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  • January 25, 2011 |

    Russia and Ukraine: Stuck in recession

    "I think it's fair to say that 2010 has been a prolongation of the post-financial crisis market that we got used to in 2009," says Magisters local managing partner Andrew Mac. In contrast to its Russian peer, the Ukrainian market did not pick up last year and there was a lack of notable deals in the market. Cuts in both fee earners and rates have remained as firms struggle to cope in the depressed market.

    1 minute read

  • January 25, 2011 |

    Russia and Ukraine: The bear in mind

    International firms are showing renewed interest in Russia with the proposed sell-off of state assets, the World Cup and the 2012 Winter Olympics generating a slew of mandates. Suzanna Ring reports on what's to come for the region's legal market Russia is never far off the business agenda, but after a torrid couple of years it is fair to say that many Anglo Saxon firms had scaled back their efforts in the region - albeit a temporary pause rather than a ceasefire.

    1 minute read

  • January 25, 2011 |

    Asia round-up: DLA, White & Case and O'Melveny secure senior lawyers

    The former head of the tax practice at leading Chinese law firm King & Wood has joined DLA Piper in Hong Kong, writes the Am Law Daily. Stephen Nelson joined King & Wood's Shanghai office four years ago from Baker & McKenzie, where he had practised for 20 years. Nelson is bucking a recent trend that has seen a number of veteran Western lawyers in China jump from international firms to local ones. He said he hopes to have a broader practice at DLA Piper, focusing on foreign investment into China as well as tax matters.

    1 minute read

  • January 20, 2011 |

    Outward bound - can Chinese giant King & Wood join the global aristocracy?

    Wang Junfeng does not come across as an empire builder. Chatting in an office strewn with Chinese antiques in Beijing's Guomao skyscraper district, the 48-year-old chairman of Chinese law firm King & Wood sounds modest about where his firm stands relative to the big names from UK and America. "The legal society here really admires the US and UK professions," says Wang. "They have such a long history. And in the last 20 to 30 years, the foreign law firms here have really given a lot of support."

    1 minute read

  • January 12, 2011 | International Edition

    Freshfields and Linklaters head Euro rankings after 2010 M&A mini-revival

    Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have topped Mergermarket's European deal rankings by value and volume respectively for 2010. The rankings show Linklaters reclaiming the top spot by volume last year from Freshfields, with roles on 203 deals worth a total of $157.3bn (£101bn). Freshfields held on to the top of the table by value with roles on 179 deals worth $230.5bn (£148bn).

    1 minute read

  • January 12, 2011 |

    Freshfields and Linklaters head Euro rankings after 2010 M&A mini-revival

    Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have topped Mergermarket's European deal rankings by value and volume respectively for 2010. The rankings show Linklaters reclaiming the top spot by volume last year from Freshfields, with roles on 203 deals worth a total of $157.3bn (£101bn). Freshfields held on to the top of the table by value with roles on 179 deals worth $230.5bn (£148bn).

    1 minute read

  • January 12, 2011 |

    Skadden leads the way on $6.3bn DuPont Denmark acquisition

    Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has won a lead role on DuPont's $6.3bn (£4bn) acquisition of Danish enzyme and speciality food ingredients company Danisco, reports The Am Law Daily. The deal is DuPont's largest since its 1999 purchase of biotechnology company Pioneer Hi-Bred International for $7.7bn (£4.9bn). DuPont, one of the world's top chemical makers, will pay $5.8bn (£3.7bn) in cash for Danisco, while also assuming $500m (£320m) of net debt.

    1 minute read

  • December 21, 2010 |

    Quinn Emanuel raises bar for associate bonuses with 2010 rates

    Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan associates could take home up to $82,500 (£53,300) in bonus payouts after the US firm confirmed its 2010 associate bonuses. Bonuses will range from $8,438 (£5,449) for associates who joined in 2009 and worked between 2,000 and 2,099 hours, through to $82,500 (£53,256) for the most senior associates (class of 2003) working at least 3,000 hours during 2010.

    1 minute read

  • December 20, 2010 |

    Skadden and Simpson Thacher win roles as Apax nears $8.5bn LBO deal

    Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have won lead roles for Apax Partners as the buyout house closes in on a multibillion-pound deal that could become one of the largest European leveraged buyouts since the start of the credit crisis. Apax is in exclusive talks to buy Denmark-based facilities giant ISS after putting in an $8.5bn (£5.5bn) bid for the company.

    1 minute read

  • December 15, 2010 |

    Clifford Chance announces bonuses of up to $35,000 for US associates

    Clifford Chance (CC) has announced 2010 bonus levels for the firm's US associates, with the top payout coming in at $35,000 (£22,300). The news, announced in an internal memo sent out yesterday (14 December), lists the bonus levels for associates of the 2003-09 class years, which range from $7,500 (£4,800) to $35,000 (£22,300) based on post-qualification experience (PQE).

    1 minute read