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  • January 19, 2012 |

    Stayin' alive (just) – high street woe looks set to shake restructuring market out of relative calm

    With budget fashion retailers Peacocks and Barratts this week looking set to join a growing list of high street casualties in the latest round of economic turmoil, 2012 should – in theory – shape up to be a busy year for City restructuring and insolvency partners. To date, January has already seen the likes of Addleshaw Goddard, Travers Smith, Linklaters and SJ Berwin win roles on the administrations of Blacks Leisure and lingerie chain La Senza and, with many predicting a surge of additional collapses, the tally of firms winning work from turbulence on the high street is obviously set to increase. Still, a quick glance behind the more high-profile headlines shows that restructuring – and in particular, insolvency – work has so far failed to see the sustained upsurge predicted in the wake of Lehman Brothers' collapse and the onset of the last recession. While there was a run of deals in the wake of the banking crisis through 2009 and early 2010, by consensus pickings have been slimmer than restructuring teams expected.

    1 minute read

  • January 19, 2012 |

    A fresh start - reinvigorating one of America's leading law firms

    After a few tough years, O'Melveny has a new chair and a revamped strategy. Drew Combs reports

    1 minute read

  • January 12, 2012 |

    Law firm confidence proves resilient for year ahead despite global economy fears

    Firms expect to avoid job cuts as four out of five partners predict growth in 2012. Rose Orlik reports...

    1 minute read

  • January 6, 2012 |

    Kirkland boosts pay for new London qualifiers by 8% to £97,000

    Kirkland & Ellis has increased newly-qualified lawyer (NQ) salaries to £97,000 in a move which will bring it in line with rival US firms including Weil Gotshal & Manges. The salary increase, which represents an 8% increase on last year's rate of £90,000, places the firm at the top end of the US firm salary spectrum.

    1 minute read

  • January 5, 2012 |

    Skadden recruits restructuring partner in London with Weil hire

    Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has strengthened its corporate restructuring practice in London with the hire of partner Dominic McCahill from rival US firm Weil Gotshal & Manges. McCahill, who will become the sixth partner in Skadden's London restructuring practice, will report to London corporate restructuring chief Chris Mallon. The firm's restructuring practice sits alongside the corporate group, which currently comprises 16 partners in the City.

    1 minute read

  • December 23, 2011 |

    Legal Week news round-up: the best of 2011

    After another year of twists and turns in the legal market, including a spate of mergers and international office openings, as well as a number of high profile hires and internal changes, here are the highlights of another 12 months from the legal industry with Legal Week's 2011 news round-up...

    1 minute read

  • December 22, 2011 |

    Weil promotes one partner in London as 11 make the grade

    Weil Gotshal & Manges has become the latest US firm to announce its partners promotions with only one lawyer making the cut in the City. Jamie Maples, a member of the London arbitration team for more than eight years, has acted in a wide range of major international commercial disputes including telecoms infrastructure work and - most recently - hedge fund investments.

    1 minute read

  • December 16, 2011 |

    Davis Polk, Clifford Chance latest to announce US bonus rates

    Davis Polk & Wardwell has become the latest firm to announce US associate bonuses, with the firm opting to match rates first set by Wall Street rival Cravath Swaine & Moore last month, writes The Am Law Daily. Like Cravath, Davis Polk's bonus scale starts at $7,500 (£4,800) for those in the class of 2010 and increases incrementally to $37,500 (£24,200) for the class of 2004, according to an announcement sent out to the firm's associates on Monday (12 December).

    1 minute read

  • December 7, 2011 |

    London Office of the Year: Weil Gotshal & Manges

    Weil Gotshal & Manges has dubbed 2011 "the most strategically significant year for its London office since it was launched 15 years ago". The judges were suitably impressed with the evidence to support this statement, including a hugely impressive roster of senior partner hires from leading UK rivals. In recent months the office, which is led by Mike Francies, has hired partners from Jones Day, Ashurst, Shearman & Sterling and Debevoise & Plimpton.

    1 minute read

  • December 7, 2011 |

    British Legal Awards 2011: who won what - and why...

    A full run-down of all the winners at the British Legal Awards 2011, as well as detailed reports of the thinking behind the award in each category...

    1 minute read