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  • November 10, 2008 |

    Cads and Shearman shrink as US firms' growth slows

    Staff growth at America's largest law firms slowed in 2008, according to new research, with a host of major firms contracting in the face of the ailing economy. The National Law Journal's 250 survey, a closely-watched annual snapshot of staffing at the US's largest law firms, shows the group added 4.3% more lawyers over the last 12 months, down on the 5.6% growth in 2007.The 2007 gains represented the largest increase in lawyer numbers since 2001, when numbers ballooned by 8.2%. In 2006, law firm growth was 4%, while in 2005, it was 4.4%.DLA Piper held its position at the top of the list, with a total of 3,785 lawyers. It grew by 4.5% in 2008.

    1 minute read

  • November 6, 2008 |

    Lawyers predict top business litigation issues for President-Elect Obama

    Most lawyers don't keep a crystal ball in their office, but if pressed, some will take a crack at forecasting the future. We asked a selection of litigators…

    1 minute read

  • October 31, 2008 |

    Linklaters seals hire of Shearman Lat-Am chief

    Linklaters has boosted its Latin-America capabilities with the hire of Shearman & Sterling's Lat-Am head Alberto Luzarraga. Luzarraga will join the magic circle firm's New York office next week (3 November) from Shearman's NY M&A group. He specialises in Latin-American cross-border transactions, and his practice focuses on public and private transactions and international joint ventures, privatisations and financings. He joined Shearman in 1986, making partner in 1995.Luzarraga's experience includes representing the bank advisory committee in negotiations with the Argentine Government on the restructuring of its sovereign external debt. His clients have included BASF, Deutsche Bahn and Citi, as well as a number of Latin-American banks.

    1 minute read

  • October 30, 2008 |

    Top firms line up for 2008 British Legal Awards

    Ashurst, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have been named among the nominees for a number of top accolades at the 2008 British Legal Awards. The trio have been shortlisted for the coveted law firm of the year award alongside Baker & McKenzie, Eversheds and Latham & Watkins.Linklaters has been shortlisted for three further awards, including cross-border M&A team of the year, while Freshfields is among the nominees for M&A team of the year. Allen & Overy also secured nominations in both of these categories.

    1 minute read

  • October 27, 2008 |

    O'Melveny cuts associate and staff headcount

    O'Melveny & Myers has reduced its staff and associate headcount amid cost-cutting measures announced last week, reports The National Law Journal. According to the legal blog Above the Law, O'Melveny has also laid off five associates in its Los Angeles office.O'Melveny chairman Arthur Culvahouse has informed many of the firm's lawyers of "cost-cutting measures," according to one former partner.

    1 minute read

  • October 16, 2008 |

    Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank unveils first-ever external panel of legal advisers

    Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) has completed a review of its external advisers and created its first-ever legal panel. The changes follow January's appointment of Simon Copleston as the bank's first general counsel. Copleston has selected a 10-firm panel including long-standing adviser Reed Smith as well as Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Allen & Overy, Linklaters, Norton Rose, Clyde & Co and Middle East practice Al Tamimi & Company.

    1 minute read

  • October 16, 2008 | International Edition

    Shearman names NY M&A partner as new Euro chief

    Shearman & Sterling has reintroduced its European managing partner role, with the appointment of New York partner Creighton Condon to the post. M&A partner Condon will relocate to London in the New Year to take up the new position, which will see him working closely with Anthony Ward, who took over from Kenneth MacRitchie as London managing partner earlier this year. The appointment, announced to partners today (16 October), was made by Shearman's senior partner Rohan Weerasinghe.

    1 minute read

  • October 16, 2008 |

    Shearman names NY M&A partner as new Euro chief

    Shearman & Sterling has reintroduced its European managing partner role, with the appointment of New York partner Creighton Condon to the post. M&A partner Condon will relocate to London in the New Year to take up the new position, which will see him working closely with Anthony Ward, who took over from Kenneth MacRitchie as London managing partner earlier this year. The appointment, announced to partners today (16 October), was made by Shearman's senior partner Rohan Weerasinghe.

    1 minute read

  • October 16, 2008 |

    Shearman's Munich arm hit by further departure

    Shearman & Sterling has lost another partner from its Munich office, with Thomas Fox set to join US rival Latham & Watkins. Fox's departure comes one month after the firm lost four partners to A&O, which effectively halved the size of the office. Office head Gottfried Breuninger - German tax head and global co-head of the tax practice group - then left to launch A&O's Munich base along with M&A partner Astrid Krueger. Duesseldorf M&A partners Birgit Reese and Hans Rolf Koerfer also quit Shearman for A&O in March and January respectively.

    1 minute read

  • October 15, 2008 |

    Shearman and CC win leads on £83m Indian acquisition

    Shearman & Sterling and Clifford Chance (CC) have secured lead roles on the £83m acquisition of a majority stake in Indian outsourcer Cambridge Solutions. The deal - which marks a relatively rare public takeover of an Indian business by a FTSE-listed company - saw UK outsourcing company Xchanging buy a 75% stake in Bangalore provider Cambridge Solutions.CC advised Xchanging on the deal, fielding a team headed by London corporate partner Jonathan Beastall, supported by co-relationship partner David Griffiths and competition partner Oliver Bretz.

    1 minute read