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  • January 10, 2013 |

    Top-level Hong Kong group discusses move to bring in class actions

    Hong Kong is to take a step closer towards introducing class actions, with a working group made up of public officials and private sector representatives set to meet for the first time this month. The working group meeting comes after the Law Reform Commission (LRC) of Hong Kong issued proposals in May last year that could change the way companies operating in Hong Kong respond to claims from multiple parties.

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  • January 10, 2013 |

    Freshfields leads rivals for Europe and Asia-Pac M&A in 2012 rankings

    M&A statistics offer glimmers of hope for recovery as top firms carve up big-ticket work in tough market

    1 minute read

  • January 10, 2013 |

    Simmons to launch new base in Munich led by three-partner team

    Simmons & Simmons is set to grow its German footprint with the launch of a Munich office after recruiting Field Fisher Waterhouse partner Thomas Adam. The office, which is planned to open in March, will focus on life sciences and TMT sectors and will be the firm's third German base, alongside its offices in Duesseldorf and Frankfurt.

    1 minute read

  • January 8, 2013 |

    Dechert, Wachtell take key roles on BoA's $11.6bn toxic loan settlement

    Dechert and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz have taken advisory roles on Bank of America's (BoA) $11.6bn (£7.2bn) settlement with US Government mortgage agency Fannie Mae to resolve mortgage purchase claims related to residential home loans. The settlement, which comes after the Manhattan US Attorney sued BoA last October for selling toxic loans, will see BoA make payments of $3.6bn (£2.2bn) and repurchase 30,000 loans for $6.75bn (£4.2bn), as well as paying $1.3bn (£808m) to Fannie Mae to resolve loan servicing fee obligations.

    1 minute read

  • December 14, 2012 |

    CC picks up role advising Autonomy founder against HP claims

    Clifford Chance is advising Autonomy founder Mike Lynch against allegations of financial impropriety and misrepresentation made by Hewlett Packard (HP), which acquired Lynch's software company last year for $11bn (£6.8bn). The magic circle firm also confirmed it is advising other former members of Autonomy's management. HP made the allegations in a press statement on 20 November, as it announced an $8.8bn (£5.5bn) write-down related to Autonomy in the fourth quarter of its 2012 fiscal year.

    1 minute read

  • December 13, 2012 |

    M&A Team of the Year: Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

    In a turbulent market for deal advisers, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom was viewed as the clear winner for its impressive technical work on Colfax Corporation's £1.5bn takeover of Charter International. The deal was distinguished by a range of innovative features that allowed Skadden client Colfax to quickly close a leveraged cash and paper deal for the UK-listed engineering group on favourable terms.

    1 minute read

  • December 13, 2012 |

    'Like something out of a movie' – key players recount the dramatic Berezovsky-Abramovich face-off

    In 2009, a hacker known as 'Igor' managed to get hold of some highly sensitive documents that have gone on to play a crucial part in one of the most headline-grabbing disputes of recent times – Boris Berezovsky's multi-billion dollar battle with business rival and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich. Igor delivered the documents to a flat in Sloane Square belonging to Abramovich where, in his absence, a servant opened the package.

    1 minute read

  • December 13, 2012 |

    New Hong Kong laws push firms to review paternity pay policies

    Law firms in Hong Kong are facing an overhaul of their paternity leave policies following a move to force all private companies in the region to provide employees with at least three days' paid leave. The government proposals, endorsed by the Hong Kong Labour Advisory Board last month, will see men paid at least 80% of their salaries for the paternity leave period.

    1 minute read

  • December 13, 2012 |

    British Legal Awards 2012: who won what – and why...

    A full run-down of all the winners at the British Legal Awards 2012

    1 minute read

  • December 10, 2012 |

    Weil billings on MF Global administration reach £15m with £2m for Norton Rose

    Weil Gotshal & Manges has billed more than £15m for its work on the administration of MF Global in the past year, as total legal fees generated by the broker's high-profile collapse pass £18m. The second six-month progress report filed by administrator KPMG reveals that lead legal adviser Weil billed a total of £5.8m for the period from 1 May to 30 October this year.

    1 minute read