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  • January 29, 2014 |

    Taking the cure – Thomas Cook Group GC Craig Stoehr on turning around the travel company's fortunes

    Thomas Cook Group's chief executive, Harriet Green, has a succinct way of explaining the company's recent history, according to general counsel Craig Stoehr. "I have heard her say several times that the company was a cancer patient, underwent treatment and remission, and is currently transitioning to the 'cured' stage," he says, reflecting on the travel operator's remarkable turnaround. For an indication of the recent decline and recovery at Thomas Cook, a three-year graph of the company's stock price is a good place to start. At the beginning of 2011, shareholders revolted at a proposed pay package for the company's top executives after poor trading and a greater than expected financial hit from the 2010 Icelandic ash cloud had dented performance. At this point, shares were still trading at just below 200p.

    1 minute read

  • January 27, 2014 |

    US giants and magic circle trio advise on Liberty Global's €6.9bn Ziggo purchase

    A host of firms including Ropes & Gray, Latham & Watkins, Allen & Overy (A&O) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have taken the lead roles on Liberty Global's cash and stock purchase of Dutch cable company Ziggo for €6.9bn (£5.7bn).

    1 minute read

  • January 24, 2014 |

    Slaughters makes first ever lateral partner hire to add US capability in Hong Kong

    Slaughter and May has made its first ever lateral partner hire in Asia with the addition of Morrison & Foerster US capital markets partner John Moore in Hong Kong. The magic circle firm, which rarely makes lateral hires, has brought in Moore as part of a strategy to provide US law counsel in the region.

    1 minute read

  • January 9, 2014 |

    Recovery in question as 2013 sees lowest UK M&A deal value for 12 years

    Despite the rise in mega-deals towards the tail end of 2013, last year yielded the lowest overall value for UK M&A activity since 2001.

    1 minute read

  • January 8, 2014 |

    Latham makes fifth London hire in a year with Weil PE partner Benson

    Latham & Watkins has made another foray into the UK private equity market with the recruitment of Weil Gotshal & Manges partner Nick Benson.

    1 minute read

  • January 1, 2014 |

    Cleary partner joins HK regulator as corporate finance director

    Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton partner Megan Tang has left the firm to join Hong Kong's market watchdog the Securities & Futures Commission (SFC) as director of the corporate finance division. Tang, who joined Cleary's Hong Kong office as a partner in 2008, will begin her new role at the SFC in February this year.

    1 minute read

  • December 19, 2013 |

    Barclays to revamp legal panel structure as review commences

    Barclays' long-awaited review of its global legal panel has started, with the bank set to split its roster of law firms into separate pools of 'preferred' and 'approved' advisers.

    1 minute read

  • December 19, 2013 |

    Shearman adds two to City partnership in global promotions round

    Shearman & Sterling has elected seven of its lawyers to partner, including two in London, marking an increase on last year when five lawyers were made up, with none in the City. The promotions, which are effective from 1 January 2014, include David Dixter (capital markets) and James Webber (antitrust) in London. Dixter advises public and private sector companies and investment banks on equity and debt capital markets. Webber has acted as lead advisor on European Union Merger Regulation and Office of Fair Trading merger approvals, as well as coordination of multi-jurisdictional merger filings, cartel damages actions, and counseling with respect to UK market investigations and studies.

    1 minute read

  • December 12, 2013 |

    Ropes & Gray hires Weil Gotshal tax partner Brenda Coleman

    Ropes & Gray has hired Weil Gotshal & Manges highly-ranked tax partner Brenda Coleman in London. Coleman, who moved to Weil from Allen & Overy (A&O) in 2009, advises on all areas of corporate tax, including private equity, restructuring, funds and finance matters. At Weil she worked on a part-time basis however at Ropes, she will return to full-time practice.

    1 minute read

  • December 12, 2013 |

    British Legal Awards 2013: who won what - and why...

    A run-down of all the winners at this year's British Legal Awards, including full details of the judging panel's reasoning for each award.

    1 minute read