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  • June 5, 2008 |

    Reed Smith hires three-lawyer Clydes team for energy boost

    Reed Smith has strengthened its energy, trade and commodities group with the hire of a three-lawyer team from Clyde & Co. Commodities partner Robert Parson joined the firm at the beginning of this week, bringing with him two associates from Clydes, where he was a partner for six years.

    1 minute read

  • June 5, 2008 |

    Linklaters stands firm in face of criticism over CEE office pullout

    In the end it may not have been a surprise, but Linklaters' decision to split with four offices across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has certainly sparked a debate among senior lawyers in the region. The decision to pull out of Budapest, Bucharest, Bratislava and Prague, which will leave the magic circle law firm with bases in just Moscow and Warsaw, has been met with surprise from rivals.

    1 minute read

  • June 4, 2008 |

    In-house Lawyer: Shrinking world, growing threats

    It is always hard to separate myth from reality when it comes to litigation, as dire predictions regarding high-cost legal battles often turn out to be overblown or just plain wrong.But, glancing at recent research on the litigation agenda of general counsel, it is clear that two genuine concerns dominate in the current business environment - the increasingly aggressive march of regulators in Western economies and the risk of getting caught up in disputes in unpredictable emerging markets.According to a recent Lovells report, 'The Shrinking World', 45% of in-house lawyers view regulatory disputes as medium-to-high risk, despite the fact that regulation currently accounts for a relatively small proportion of contentious legal activity facing major companies.

    1 minute read

  • June 3, 2008 |

    Hoyle heads up Ward Hadaway Leeds launch

    Ward Hadaway is set to open an office in Leeds - its first office outside Newcastle - after bagging five new partners from rival firms. The office, which is set to open in July, will be headed by corporate finance partner Andrew Hoyle, who is overseeing the firm's ongoing plans to expand beyond its northeast heartlands.

    1 minute read

  • May 28, 2008 |

    Ex-Bakers partner indicted for second time

    Brooklyn federal prosecutors have further charged a former Baker & McKenzie partner, indicted last autumn on securities fraud charges, with stealing from a client escrow account. Martin Weisberg, 57, then a corporate partner in Chicago-based Baker & McKenzie's New York office, was charged in October by the Eastern District US Attorney's Office with participating in an illegal short-selling scheme that netted two Israeli investors $55m (£28m). The counts in the indictment include securities fraud, conspiracy and money laundering.

    1 minute read

  • May 21, 2008 |

    Legal Week Private Equity Forum: Called to account

    Private equity came under intense scrutiny in 2007, but at the second annual Legal Week Private Equity Forum, attendees discussed how the Walker report, transparency and in-house lawyers can help to restore the industry's battered public image. Philip Hoult reports

    1 minute read

  • May 20, 2008 |

    CC taps Thacher Proffitt for NY finance hire

    Clifford Chance (CC) has boosted its Manhattan structured finance team with the hire of a new partner. Robert Villani joins the magic circle giant's financial products group in New York from US firm Thacher Proffitt & Wood. His practice focuses on advising investment banks and other investors on areas including collateralised debt obligations and securitisations.

    1 minute read

  • May 15, 2008 |

    A&O resolves NY religious discrimination complaint

    Allen & Overy (A&O) has resolved a religious discrimination suit filed against the firm by a former New York associate. The magic circle firm confirmed that the claim - made against the firm by Norman Schoenfeld in December -was expected to close shortly.

    1 minute read

  • May 14, 2008 |

    Skadden secures €1.3bn rights issue role for Portuguese bank

    Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom's London arm has advised Banco Comercial Portugues (BCP) on its €1.3bn (£1.03bn) rights issue. London capital markets partner James Healy led the Skadden team on the capital raising, which closed on 6 May. BCP, the largest Portuguese bank listed on the Euronext 100 index, has used Skadden on other corporate transactions in the past but has also turned to firms including Allen & Overy (A&O) and Freshfields Bruckhaus & Deringer.

    1 minute read

  • May 14, 2008 |

    Kirkland cleans up with Warburg buy-out

    Kirkland & Ellis has clinched a lead role on the £565m buy-out of Safetykleen Europe by US private equity house Warburg Pincus. The deal, completed at the end of last month, sees the private equity house buy industrial cleaning company Safetykleen from funds affiliated with JP Morgan Partners.

    1 minute read