• December 11, 2013 |

    Tullow Oil general counsel Graham Martin to step down as legal chief

    Graham Martin, the general counsel (GC) of Tullow Oil is to step down as legal chief in the New Year, as part of a re-shuffle at the top of the energy giant's legal team.

    1 minute read

  • December 11, 2013 |

    A&O, CC among firms asked to reapply for Singapore local law licences

    The first group of international law firms to be awarded Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licences in Singapore are being asked to reapply for their permits if they wish to continue practising local law in the city-state. The six firms – Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance (CC), Herbert Smith Freehills, Norton Rose Fulbright, Latham & Watkins and White & Case – are currently in talks with the country's Ministry of Law (MinLaw) to give details about their future growth plans – a process that is expected to be completed in the next two months.

    1 minute read

  • December 9, 2013 |

    Jones Day eyes Rio de Janeiro for second Brazil base

    Jones Day is exploring the possibility of a launch in Rio de Janeiro, as the firm looks to expand its presence in Brazil beyond Sao Paulo. According to lawyers at the firm, Brazil's second largest city has become the latest focus of the firm's global strategy, which has grown Jones Day's network of offices to 37.

    1 minute read

  • November 28, 2013 |

    Home advantage – the biggest challenges facing Canada's law firms

    Canada's legal services market continues to grow, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years. Lawyers at the country's largest independent firms believe there are three principal factors driving the market: pressure on fees, increased competition and the state of the global economy, especially in regard to commodities prices. Steven Smith, partner in the corporate group and head of the UK and Europe sector at Osler Hoskin & Harcourt, says: "The biggest challenge that law firms are facing in Canada is the pressure on fees from clients who simply want more for their money. Reduction in fee income and pressure on prices is making the market more competitive." Marc-Andre Blanchard, chairman and chief executive of McCarthy Tetrault, comments: "Like other firms, we believe that the legal services market here is very competitive and that the pressure on fees is growing. But we believe that our emphasis on service delivery is helping us retain clients and win new business."

    1 minute read

  • November 28, 2013 |

    Flying the flag for a continent – charting the revival of the South African legal market

    Neil Hodge reports on the revival of the South African legal market and the positive impact it is having on the rest of Africa...

    1 minute read

  • November 28, 2013 |

    The power of seduction – is Singapore becoming over-lawyered?

    The gleaming lights of Singapore and its booming economy make the region an attractive location for international law firms looking to set up camp here. But as Dominic Carman discovers, worries about the state being over-lawyered threaten to take the shine off this Asian hub...

    1 minute read

  • November 25, 2013 |

    London IP firm Rouse opens in Myanmar

    UK intellectual property firm Rouse has become the latest firm to launch an office in Myanmar with a team of two partners. The London-headquartered outfit has opened in the former capital city Yangon, and claims to be the first international IP firm with a presence on the ground.

    1 minute read

  • November 21, 2013 |

    HSF loses second partner in Singapore since September

    Former Freehills Singapore head John Dick has become the second partner to leave the firm's regional base since September. Dick, who specialises in South East Asian corporate energy and resources work, and who helped establish Freehills' Singapore office in 2000, is set to exit from the firm early December to establish a Singapore base for another international firm.

    1 minute read

  • November 21, 2013 |

    Gide, Norton Rose Fulbright and Bakers among firms winning spots on Credit Agricole's global roster

    Gide Loyrette Nouel, Baker & McKenzie and Norton Rose Fulbright are among a number of firms to have been appointed to Credit Agricole's global legal panel, following a competitive tender process led from Paris. The review concluded in the last few weeks after firms were invited over the summer to pitch for a slot on the roster. Other law firms understood to have been appointed include Ashurst, Hogan Lovells and Linklaters.

    1 minute read

  • November 21, 2013 |

    African Legal Awards 2013: who won what – and why...

    Two hundred lawyers gathered at the African Legal Awards in October to celebrate the achievements of the continent's leading business lawyers. The ceremony was hosted by Legal Week in association with the Corporate Lawyers Association of South Africa (CLASA) and featured leading South African investigative journalist Derek Watts in the role of master of ceremonies.

    1 minute read