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  • July 9, 2013 |

    US trio lead on buyout of Times Educational Supplement publisher

    Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Shearman & Sterling, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Travers Smith have all taken roles on private equity house TPG Capital's acquisition of Times Education Supplement (TES) publisher TSL Education, from Charterhouse Capital. The deal, which makes TPG the fourth owner of the business in eight years, is reported to be worth around £400m and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2013.

    1 minute read

  • July 4, 2013 |

    Macfarlanes growth continues with double-digit revenue and PEP hikes

    Macfarlanes has posted a 12% growth in revenue and 10% growth in profits per equity partner (PEP) for 2012-13. Revenue at the firm climbed from £102.2m to £114.2m, while PEP is now close to the £1m mark, rising from £903,000 to £989,000.

    1 minute read

  • July 2, 2013 |

    Herbert Smith Freehills and Cleary make key partner hires in Frankfurt

    Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has sealed the hire of SJ Berwin Germany real estate chief Hans Thomas Kessler in a boost for its recently launched German operation. Kessler, who joined SJ Berwin from Beiten Burkhardt in 2008, will work alongside HSF's Frankfurt head Ralf Thaeter - who launched the German offering after joining from former Herbert Smith ally Gleiss Lutz earlier this year - and former Norton Rose corporate partner Nico Abel.

    1 minute read

  • July 1, 2013 |

    Sidley and Jones Day post healthy autumn NQ retention rates in London

    The London office of Sidley Austin has achieved a 100% trainee retention rate for its September intake, with all nine of the firm's autumn qualifiers accepting offers in their first-choice practice areas. Several of the US firm's newly qualified (NQ) lawyers were offered places in more than one practice group in the office, and it is understood that at least one practice group was left disappointed when it did not receive any trainees. However, the firm does not have any current plans to expand its trainee intake numbers.

    1 minute read

  • June 27, 2013 |

    White & Case gets licence to launch in Dubai

    White & Case is set to become the latest firm to open in Dubai after obtaining a licence to practise in the emirate. It is understood that the US firm will relocate a team of lawyers to run the new outpost, which will function as an offshoot of its operation in Abu Dhabi. The firm is still determining how the operation will be staffed, with an announcement due after the Eid holidays in early August. According to regulatory requirements, at least five lawyers are required to staff the base.

    1 minute read

  • June 27, 2013 |

    Mission in Manila – Asia Development Bank's GC on switching from private practice

    Christopher Stephens, the new general counsel of the Asian Development Bank, tells Elizabeth Broomhall about 'desperate' times at Coudert Brothers and why Asian companies don't need panels

    1 minute read

  • June 13, 2013 |

    Shearman eyes Saudi opening as firm mulls opportunities to expand in region

    Shearman & Sterling is eyeing an office launch in Saudi Arabia, as part of a strategic review of the firm's opportunities in the region beyond its established base in Abu Dhabi. The firm is also looking at potential office openings in Qatar and Dubai, as well as considering setting up an Egyptian base to support its growing arbitration practice in the country. It is thought a Saudi launch, likely to be in Riyadh, will take place relatively soon, with the firm, which would have to open in conjunction with a local firm, understood to have come close to opening in Saudi several years ago. Any additional openings in Qatar, Dubai and Egypt are expected to take place further down the line.

    1 minute read

  • June 13, 2013 |

    Arabian night – the Corporate Counsel Middle East Awards 2013

    The cream of the Middle East legal community gathered in Dubai last month for the second annual Corporate Counsel Middle East Awards. Three hundred guests attended the event on 16 May at The Western Dubai Mina Seyahi hotel to celebrate the achievements of lawyers, law firms and in-house legal departments working across the Middle East. Allen and Overy (A&O), Al Tamimi & Company and The Emirates Group were among the big winners at the awards – which were jointly held by Legal Week and the Corporate Counsel Middle East Group (CCME) – scooping International Law Firm of the Year, Middle East Law Firm of the Year and Legal Department of the Year (Large Team) respectively. The top individual award – General Counsel of the Year – was won by Aluminium Bahrain's Afshan Akhtar. Commenting on the award, chief executive Tim Murray said it highlighted "the priority the company gives to upholding the principles of corporate governance and transparency across the organisation".

    1 minute read

  • June 13, 2013 |

    Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team of the Year: Shearman & Sterling

    Shearman & Sterling was named Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team of the Year for its work advising the Dow Chemical Company on one of the largest arbitration awards ever. Dow was awarded US$2.5bn (£1.6bn) in a dispute with state-owned Kuwaiti giant Petrochemical Industries Company that drew to a close in the London High Court in March 2013. The case set new standards because of both the size of the award and the strategic interest to Dow, whose share price jumped by 4% when the tribunal's decision was revealed.

    1 minute read

  • June 13, 2013 |

    Macfarlanes boosts real estate with Shearman partner hire

    Macfarlanes has strengthened its commercial real estate practice with the hire of Shearman & Sterling partner Clare Breeze. Breeze, who is due to join at the firm in the beginning of July, has been a partner at Shearman since 2009, and has acted for a range of developer and investor clients including Stanhope, AIG and Argent Estates.

    1 minute read