• September 21, 2011 |

    On the bonfire - moves to burn up the UK's competition regime divide lawyers

    It looks like it's almost a done deal. Among antitrust advisers, the expectation is that it is only a matter of time before the Government makes good on its proposal to merge the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) with the Competition Commission (CC).

    1 minute read

  • September 20, 2011 |

    US tech leader Wilson Sonsini to open first European base in Brussels

    US firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is set to make its European debut in Brussels after recruiting a team of lawyers from Hunton & Williams and Shearman & Sterling. The firm, which currently has eight bases in the US and two in China, is set to launch an antitrust and competition practice in Brussels when it opens for business in the Belgian capital next month.

    1 minute read

  • September 14, 2011 |

    Latham and Shearman win roles on €600m sports agency buyout

    Latham & Watkins and Shearman & Sterling have taken lead roles on Bridgepoint Capital's €600m (£527m) acquisition of Infront Sports & Media, a Swiss agency that sells media rights for seven national football federations. Infront instructed US firm Shearman, which fielded a cross-border team led by London corporate partner Creighton Condon and Milan corporate partner Fabio Fauceglia. The firm also provided tax and competition advice on the transaction.

    1 minute read

  • September 14, 2011 |

    Battle royale - the tussle for global dominance shifts eastward

    With elite Wall Street firms finally breaking into Hong Kong law, the stage is set for a high-stakes struggle across Asia between the world's top law firms. Georgina Stanley and Simon Petersen report

    1 minute read

  • September 13, 2011 |

    Slaughters leads alongside US firms on £1.5bn transatlantic takeover bid

    Slaughter and May and a number of US firms have won roles on US manufacturing company Colfax Corporation's £1.5bn takeover bid for UK engineering group Charter International. Slaughters has taken the lead role for Charter on the deal, which is conditional upon regulatory and shareholder approvals. The magic circle firm is fielding a team under London corporate partners Andy Ryde and Robin Ogle.

    1 minute read

  • September 9, 2011 |

    Ashurst's Cookson exits to join DLA Piper as London real estate chief

    DLA Piper has boosted its real estate practice with the hire of senior Ashurst partner Simon Cookson as the firm's new London real estate chief. Cookson was previously Ashurst's European real estate chief, and also held a position on the firm's board.

    1 minute read

  • September 9, 2011 |

    Macfarlanes signs up Shearman partner to lead real estate practice

    Macfarlanes has recruited a new head of real estate with the hire of a senior partner from US firm Shearman & Sterling. Ian Nisse will join Macfarlanes at the end of the month after seven years as a partner at Shearman, where he was international co-head of real estate, working in both the firm's London and Abu Dhabi offices. He will succeed Simon Hillson as head of real estate at Macfarlanes, with Hillson continuing as a partner in the group after five years as practice head.

    1 minute read

  • September 7, 2011 |

    A waste of money - is the bonus round at top US firms just money down the drain?

    US law firms are conditioned to doling out tightly banded 'follow-the-leader' bonus awards to associates. But, argues Amy Kolz, there is little evidence this practice reflects market reality or even buys them any staff loyalty

    1 minute read

  • August 31, 2011 |

    African stampede - why the scramble for Africa can benefit both international and local firms

    The stampede to enter the African legal market can benefit both international and local law firms, says Shearman & Sterling's Christophe Asselineau

    1 minute read

  • August 31, 2011 |

    Africa and Middle East

    The Arab Spring's silver lining, the stampede to enter the African legal market, Angola's protectionist approach to its resources, South Sudan's first steps as a sovereign state and Saudi Arabia's economy and forward-thinking monarch

    1 minute read