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  • March 1, 2011 |

    US invaders back on the offensive

    The number of partner promotions in the City offices of US law firms is on track to exceed last year's tally, with 33 new partners made up in London in 2011 so far out of a global promotions total of 382. Legal Week's annual survey of US firms' lateral partner hiring and internal appointments found there have been only five fewer partner promotions in London so far this year than in the whole of 2010.

    1 minute read

  • February 22, 2011 |

    The Global 100: The tracks of my tiers

    Once again, it's merger-talk season. There was a flurry of activity last year that culminated in the various Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, Norton Rose and Squire Sanders & Dempsey transoceanic combinations. They were notable because they all opted to organise as Swiss vereins rather than single-profit sharing partnerships, and all were motivated, at least in part, by a desire to get bigger so they could compete for work and talent that was waiting for those firms that, well, got bigger. The wooing continues. Consultants log George Clooney-esque air miles trying to complete promising law firm mergers. And partners seek to convince themselves either that they're not being acquired or that an acquisition is necessary to have a chance at becoming one of the Select 17 (or whatever) who will stand astride the known world, someday really soon.

    1 minute read

  • February 4, 2011 |

    Weil Gotshal posts falling revenue and partner profits for 2010

    Weil Gotshal & Manges saw a decrease in revenue in 2010, according to financial data reported by the firm, writes The Am Law Daily. Gross revenue in 2010 dipped 4% to $1.19bn (£750m) for the US law firm. While revenue fell, a series of cost-cutting measures - total lawyer headcount shrank by more than 90 - pushed net income up by 3% to a record high of $438.5m (£277m). Consequently, Weil's profit margin rose to 37%, its highest level since 1997.

    1 minute read

  • January 31, 2011 |

    Wilson Sonsini and Cooley connect for roles on upcoming LinkedIn IPO

    US firms Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and Cooley have won roles on LinkedIn's upcoming initial public offering (IPO), reports The Am Law Daily. LinkedIn, which had 90 million registered users at the end of 2010, is set to become the first of the major social networking websites to go public. However, the company did not specify a timeframe for the listing in its S-1 prospectus filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last Thursday (27 January).

    1 minute read

  • January 26, 2011 |

    Weil recruits new UK restructuring chief with Jones Day London hire

    Weil Gotshal & Manges has made its second London hire in a month with the addition of Jones Day restructuring head Adam Plainer. Plainer is joining Weil as practice head of the US firm's UK business finance and restructuring practice, which currently comprises just one partner, Dominic McCahill. Plainer, who has been handed a remit to build up the practice, advises on a wide range of matters from debtors counsel to insolvency, financial restructurings and distressed M&A. His clients include Honda and Ennstone.

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  • January 11, 2011 |

    Jones Day to launch trio of offices in Saudi with local tie-up

    Jones Day is set to launch three associate offices in Saudi Arabia during 2011 through an informal tie-up with local law firm Alsulaim Alawaji & Partners. The offices will be located in Riyadh, Jeddah and Alkhobar, and will bring the total number of Jones Day locations to 37. The Riyadh office was the first to open its doors earlier this month (1 January), and will be overseen by projects partner Yusuf Giansiracusa, who rejoined Jones Day after stints at Alsulaim Alawaji and as Winston & Strawn's Riyadh managing partner.

    1 minute read

  • January 10, 2011 |

    Camerons hires Simmons partner for international capital markets launch

    CMS Cameron McKenna has launched an international capital markets (ICM) group with the hire of Simmons & Simmons US securities partner Daniel Winterfeldt. As previously reported by Legal Week, Winterfeldt left Simmons in early December 2010. He will join Camerons next month (1 February) to head up the new team, which will span 13 offices in the UK and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and include around 40 partners.

    1 minute read

  • January 7, 2011 |

    BLP seals hire of DLA Piper partner for London regulatory practice

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has strengthened its regulatory practice with the hire of Daren Allen from DLA Piper. Allen joined the UK top 20 firm earlier this week (4 January) as a partner in its disputes group. He served as a partner within DLA Piper's litigation and regulation group and headed up the national firm's financial services team until his departure at the end of December.

    1 minute read

  • December 22, 2010 |

    Jones Day adds two London lawyers to partnership in promotions round

    Jones Day has made two partner promotions in London as a part of a 36-strong global partnership round, which will take effect in the New Year (1 January). Alex Millar, who is joining the partnership in the US firm's City real estate practice, has worked on the development of and investment in business parks, retails parks, hotels and industrial estates.

    1 minute read

  • December 14, 2010 |

    Pastor Terry Jones ban: Koran burning and free speech

    Terry Jones, an American pastor who threatened to burn Korans on the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, may be banned from visiting the UK by the Home Secretary. Jones, an otherwise unknown local pastor in Gainsville, Florida, caused worldwide controversy earlier this year when he proposed an 'International Burn a Koran Day'. He has not as yet carried out his threat.

    1 minute read