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  • January 19, 2012 |

    GDF Suez appoints firms to first global legal panel

    GDF Suez has appointed a trio of firms to its inaugural global legal panel in the wake of its £5bn reverse takeover of electricity generator International Power last summer. Linklaters and French leader Bredin Prat, both longstanding advisers to GDF Suez, have been appointed to the roster, which will cover transactional work in all of the jurisdictions in which GDF Suez operates. US firm Shearman & Sterling has also been selected for the panel.

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  • January 19, 2012 |

    Stayin' alive (just) – high street woe looks set to shake restructuring market out of relative calm

    With budget fashion retailers Peacocks and Barratts this week looking set to join a growing list of high street casualties in the latest round of economic turmoil, 2012 should – in theory – shape up to be a busy year for City restructuring and insolvency partners. To date, January has already seen the likes of Addleshaw Goddard, Travers Smith, Linklaters and SJ Berwin win roles on the administrations of Blacks Leisure and lingerie chain La Senza and, with many predicting a surge of additional collapses, the tally of firms winning work from turbulence on the high street is obviously set to increase. Still, a quick glance behind the more high-profile headlines shows that restructuring – and in particular, insolvency – work has so far failed to see the sustained upsurge predicted in the wake of Lehman Brothers' collapse and the onset of the last recession. While there was a run of deals in the wake of the banking crisis through 2009 and early 2010, by consensus pickings have been slimmer than restructuring teams expected.

    1 minute read

  • January 16, 2012 |

    Macfarlanes adds hedge funds team with City boutique takeover

    Macfarlanes has taken over specialist hedge fund law firm D Harris & Co International (DHCI) in a bid to grow the firm's footprint in the hedge fund market. All of DHCI's nine City-based employees have joined Macfarlanes' private equity practice today (16 January), with DHCI founder Daniel Harris taking a consultant role alongside five associates, two trainees and one paralegal.

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  • January 12, 2012 |

    A&O leads for Asia M&A while Linklaters and Freshfields dominate lean Euro market

    Allen & Overy (A&O) has emerged as the top-ranked UK M&A adviser in 2011 in the strategically key Asia-Pacific market, securing an apparent vindication for its sustained push in the region. Figures from Legal Week's exclusive data provider Mergermarket show A&O leading the Asia-Pacific rankings (which exclude Japan) in value terms after advising on 53 deals with a combined value of $50.5bn (£32.7bn) in 2011, well ahead of international rivals. The firm was also the highest ranked City practice according to number of Asia deals, in sixth place overall.

    1 minute read

  • January 10, 2012 |

    MoFo wraps up Hong Kong capital markets deal hat-trick

    Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) has completed three multimillion-dollar listings on the Hong Kong stock exchange in recent weeks, as Asian capital markets continues to grow in importance for international law firms. The US firm advised the underwriters - China International Capital Corporation, UBS and RBS - on the $300m (£194m) initial public offering (IPO) of Chinese power company Guodian Technology and Environment Group, which listed on 30 December.

    1 minute read

  • January 10, 2012 |

    Shearman seals hire of Ashurst energy partner for London office

    Shearman & Sterling is set to bulk up its London projects practice with the hire of Ashurst energy partner John Inglis. Inglis, who joined Ashurst from Norton Rose in 2007, is a member of the firm's energy transport & infrastructure team in London, focusing on the development and financing of energy projects in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

    1 minute read

  • January 6, 2012 |

    Kirkland boosts pay for new London qualifiers by 8% to £97,000

    Kirkland & Ellis has increased newly-qualified lawyer (NQ) salaries to £97,000 in a move which will bring it in line with rival US firms including Weil Gotshal & Manges. The salary increase, which represents an 8% increase on last year's rate of £90,000, places the firm at the top end of the US firm salary spectrum.

    1 minute read

  • December 22, 2011 |

    Shearman's MacRitchie set for GC role at UK Green Investments

    Shearman & Sterling London-based project finance partner Kenneth MacRitchie is set to leave the firm at the end of this month to join UK Green Investments as general counsel. MacRitchie, who was a partner in Shearman's London office for 15 years, focuses on advising lenders in the oil & gas, petrochemicals, transport, power & gas and telecoms industries. He previously headed the US firm's London office, before being replaced by Anthony Ward in 2008.

    1 minute read

  • December 22, 2011 |

    Weil promotes one partner in London as 11 make the grade

    Weil Gotshal & Manges has become the latest US firm to announce its partners promotions with only one lawyer making the cut in the City. Jamie Maples, a member of the London arbitration team for more than eight years, has acted in a wide range of major international commercial disputes including telecoms infrastructure work and - most recently - hedge fund investments.

    1 minute read

  • December 16, 2011 |

    Soc Gen names new panel with dozen firms winning places

    Societe Generale has concluded a review of its global panel, with firms including Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith appointed. The roster, which will take effect in the New Year (1 January), also sees UK firms Clifford Chance, Hogan Lovells, Norton Rose and Simmons & Simmons winning places.

    1 minute read