• October 18, 2012 |

    Linklaters, Cleary and Skadden take top roles on multibillion-dollar BP-Rosneft deal

    Linklaters, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have secured lead roles on the multibillion-dollar sale of Russian oil joint venture TNK-BP to Rosneft. The deal, which is thought to be the second-largest oil transaction in history, will see BP - which owns TNK-BP in partnership with Alfa-Access-Renova (AAR), a consortium of Russian oligarchs - receive a $17.1bn (£10.7bn) cash payment from Rosneft, as well as a 12.84% share in the state-backed company.

    1 minute read

  • October 16, 2012 |

    Addleshaws' Berezovsky earnings reach £50m as Bar fees also emerge

    Addleshaw Goddard has received around £50m in fees from its representation of Boris Berezovsky over the last four years, as details of the Russian oligarch's £20m fees to the Bar have also emerged. The UK top 20 law firm has generated total fee income of £50m since taking on the mandate in January 2009, including a £15m success fee relating to Berezovsky's recent settlement with the family of now-deceased Georgian billionaire, Arkady 'Badri' Patarkatsishvili.

    1 minute read

  • October 16, 2012 |

    MoFo and Skadden lead on Softbank's $20.1bn Sprint acquisition

    Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have secured lead advisory roles as Japanese telecoms group Softbank acquires a 70% stake in US mobile operator Sprint Nexel for $20.1bn (£12.5bn). The deal, thought to be the largest ever overseas acquisition by a Japanese company, will make Softbank the world's third-largest mobile phone operator by revenues.

    1 minute read

  • October 14, 2012 |

    The Transfer Window: recent moves including Reed Smith, Linklaters and RPC

    Reed Smith has added a partner to its London media team with the hire of Askandar Samad from DLA Piper. Samad's practice focuses on film and media financing, structured finance, co-production funding and tax. The hire for Reed Smith comes after the firm recruited Nick Swimer from Channel 4 - where he was head of legal for governance, regulatory and trading - in November last year.

    1 minute read

  • October 12, 2012 |

    Berezovsky agrees to near-£40m payout of legal costs

    Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky has agreed to pay £35m of Roman Abramovich's £40m legal costs today (12 October) following his high-profile litigation defeat to the Chelsea FC owner earlier this year. Berezovsky, who has been represented by Addleshaw Goddard on the long-running litigation since 2008, has agreed to pay the majority of Abramovich's costs after losing the $6bn (£3.8bn) court battle.

    1 minute read

  • October 11, 2012 |

    Skadden and Clifford Chance take lead roles as Greek bank consolidation continues

    Clifford Chance (CC) and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have advised on a Greek banking merger which has seen Alpha Bank acquire Emporiki Bank from Credit Agricole for a token price of €1 (80p).

    1 minute read

  • October 11, 2012 |

    New York elite reshape junior ranks amid sustained fee pressure

    Some of New York's leading law firms have taken steps to reposition their business in response to falling client demand and pressure on fees for the most junior US lawyers.

    1 minute read

  • October 11, 2012 | International Edition

    Moods in Manhattan – mixed messages from the world's legal capital

    You don't really appreciate until you talk to Manhattan lawyers in their own habitat how Wall Street firms at times seem weighed down by history. In London, partners often struggle to remember as far back as the 1990s. But their counterparts in the bustling yet conservative Manhattan community still find their focus drawn to key moments in their firm's past.

    1 minute read

  • October 11, 2012 |

    Moods in Manhattan – mixed messages from the world's legal capital

    You don't really appreciate until you talk to Manhattan lawyers in their own habitat how Wall Street firms at times seem weighed down by history. In London, partners often struggle to remember as far back as the 1990s. But their counterparts in the bustling yet conservative Manhattan community still find their focus drawn to key moments in their firm's past.

    1 minute read

  • October 9, 2012 |

    Kirkland promotes five London lawyers to partnership in 84-strong round

    Kirkland & Ellis has announced five partner promotions in both London and Hong Kong as part of an 84-strong global promotions round. This year's promotions, which are effective from 1 October, mark a slight increase on last October, when three partners were made up in both London and Hong Kong in an 80-strong round.

    1 minute read