• April 26, 2012 |

    The Transfer Window: recent moves including BLP, Wragges and Simmons

    Simmons & Simmons has moved to boost its new asset management sector group with the hire of DLA Piper's UK investment funds team head David Williams, who is joining the firm as a partner in London. Williams, who was also a partner at DLA Piper, advises on investment funds and asset management work, especially private funds investing in private equity, illiquid credit, real estate and infrastructure.

    1 minute read

  • April 19, 2012 |

    Corporate sleuths detect opportunity in China

    Ben Lewis reports on the corporate investigators to which law firms are increasingly turning in China

    1 minute read

  • April 17, 2012 |

    Weil doubles Hong Kong office space ahead of planned expansion

    Weil Gotshal & Manges is set to ramp up its Hong Kong presence as the firm moves to new premises in Hong Kong's business district. The move to Alexandra House, which will more than double the US firm's current office space, will allow it to accommodate all its current lawyers in Hong Kong as well provide capacity for expected future expansion.

    1 minute read

  • April 16, 2012 |

    Former Coudert partners lose new bid to recover money from US firms

    Retired partners from defunct Coudert Brothers have lost their second attempt to recover money from three law firms that took a sizeable chunk of the firm's assets after its 2005 dissolution, reports the New York Law Journal. A group of 24 former partners sued Baker & McKenzie, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe and Dechert in 2007, claiming that the firms conspired with Coudert partners to buy firm assets for less than fair market value. Because none of the three firms took on 50% of Coudert's assets, none were true 'successor' firms with obligations to continue paying retirement benefits, according to court filings.

    1 minute read

  • April 11, 2012 |

    A&O signs up Gleiss partner in Frankfurt as Jones Day adds trio to new Duesseldorf base

    Allen & Overy (A&O) has recruited a new head for its public law practice in Frankfurt in a trio of hires from Gleiss Lutz. Olaf Otting is joining the magic circle firm along with with associates Wiland Tresselt and Udo Olgemoller.

    1 minute read

  • April 4, 2012 |

    Links dominates thin Q1 deal market as lawyers talk up 2012 prospects

    Linklaters has topped Mergermarket's European M&A rankings by value and volume for the first quarter of 2012, with the magic circle law firm seeing its position boosted by a role on the largest global deal of the period – the proposed $53.5bn (£33.4bn) merger between commodities trader Glencore and mining giant Xstrata. Overall trend data from Mergermarket shows both global and European M&A volumes fell to their lowest levels in nearly three years during the quarter, down by more than 20% compared with Q1 2011.

    1 minute read

  • April 4, 2012 |

    Links dominates thin deal market in Q1 but lawyers strike upbeat tone for 2012 prospects

    Glencore bid drives market as deals fall to three-year low; Freshfields and King & Wood among top-ranked

    1 minute read

  • March 29, 2012 |

    The teeming crowd - is India's dynamic legal elite built to last?

    Riding a dynamic private sector in one of the world's most touted emerging economies, Indian law firms have rapidly evolved in recent years. Friederike Heine asks if this legal elite is ready to compete on the global stage

    1 minute read

  • March 27, 2012 |

    The Transfer Window: recent moves including Wragges, Salans and Maclay Murray

    Wragge & Co has appointed a new head of international construction disputes with the hire of Anthony Wilson from the Cairo office of Middle East arbitration firm Hafez. Wilson, who was a partner and head of construction disputes at Hafez, has joined Wragges' London dispute resolution practice. Firms he has previously worked at include Clifford Chance and Shearman & Sterling, where he spent six years as an associate in Paris and London.

    1 minute read

  • March 26, 2012 |

    CC lines up for key Permira role on €3bn frozen foods business sale

    Clifford Chance (CC) has taken the lead role as Permira prepares to sell off its frozen foods business Iglo Group for as much as €3bn (£2.5bn). CC is advising the private equity house, which has appointed Credit Suisse to handle an auction sale of the company. Global corporate head Matthew Layton is believed to be leading the team at the magic circle firm. Iglo, Europe's largest frozen foods business, owns household name brands including Birds Eye and Findus.

    1 minute read