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  • October 6, 2009 |

    Global 100: The great game

    Soon after Simon Davies took over as Linklaters' managing partner at the end of 2007, he brought together a group of the firm's partners for some scenario planning. Turbulence in the subprime mortgage sector had not yet grown into a global economic downturn, but Davies knew that the legal services market was already changing. "We had been striving to run ourselves as efficiently as possible to deliver clear value to our clients and avoid increasing rates," he says. The purpose of the gathering was to run through some 'what-ifs,' determine how the firm would be affected, and consider how it would respond. Scenario three, the worst one under consideration, was the collapse of a major investment bank.

    1 minute read

  • September 25, 2009 |

    Slaughters and Freshfields lead on Unilever's €1.3bn Sara Lee bid

    Slaughter and May and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have won key roles on Unilever's €1.275bn (£1.17bn) bid for the personal care division of Sara Lee. The deal, expected to close next year, will see Unilever aqcuire well-known brands such as Radox and Brylcreem

    1 minute read

  • September 23, 2009 | International Edition

    Renewable energy: Great light hope

    There are growth markets, there are long-term bets and then there is renewable energy. But however many false dawns alternative energy has had over the years, in the long run the business of green energy and nuclear power looks certain to ultimately establish itself as a huge, globally-significant industry.

    1 minute read

  • September 23, 2009 |

    Renewable energy: Great light hope

    There are growth markets, there are long-term bets and then there is renewable energy. But however many false dawns alternative energy has had over the years, in the long run the business of green energy and nuclear power looks certain to ultimately establish itself as a huge, globally-significant industry.

    1 minute read

  • September 23, 2009 |

    Dealmaker: Chris Fanner

    Herbert Smith finance partner Chris Fanner reflects on recession, stupid acronyms and letting the best man down

    1 minute read

  • September 23, 2009 |

    Mayer Brown to boost City leveraged finance team with A&O partner hire

    Mayer Brown is set to make the second magic circle partner hire for its London leveraged finance practice since July. The international firm is set to bring in former Allen & Overy (A&O) partner Jacqui Evans to its City office, although the deal has not yet been completed.

    1 minute read

  • September 16, 2009 |

    Commentary: The gloom lifts but recovery seems to be the hardest word

    After all the talk about how much hinged on September, for M&A lawyers the post-summer kick-off couldn't have gone much better. Nine out of 10 economic indicators have been pointing north for the last month, the FTSE 100 last week broke back through 5,000 - marking a five-month revival - and this month has seen a string of notable bids. In particular, Kraft's £10.2bn unsolicited offer for Cadbury's, which threw up roles for Clifford Chance (CC) and Slaughter and May, was exactly the kind of deal needed to give the market a lift after nearly 15 months of strategic buyers sitting on their hands. Add in the joint venture talks between T-Mobile and Orange - CC again and Norton Rose - and it seems a growing number of trade buyers are calling the bottom of the market. This potentially clears the way for non-distressed M&A activity to revive after the enforced stasis since the collapse of Lehman Brothers a year ago.

    1 minute read

  • September 1, 2009 |

    A&O tech partner makes move to Pillsbury's London office

    Pillsbury has boosted its London office with a magic circle hire, bringing in Allen & Overy (A&O) outsourcing and technology partner Ian Ferguson. Ferguson, who has been a partner at A&O since 1992 and served as global head of the firm's communications, media and technology group, will join Pillsbury on 7 September. His hire marks the first partner-level appointment Pillsbury has made in London in 2009, on the back of three lateral hires in 2008.

    1 minute read

  • September 1, 2009 |

    Macfarlanes adds partner duo with A&O and Jones Day laterals

    Macfarlanes has made a double partner hire to strengthen its restructuring and litigation teams with Francis Bridgeman and Barry Donnelly joining from Allen & Overy (A&O) and Jones Day respectively. Jones Day partner Donnelly and former A&O consultant Bridgeman will both join Macfarlanes' partnership later this month (10 September), with the firm predicting an increase in litigation and restructuring mandates in the wake of the credit crunch.

    1 minute read

  • September 1, 2009 |

    Jones Day hires City partner as construction practice head

    Jones Day has made its second lateral hire in as many weeks, bringing in a partner from Dundas & Wilson's London office to head its construction practice. Hamish Lal will join the US firm at the beginning of October, bringing with him a practice encompassing both contentious and non-contentious advice covering real estate, utilities, engineering, nuclear and project finance matters. His clients include a number of construction and nuclear energy companies.

    1 minute read