport City' project.

    1 minute read

  • October 17, 2013 |

    A&O and Ashurst among firms to win spots on Morrisons' debut panel

    Supermarket chain Morrisons has unveiled its first-ever formal legal panel, with a host of firms winning places, including Allen & Overy (A&O), Ashurst, Eversheds and DAC Beachcroft. The panel review – which has been overseen by recently appointed general counsel Mark Amsden – has been divided into six categories: property, employment, personal injury (PI), licensing and regulatory, Scotland and an 'everything else' panel, which covers corporate, commercial, litigation, pensions and IP. Amsden said Morrisons' debut panel would give the retail giant "better leveraging ability" than it had in the past, when it used an informal roster of firms. He admitted that the retail giant, Britain's fourth-largest supermarket chain, had previously overspent on legal fees.

    1 minute read

  • October 16, 2013 |

    Watson Farley sizes up Dubai for first Middle East opening

    Watson Farley & Williams is considering opening in Dubai in what would be its first venture into the Middle East. A Dubai launch could come in the next 12 months after the firm began taking advice on legal and regulatory matters related to entering the market.

    1 minute read