• February 8, 2007 |

    HP names adviser Holsten as new general counsel

    Hewlett Packard (HP) has named Morgan Lewis partner Michael Holsten - a long-term adviser of the computer giant - as its new general counsel. Holsten will be responsible for the company's global legal affairs, privacy and ethics matters and replaces former general counsel Ann Baskins, who left the company in September.

    1 minute read

  • February 7, 2007 |

    Trio quit Field Fisher in a week

    Eversheds and Morgan Cole have profited from a turbulent week for Field Fisher Waterhouse, which has lost three partners in seven days.

    1 minute read

  • February 7, 2007 |

    Simmons to reinforce TMT activity in France

    Simmons & Simmons has strengthened its Paris offering with the hire of Morgan Lewis & Bockius partner Florence Guthfreund-Roland. Guthfreund-Roland, who joined the firm with associate Elisabeth Marrache last month, specialises in telecommunications, internet, e-trade and personal data.

    1 minute read

  • February 7, 2007 |

    Skadden's City arm seals £1.3bn bond double

    Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has advised insurance and financial products giant Generali Group on two major bond issues worth a combined value of £1.3bn - the biggest piece of work the firm's London office has done for the client. Skadden London finance partner James Healy led the team on the deal which saw Generali issue two bonds worth €1.25bn (£827m) and £495m. Generali will use the proceeds to repay outstanding debt under a financing agreement for the acquisition of Italian insurer Toro Assicurazioni.

    1 minute read

  • February 7, 2007 |

    Insolvency, Banking and Finance: International rescue

    Internet companies are very much back in vogue and the dotcom collapse in 2000 seems long forgotten. The growth of online newspapers and magazines has lined internet investors' pockets with silver, but it has not been such good news for others. With advertising and readers moving away from hard copy, the printing sector has been facing serious financial pressure. Pagination and advertising revenues have dropped and, with that, there has been a spate of collapses. Last year there were more than a dozen insolvencies in the UK printing sector, including New Jarrold Printing and Pillans & Waddies. Even the big players have faced financial distress and, in December 2006, the Polestar Group - Europe's leading independent printing group - underwent restructuring.

    1 minute read

  • February 1, 2007 |

    Linklaters raids CC for senior buy-out partner

    Linklaters has snared highly-rated Clifford Chance (CC) corporate partner Ian Bagshaw in a major boost for its private equity practice. Bagshaw, one of CC's best-known up-and-coming partners, is due to join Linklaters as a partner in the coming months.

    1 minute read

  • January 31, 2007 |

    A clearer picture

    Fraud is nasty stuff. It is estimated to cost UK plc between £40bn and £72bn a year, yet it is difficult to uncover, investigate and prosecute successfully. One problem that has been identified for many years has been the absence of a statutory definition of 'fraud'. The Government has dealt with this in the Fraud Act 2006, which came into force on 15 January, 2007.

    1 minute read

  • January 31, 2007 |

    Deals: Property 01/02/2007

    Forsters property partner Glenn Dunn has advised Invista Real Estate Investment Management on the purchase of two West Midlands warehouses for £26.7m. Wragge & Co real estate associate Mark Blair acted for the warehouse developers Rosemound Developments, which was also the seller of one of the properties. The other seller, GE Commercial, was advised by DLA Piper London property partner Richard Crossfield.

    1 minute read

  • January 29, 2007 | International Edition

    Apax hands Ashurst Swedish healthcare sale

    Ashurst has won the lead role on a €2.85bn (£1.87bn) disposal of Swedish healthcare company Molnlycke for private equity house Apax.The top 10 City firm ran two separate teams with one advising Apax on the exit and another acting for Molnlycke on a listing on the London Stock Exchange proposed as an alternative exit option.

    1 minute read

  • January 29, 2007 |

    Apax hands Ashurst Swedish healthcare sale

    Ashurst has won the lead role on a €2.85bn (£1.87bn) disposal of Swedish healthcare company Molnlycke for private equity house Apax.The top 10 City firm ran two separate teams with one advising Apax on the exit and another acting for Molnlycke on a listing on the London Stock Exchange proposed as an alternative exit option.

    1 minute read