• May 27, 2009 |

    Netting the prize

    A recurring point of discussion and major concern from the past 12 months or so has been the issue of slashed marketing budgets and how deeply this might impact website operations. While fee earners are being made redundant at all levels and across most practice areas, it seems slightly trivial to talk about the erosion of marketing budgets, yet there are serious consequences to this action.

    1 minute read

  • May 14, 2009 |

    Eleven firms reappointed to AXA roster as insurer reviews panel

    French insurer AXA has finalised its global roster of external legal advisers, with at least 11 firms securing re-appointments to the panel. Clifford Chance, Clyde & Co, Debevoise & Plimpton, Eversheds, Gide Loyrette Nouel, Holman Fenwick Willan, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, Dewey & LeBoeuf, Mayer Brown, Norton Rose and Simmons & Simmons have all been re-appointed to the insurance giant's panel for two years.

    1 minute read

  • May 13, 2009 |

    Salans makes Paul Hastings hire for Hong Kong office

    Salans has boosted its Hong Kong arm with the hire of an M&A partner from Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker. The news follows Salans gaining regulatory approval for the practice last month. Benny Pang, who is an equity capital markets and M&A specialist, has joined Salans' corporate department. His experience includes representing issuers and underwriters in equity fundraising transactions, including share placements, rights issues and open offers, and he has advised on around 20 Hong Kong initial public offerings.

    1 minute read

  • May 6, 2009 |

    Litigation support and e-discovery: Language barrier

    Litigation and arbitration cases are increasingly becoming global in nature, and data may come from a variety of countries. There is a mixture of legislative jurisdictions involved as well as a myriad of languages and cultures - including vast differences in the maturity of attitudes towards e-discovery. In an increasingly integrated global community, with cross-border cases ever more frequent, the process of disclosure grows more complex. Documents created in any country and any language can be, and increasingly are, relevant to lawsuits, investigations or regulatory matters. Consequently, legal teams need to be fully aware of how to best equip themselves for the challenge of dealing with multilingual forms of evidence.

    1 minute read

  • May 6, 2009 |

    Skadden moves City QC for Asia arbitration launch

    Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has launched an Asian international arbitration and litigation practice with senior lawyers relocated from London to Hong Kong. The practice will be led by Paul Mitchard QC (pictured), a veteran arbitration specialist who has represented numerous multinational corporations in international commercial matters, particularly in the energy and financial services industries.Counsel Mark Mangan and associate Calvin Chan will also relocate from London to Hong Kong to join the international arbitration and litigation group. The firm has also recruited associate Alan Tsang for the group from the local arm of Pinsent Masons.

    1 minute read

  • April 23, 2009 |

    Eversheds wins tender contest for Sodexo employment role

    Eversheds has been appointed as the sole employment law adviser to facilities management company Sodexo. The appointment, made last week (14 April) after a competitive tender process involving a number of national law firms, will see Eversheds carrying out all employment work for Sodexo in the UK and Ireland. The national firm replaces Pinsent Masons and Beachcroft in the role, with the mandate lasting for an initial period of two years.

    1 minute read

  • April 22, 2009 |

    Pinsents, Eversheds and Nabarro advise on 'green lease toolkit'

    Nabarro, Eversheds and Pinsent Masons have advised on a new initiative to help companies reduce their carbon dioxide emissions.The trio have teamed up to advise the Better Buildings Partnership (BBP) - a group of property companies brought together by the Mayor of London and the London Development Agency (LDA) including Land Securities, British Land and GE Real Estate - on the creation of a green lease toolkit.

    1 minute read

  • April 22, 2009 |

    Full steam ahead for Pinsents and Ashurst on €188m trains purchase

    Pinsent Masons and Ashurst have advised on the purchase of a new fleet of trains for the Stansted Express worth around €188m (£166.2m). The deal sees London Eastern Railway, a subsidiary of National Express, procure 30 four-carriage trains for the rail link. The trains will be owned by Lloyds TSB General Leasing and then leased to London Eastern Railway

    1 minute read

  • April 9, 2009 |

    Pinsents makes up eight as downturn continues to curb partner promotions

    Pinsent Masons has appointed eight new partners, with Linklaters, CMS Cameron McKenna and Lewis Silkin all also announcing partner promotions during the past week. Pinsents' promotion round marks a significant drop on last year's tally of 17, with the promotions evenly spread across five practice areas. The dispute resolution, outsourcing, technology and commercial and projects and international construction (PIC) practices each gain two new partners. Meanwhile, employment and UK construction and engineering gain one partner apiece.

    1 minute read

  • April 8, 2009 | International Edition

    Generation why?

    When it comes to law firm prestige there is no denying that the magic circle tag still works its, well, magic. And there are few other groups that buy into the brand power of these five firms more so than the student population.Given free choice to name five law firms they would rate highly, students consistently turned to the magic circle group, viewing them as offering the best career options, work-life balance, partnership prospects and training - not to mention prestige - of all law firms.

    1 minute read