• January 14, 2013 |

    Barclays panel firms get extra year as bank moves to three-year cycle

    Barclays has pushed back this summer's expected legal panel review by a year, extending the terms of its review cycle from two to three years. The bank has made the decision based on a number of factors, including satisfaction with the current panel, the administrative upheaval involved in regular reviews and the fact that most big banks operate a three-year review schedule.

    1 minute read

  • January 10, 2013 |

    Happy new year - law firm leaders predict a turbulent 2013 but opportunity abounds

    After a difficult 2012, the heads of the UK's leading law firms predict a slow road to recovery for 2013

    1 minute read

  • January 9, 2013 |

    Quinn Emanuel's fast-growing City base sees revenues rise once more

    Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan's London arm saw cash revenues rise to £27.5m last year, a 20% jump on the fast-growing firm's 2011 figures. Richard East, the co-managing partner of the ten-partner City base, estimated that 67% (£18.4m) of 2012 revenue was profit, an increase of 16% on the previous year's figure of £15.9m.

    1 minute read

  • January 8, 2013 |

    Shearman and Norton Rose act on $1bn ArcelorMittal Canada-Asia deal

    Shearman & Sterling and Norton Rose have taken the top roles for ArcelorMittal on its $1.1bn (£685m) sale of a stake in its Canadian iron ore operations to a pan-Asian consortium. The deal has seen ArcelorMittal subsidiary ArcerlorMittal Mines Canada (ACCM) form a joint venture with a group led by Korean steel company POSCO and Taiwanese China Steel Corporation (CSC), entitling them to a 15% interest in the Canadian business.

    1 minute read

  • January 2, 2013 |

    Sidley makes up two London lawyers in 26-strong partnership round

    Sidley Austin has become the latest US law firm to announce its annual partner promotions, with 26 lawyers across nine offices made up including two in the City. The promotions, which came into effect yesterday (1 January), include lawyers in the US firm's corporate, litigation and regulatory practices.

    1 minute read

  • December 19, 2012 |

    Gibson Dunn advises as UBS reaches £945m Libor settlement

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has advised UBS on its (£945m) settlement with US and UK authorities over allegations that the Swiss bank tried to manipulate Libor interest rates. UBS announced today (19 December) that it was settling with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in the UK, and the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), over the regulators' investigations into manipulation of the Libor interbank lending rates.

    1 minute read

  • December 14, 2012 |

    Jones Day makes up 45 new partners, including six in London

    Jones Day has made up 45 new partners, including six in London, marking the latest US firm to announce its annual promotions. The new City partners are split across the firm's practices and comprise: Liz Robertson (M&A); Amy Koh (banking and finance); Matt Evans (competition); Simon Kiff (M&A); Anna Cartwright (private equity); and Lucas Moore (dispute resolution).

    1 minute read

  • December 13, 2012 |

    New Hong Kong laws push firms to review paternity pay policies

    Law firms in Hong Kong are facing an overhaul of their paternity leave policies following a move to force all private companies in the region to provide employees with at least three days' paid leave. The government proposals, endorsed by the Hong Kong Labour Advisory Board last month, will see men paid at least 80% of their salaries for the paternity leave period.

    1 minute read

  • December 12, 2012 |

    New online barrister portal launched in effort to harness direct access

    A new scheme to promote direct access to the Bar through a centralised portal of barristers has been launched this month, marking the latest in a string of moves to increase direct instructions. myBARRISTER, the brainchild of former Shearman & Sterling partner Ronald DeKoven, is a new online service that will allow individuals to search for a barrister in their area, select one from a relevant practice shortlist and submit their claim, without the need for a solicitor.

    1 minute read

  • December 12, 2012 |

    Norton Rose, Herbert Smith among firms on Delta's $360m purchase of 49% Virgin Atlantic stake

    Herbert Smith Freehills, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Norton Rose and Shearman & Sterling are among a raft of law firms to have advised on Delta Air Lines' $360m (£223m) acquisition of a stake in Virgin Atlantic. The deal has seen Delta take a 49% stake in Richard Branson's transatlantic carrier from Singapore Airlines, alongside a joint venture between Virgin and Delta, and a revised brand licence with the Virgin Group.

    1 minute read