• March 21, 2013 |

    DLA boosts Hong Kong real estate practice with Skadden hire

    DLA Piper has strengthened its Hong Kong real estate practice with the hire of partner Ed Sheremeta from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Previously head of the Asia real estate group for Skadden, Ed specialises in real estate investment both in the equity and finance space, advising on everything from acquisitions and institutional investments, to REITs, asset and property management and the establishment of real estate joint ventures.

    1 minute read

  • March 14, 2013 |

    Simpson Thacher and Skadden act on KKR's $3.7bn takeover of industrial firm

    Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have taken lead roles on US private equity house KKR's $3.74bn (£2.5bn) acquisition of industrial machinery maker Gardner Denver. The deal sees KKR acquire all of the outstanding shares of Gardner Denver common stock, as well as assuming all of the company's debts. Gardner Denver, which recorded revenues of around $2.4bn (£1.61bn) in 2012, is a global manufacturer of compressors, pumps and other products for industrial applications, including manufacturing and oil and gas exploration and production.

    1 minute read

  • March 14, 2013 |

    Bingham, Skadden and MoFo enjoy strong year in London as revenues rise

    Bingham McCutchen, Morrison & Foerster and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom all saw London revenues climb in 2012 as the rank of US firms unveiling last year's financial results continues to grow. Bingham saw City revenues rise by 11% during the last calendar year to $54.7m (£36.6m) compared with $49.1m (£32.9m) in 2011, with around 50 lawyers clocking up average revenue per lawyer of $1.158m (£776,000), compared to firmwide revenue per lawyer of $969,000 (£649,800).

    1 minute read

  • March 7, 2013 |

    Latham boosts Hong Kong disputes team with senior Sidley hire

    Latham & Watkins has expanded its Hong Kong disputes team with the hire of arbitration partner Ing Loong Yang from Sidley Austin. Yang, previously the co-chair of Sidley's international arbitration practice and an experienced litigator, has joined Latham to work alongside Hong Kong partner Simon Powell and of counsel Eleanor Lam.

    1 minute read

  • March 7, 2013 |

    Solicitor advocates turn back on the silk road as applications for QC status dwindle

    "Since 2006, just 13 solicitors have been named as QCs in the annual appointment rounds. Applications by solicitors are equally low, with two being made in each of the past two years – the lowest rate since solicitors were first permitted to apply..."

    1 minute read

  • March 7, 2013 |

    Paper trail – are paperless trials the way forward for UK courts?

    Billed as the biggest trial in the British courts in terms of value, the case brought in 2011 by Boris Berezovsky against fellow Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich was always going to attract plenty of interest. With accusations of blackmail, breach of trust and breach of contract, as well as a damages claim of £3.8bn, the scene was set for high drama. The ensuing litigation proved to be a first on a number of counts, not least for being the first case to be heard at the High Court's commercial arm, the Rolls Building.

    1 minute read

  • March 5, 2013 |

    DLA, Skadden among firms on take-private of US-listed China dairy giant

    DLA Piper, O'Melveny & Myers and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have taken lead roles on the $147m (£98m) take-private of China dairy products company Feihe International. The deal, which is now in the final stages, has seen chairman and CEO You-Bin Leng, who owns approximately 50% of the company, acquire the remaining shares alongside Morgan Stanley's private equity arm, Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA) for a price of $7.40 (£4.92) per share.

    1 minute read

  • February 26, 2013 |

    Essex Court, Doughty Street among big winners in 84-strong silk round

    The annual round of QC appointments has been announced today (27 February), with 84 taking silk, including four each from Brick Court Chambers, Doughty Street Chambers and Essex Court Chambers. The trio are the most successful sets in this year's round, while other chambers to be recognised include Hardwicke, 3-4 South Square, Landmark Chambers, Maitland Chambers and St Phillips Chambers, all of which are home to three newly appointed QCs.

    1 minute read

  • February 22, 2013 |

    Hogan Lovells and Skadden lead on Saudi investment in China retailer

    Hogan Lovells and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have scored lead roles on Kingdom Holding Company's $125m (£89m) investment in Beijing retailer 360Buy Jingdong. The Riyadh based company, which is controlled by Saudi Arabian billionaire and the world's 14th richest man Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, led a consortium of investors in a Series F round of funding, raising a total of $400m (£262m) for the China business.

    1 minute read

  • February 19, 2013 |

    Macfarlanes continues hedge fund push with Akin Gump partner hire

    Macfarlanes has turned to US firm Akin Gump for the hire of an investment funds partner, not long after taking on a nine-strong City hedge fund boutique. Simon Thomas, who has been part of Akin Gump's London funds team for 10 years after joining from Dechert in 2002, joins Macfarlanes after the firm took over specialist hedge fund firm D Harris Co International (DHCI) last year, adding all of its nine City employees to its private equity practice.

    1 minute read