• September 7, 2011 |

    Magic circle quartet secure roles on €2bn Endemol debt restructuring

    Four of the magic circle are among a raft of firms to have won roles on the 
multi billion-euro debt restructuring of Endemol, the TV production company behind shows such as Big Brother and Deal or No Deal. Endemol is owned by a consortium comprising Mediacinco, Goldman Sachs Capital Partners and Cyrte Investments, which are being advised by Clifford Chance (CC), Sullivan & Cromwell and Benelux leader Stibbe respectively.

    1 minute read

  • September 5, 2011 |

    Leading law firms make public pledge to slash CO2 emissions

    Linklaters, DLA Piper and Allen & Overy are among a raft of major law firms to have signed up to a public commitment to cut their carbon emissions. The firms are among 20 'executive' members of the Legal Sector Alliance - a group of law firms and organisations working to reduce Co2 emissions in the legal industry - to agree public targets from the next financial year.

    1 minute read

  • September 1, 2011 |

    Halliwells partners set for mediation with administrators over £21m claim

    The Halliwells partners facing a £21m High Court claim by the firm's administrators are set to enter mediation in an effort to avoid a lengthy court battle. BDO launched the claim in July against a group of 32 ex-partners - including former chairman Ian Austin - in a bid to reclaim more than £21m gained through a controversial 'reverse premium' property payout.

    1 minute read

  • August 31, 2011 |

    Rising from the rubble - the Arab Spring becomes a summer

    The Arab Spring has become a summer. More than six months since a solitary act of protest in Tunisia became the catalyst for widespread political unrest that swept throughout much of the Arab world, the swelling tide of uprisings in the Middle East continues. As the Muslim month of fasting comes to an end, the region is radically different to how it was one year ago. A violent transformation has taken place: dictators have fallen, dynamics have shifted and the institutional setup of the region has been radically altered. Most pressingly for the legal sector, markets in places such as Bahrain, Egypt and Libya have been hit hard.

    1 minute read

  • August 25, 2011 |

    Line-up of top UK firms pitch in with pro bono help for riot-hit businesses

    Linklaters, Eversheds and DLA Piper are among a list of leading UK law firms to have offered pro bono legal support to victims of the London riots. Legal charity LawWorks has launched a dedicated helpline to offer free legal advice and support to those affected by the recent riots, in particular owners of small independent businesses to have suffered as a result of the unrest.

    1 minute read

  • August 23, 2011 |

    DWF keeps on 100% of trainees as McGrigors retains 72%

    DWF has posted a 100% retention rate for its autumn 2011 intake of newly-qualified lawyers (NQs). The northwest firm, which runs one trainee intake each year, is set to keep on all 16 of its trainee solicitors. The figure marks an increase on last year's retention rate of 89%, when 16 of the 18 lawyers in the intake were offered roles with the firm.

    1 minute read

  • August 15, 2011 |

    Fourteen ex-Halliwells partners instruct Irwin Mitchell to fight BDO claims

    Irwin Mitchell has been instructed by a group of former Halliwells partners to fight claims that they are liable to repay drawings paid out in the months leading up to firm's collapse. The firm has been appointed by 14 former fixed-share partners at Halliwells to fight claims by Halliwells' administrator BDO that they should repay some drawings paid out in the months running up to the firm's collapse into insolvency on 20 July 2010.

    1 minute read

  • August 9, 2011 |

    Norton Rose, Addleshaws post high retention rates as Mills & Reeve keeps on just 36%

    Norton Rose is among a trio of firms to have announced trainee retention rates for September, with the firm keeping on 88% of its newly-qualified lawyers (NQs). The top 10 UK firm is set to keep on 14 of 16 trainees this autumn, after all of those who were offered a position accepted.

    1 minute read

  • August 3, 2011 |

    Berrymans wins first-time role as NHS Commercial Alliance reviews eight panels

    Berrymans Lace Mawer has won a first-time role on the NHS Commercial Alliance panel line-up, following the healthcare body's review of eight of its panels. Berrymans has been appointed to the health panel alongside Mills & Reeve, Beachcroft, Bevan Brittan, Browne Jacobson, Hempsons and Capsticks Solicitors.

    1 minute read

  • July 27, 2011 |

    Addleshaws and Linklaters take lead roles on Citi's Egg sale

    Addleshaw Goddard is advising Yorkshire Building Society on its acquisition of internet bank Egg's mortgage and savings business from Citigroup. The deal will see the UK's second largest mutual lender acquire Egg's £2.5bn savings book and a £430m mortgage book, as well as the Egg brand.

    1 minute read