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  • April 30, 2008 |

    Davis Polk adds London partner to management

    Davis Polk & Wardwell has elected the first London-based partner to its management committee. Corporate partner Thomas Reid replaces New York partner Andres Gil on the three-member committee. He joins managing partner John Ettinger and litigation partner Carey Dunne, who were both handed new terms on the committee.

    1 minute read

  • April 30, 2008 |

    Hostile territory

    With all the hostile takeovers and proxy fights, Silicon Valley looks more like Wall Street - and some say the new attitude is here to stay. The question is: can the tech companies and their lawyers handle the more combative culture? Recent headlines illustrate the shift: Oracle's $8.5bn (£4.3bn) conquest of BEA Systems, Microsoft's $40bn (£20.3bn) pursuit of Yahoo! and, most recently, Electronic Arts' $2bn (£1.01bn) bid for Take-Two Interactive. Other tech companies - CNET, Sybase, Transmeta - are also doing battle with hedge funds or other investors seeking at least partial control.

    1 minute read

  • April 23, 2008 |

    Central and Eastern Europe: Centre of attention

    Law firms that invested in Central and Eastern Europe soon after the fall of the Iron Curtain are enjoying the region's enduring economic boom and seeking shelter from the London gloom. Dominic Carman speaks to partners across the region, from Vienna to Kiev

    1 minute read

  • April 10, 2008 | International Edition

    Simmons wins surprise UK role on Bear Stearns fire sale

    Simmons & Simmons has won a surprise role on the fire sale of Bear Stearns - advising the stricken Wall Street giant on the UK aspects of its sale to JP Morgan last month. Simmons' role on the high-profile sale will be seen as a coup for the top 10 City firm's corporate and finance practices, with the partners Jeremy Hoyland (financial markets) and Alan Karter (corporate) brought on board when it became apparent that the bank was in trouble.

    1 minute read

  • April 10, 2008 |

    Simmons wins surprise UK role on Bear Stearns fire sale

    Simmons & Simmons has won a surprise role on the fire sale of Bear Stearns - advising the stricken Wall Street giant on the UK aspects of its sale to JP Morgan last month. Simmons' role on the high-profile sale will be seen as a coup for the top 10 City firm's corporate and finance practices, with the partners Jeremy Hoyland (financial markets) and Alan Karter (corporate) brought on board when it became apparent that the bank was in trouble.

    1 minute read

  • April 10, 2008 |

    O'Melveny Beijing head joins Davis Polk

    Davis Polk & Wardwell has made a rare lateral hire in Asia, bringing in O'Melveny & Myers Beijing head Howard Zhang. M&A heavyweight Zhang joined the New York leader at the beginning of this week (7 April). Davis Polk launched its Beijing office in February 2007 but has had an office in Hong Kong since 1993, with the firm's China practice now comprising around 25 lawyers.

    1 minute read

  • April 9, 2008 | International Edition

    Macfarlanes advises Pernod on €5.6bn Vin & Spirit acquisition

    Macfarlanes has secured a starring role alongside Debevoise & Plimpton and a number of international firms on Pernod Ricard's E5.6bn (£4.4bn) acquisition of Swedish vodka maker Vin & Spirit. Macfarlanes corporate partner Tim Lewis took the lead for Pernod in the UK on the long-running deal, which sees the company buying the owner of the Absolut vodka brand from the Kingdom of Sweden.

    1 minute read

  • April 9, 2008 |

    Macfarlanes advises Pernod on €5.6bn Vin & Spirit acquisition

    Macfarlanes has secured a starring role alongside Debevoise & Plimpton and a number of international firms on Pernod Ricard's E5.6bn (£4.4bn) acquisition of Swedish vodka maker Vin & Spirit. Macfarlanes corporate partner Tim Lewis took the lead for Pernod in the UK on the long-running deal, which sees the company buying the owner of the Absolut vodka brand from the Kingdom of Sweden.

    1 minute read

  • April 8, 2008 |

    O'Melveny hires for HK securitisation team

    O'Melveny & Myers has beefed up its investment funds and securitisation practice in Hong Kong with the hire of a partner from rival US firm Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker. Neil Campbell has practised in Hong Kong for 14 years, specialising in asset-backed securitisation work . He was previously chair of the Asian securitisation practice at Paul Hastings.

    1 minute read

  • April 4, 2008 | International Edition

    Macs toasts Pernod's €5bn Swedish vodka deal

    Macfarlanes has bagged a starring role alongside Debevoise & Plimpton and a raft of international firms on Pernod Ricard's €5.6bn (£4.4bn) acquisition of Swedish vodka maker Vin & Spirit. Macfarlanes corporate partner Tim Lewis took the lead for Pernod in the UK on the long-running deal, which sees Pernod buying the owner of the Absolut vodka brand from the Kingdom of Sweden.

    1 minute read