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  • September 3, 2010 |

    Quartet of US firms take roles on $4bn Burger King whopper deal

    Four US firms have won roles on the $4bn (£2.6bn) sale of Burger King to investment firm 3G Capital, as the world's second-largest hamburger chain returns to the private sector, reports The Am Law Daily. Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom advised Burger King with a team led by Eileen Nugent, the co-head of the firm's private equity group, alongside M&A partners Thomas Greenberg and Richard Grossman, employee benefits chair Stuart Alperin, and banking partners James Douglas and Julia Czarniak.

    1 minute read

  • September 2, 2010 |

    Davenport Lyons steers HarperCollins to court victory in Top Gear Stig book dispute

    Davenport Lyons has successfully represented publishing company HarperCollins in its battle with the BBC over the publication of the autobiography of Top Gear's The Stig. The case was bought by the BBC this week in an attempt to obtain a temporary injunction preventing the autobiography's publication, after the broadcaster argued that publication of the book would breach confidentiality agreements. In the High Court yesterday (1 September), Mr Justice Morgan ruled that he would not grant the BBC an injunction.

    1 minute read

  • September 1, 2010 |

    White & Case CEE capital markets chief joins Chadbourne in Moscow

    White & Case CEE capital markets head Simon Morgan has left the firm to join US firm Chadbourne & Parke in Moscow. Morgan joins as partner, as the New York-based firm expands its capital markets practice in Russia and CEE.

    1 minute read

  • September 1, 2010 |

    Docklands' post-crunch lustre fades as a hub for City law

    While hardly representing a fatal blow to Canary Wharf's status as a world-class banking hub, the news that one of only three major law firms to have headed east in the 20-odd years since the development's launch is to now leave must be a tad disappointing for Docklands' backers. Allen & Overy's (A&O) decision to transfer 200 staff in its banking practice to its Spitalfields HQ leaves Clifford Chance (CC) and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom as the only major legal players on site. Given the lack of success the development has had in enticing law firms eastwards even during the boom years, the chances of a legal community by the Thames now look remote. Law firms are a funny breed - as much as they like to put their rivals down, they want to be in the community of their peers.

    1 minute read

  • August 26, 2010 |

    White & Case CEE capital markets chief joins Chadbourne in Moscow

    White & Case's Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) capital markets head Simon Morgan has left the firm to join US firm Chadbourne & Parke in Moscow. Morgan joins Chadbourne's Moscow office as partner, as the New York-based firm moves to expand its capital markets practice in Russia and CEE.

    1 minute read

  • August 19, 2010 |

    US firms in driving seat on upcoming General Motors listing

    Jenner & Block and Davis Polk & Wardwell have secured lead roles on General Motors' highly-anticipated initial public offering (IPO), reports The Am Law Daily. The car manufacturing giant filed for the IPO yesterday (18 August), just over a year after the company emerged from bankruptcy. Jenner corporate partners Joseph Gromacki, William Tolbert and Brian Boch are lead issuer's counsel for the IPO. Gromacki chairs Jenner's corporate practice and serves as co-chair of the firm's securities practice.

    1 minute read

  • August 16, 2010 |

    Freshfields Beijing managing partner joins Davis Polk for HK law launch

    Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's Beijing managing partner is leaving the firm to launch a Hong Kong law practice for Davis Polk & Wardwell, reports The Am Law Daily. Antony Dapiran (pictured), a capital markets lawyer at Freshfields, has taken roles on several high-profile transactions for Chinese state-owned enterprises, including working side-by-side with Davis Polk representing Agricultural Bank of China on its dual listing in Hong Kong and Shanghai, which this week became the world's largest initial public offering (IPO) ever with over $22bn (£14bn) raised.

    1 minute read

  • August 16, 2010 |

    CC and Latham take lead on Italian bank's billion-dollar bond issue

    Clifford Chance (CC) and Latham & Watkins have advised on Intesa Sanpaolo's $1bn (£642m) bond issue as the Italian bank gears up for a potential $15bn (£9.6bn) bond offering via a medium term note program. Latham advised Intesa with a team led by corporate partners Michael Immordino and Jeff Lawlis alongside corporate partner Antonio Coletti and tax partner Jiyeon Lee-Lim.

    1 minute read

  • August 9, 2010 |

    Linklaters, CC and US duo line up on HgCapital's £470m Bain buyout

    A quartet of leading US and UK firms have scored roles on HgCapital's £470m acquisition of Italian software company TeamSystem from US private equity firm Bain Capital. HgCapital, which saw off competition from rival buyout firm Cinven Group to seal the deal, instructed Linklaters, which fielded a team led by London-based private equity partner Richard Youle and Milan-based banking partner Davide Mencacci. Clifford Chance (CC) advised the underwriting banks, which included Unicredit, Banca IMI and Morgan Stanley.

    1 minute read

  • August 4, 2010 |

    Negotiation trick: mirror your opponent

    Let's face it, we think of some lawyers as animals - someone who will pounce on the opposition and rip him to shreds until the desired results are achieved. A partner I once worked for years ago - let's call him 'Dick' - was a master at it: a pitbull at the negotiation table (and everywhere else), he deployed intimidation and brute strength, with some moments of charm, to win the day. Dick usually got what he wanted, but he left lots of bruised feelings and resentment in his wake.

    1 minute read