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  • January 19, 2012 |

    A fresh start - reinvigorating one of America's leading law firms

    After a few tough years, O'Melveny has a new chair and a revamped strategy. Drew Combs reports

    1 minute read

  • January 19, 2012 |

    Stayin' alive (just) – high street woe looks set to shake restructuring market out of relative calm

    With budget fashion retailers Peacocks and Barratts this week looking set to join a growing list of high street casualties in the latest round of economic turmoil, 2012 should – in theory – shape up to be a busy year for City restructuring and insolvency partners. To date, January has already seen the likes of Addleshaw Goddard, Travers Smith, Linklaters and SJ Berwin win roles on the administrations of Blacks Leisure and lingerie chain La Senza and, with many predicting a surge of additional collapses, the tally of firms winning work from turbulence on the high street is obviously set to increase. Still, a quick glance behind the more high-profile headlines shows that restructuring – and in particular, insolvency – work has so far failed to see the sustained upsurge predicted in the wake of Lehman Brothers' collapse and the onset of the last recession. While there was a run of deals in the wake of the banking crisis through 2009 and early 2010, by consensus pickings have been slimmer than restructuring teams expected.

    1 minute read

  • January 19, 2012 |

    Macfarlanes corporate partner exits firm for new in-house role

    Macfarlanes corporate partner Rachel Bond has left the firm and taken up an in-house role at financial services company Byhiras. Bond left Macfarlanes at the close of 2011 and joined Byhiras earlier this month. Her role at the company, which was launched a year ago, will cover both legal and non-legal work.

    1 minute read

  • January 12, 2012 |

    At last Davis Polk hits the City, but is the Wall St leader ready to go on offensive?

    Suzanna Ring sizes up Davis Polk & Wardwell's prospects as the US leader makes its English law debut in the City...

    1 minute read

  • January 5, 2012 |

    Skadden recruits restructuring partner in London with Weil hire

    Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has strengthened its corporate restructuring practice in London with the hire of partner Dominic McCahill from rival US firm Weil Gotshal & Manges. McCahill, who will become the sixth partner in Skadden's London restructuring practice, will report to London corporate restructuring chief Chris Mallon. The firm's restructuring practice sits alongside the corporate group, which currently comprises 16 partners in the City.

    1 minute read

  • December 19, 2011 |

    Herbert Smith & A&O score roles on multi-billion dollar Rosneft financing

    Herbert Smith and Allen & Overy (A&O) have both advised on a multi-billion dollar financing facility for Russian oil giant Rosneft. A Herbert Smith team led by Moscow finance partner Edward Baring has advised Barclays Bank as agent with 12 other leading banks including Bank of America, JP Morgan and Credit Suisse.

    1 minute read

  • December 16, 2011 |

    SFO names former Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office director as new head

    Senior City barrister David Green QC, the former director of the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO), has been appointed as the next director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). The appointment was announced today by Attorney General Dominic Grieve QC, with Green to take up the appointment when current director Richard Alderman steps down in April 2012. The appointment, which follows an open competition, is for four years.

    1 minute read

  • December 16, 2011 |

    Davis Polk, Clifford Chance latest to announce US bonus rates

    Davis Polk & Wardwell has become the latest firm to announce US associate bonuses, with the firm opting to match rates first set by Wall Street rival Cravath Swaine & Moore last month, writes The Am Law Daily. Like Cravath, Davis Polk's bonus scale starts at $7,500 (£4,800) for those in the class of 2010 and increases incrementally to $37,500 (£24,200) for the class of 2004, according to an announcement sent out to the firm's associates on Monday (12 December).

    1 minute read

  • December 14, 2011 |

    BLP grows projects practice with hire of Allen & Overy partner

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has turned to Allen & Overy (A&O) for its latest hire, taking projects partner Andrei Baev. Baev joins the top 15 UK firm's finance practice today (14 December) from A&O's London office. He has worked at the firm for 11 years, including in the firm's Moscow and New York offices. At BLP, he is due to split his time between London and Moscow.

    1 minute read

  • December 7, 2011 |

    Skadden and Travers lead on private equity energy purchase

    Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Travers Smith 
have taken lead roles on Doughty Hanson's £250m acquisition of oil and gas logistics company Asco. Skadden advised the UK private equity house on the transaction, which will see the group take a majority stake in Asco. The US law firm fielded a London-based team led by corporate partner Allan Murray-Jones.

    1 minute read