Filter This View

  • February 21, 2007 |

    War for talent pushes retention rates past 90%

    The UK's top firms are keeping a tight grip on their trainees, with most City firms set to retain more than 90% of their intake during the next month as the battle for talent rages on. Major UK firms including Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters, Slaughter and May, Herbert Smith, Lovells and Ashurst are taking on at least 90% of their trainees in the coming intake in March.

    1 minute read

  • February 21, 2007 |

    Pinsents review aims to boost US referrals

    Pinsent Masons is set to review its US strategy in a move that will put its current alliance with Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner under the spotlight. Pinsents international operations partner Tony Bunch is heading up a working group that will draw up plans in the coming months for the firm's US strategy.

    1 minute read

  • February 21, 2007 |

    Scots elite gear up for £1bn Firth of Forth mega project

    Advisers on both sides of the border have begun jostling for position after the Scottish Executive last week announced it was to press ahead with controversial plans for a new £1bn crossing over the Firth of Forth. The project promises to be one of the biggest ever in the Scottish market and a raft of major firms have put themselves in the frame to win mandates when details of the scheme are finalised this summer.

    1 minute read

  • February 21, 2007 |

    Deals: Finance 22/02/2007

    Pinsent Masons has advised a club of arranging banks, Lloyds TSB, HSBC and Icelandic bank Glitnir Banki HF, on the £45m refinancing of the fruit and snack specialists The Whitworths Group. The team at Pinsents was led by banking partners William Oliver and Martin Bishop. European Capital, which acquired the Whitworths Group in November last year, retains £14m of mezzanine debt. It was advised by Weil Gotshal & Manges banking associate Faisal Ramzan.

    1 minute read

  • February 19, 2007 |

    Lovells leads advisers on new John Lewis panel

    Lovells has retained its place on John Lewis' advisory panel as the UK retailer completes a review of its external legal services. The City giant, which has historically been the group's lead adviser, is named alongside Travers Smith and national duo Eversheds and Pinsent Masons on the all-purpose panel. Beachcroft has been appointed to deal with real estate matters while Wragge & Co will handle property litigation for the group.

    1 minute read

  • February 14, 2007 |

    Nabarros bolsters City arm with quartet

    Nabarro Nathanson has made four partner hires in recent weeks in a bid to boost its capability in projects and property litigation. Nabarros has taken on Hammonds London health, safety and environment partner Tom Bainbridge, former DLA Piper projects partner Louisa Cilenti and Pinsent Masons senior associate Robin Baillie for its projects team, with Dechert partner Keith Conway joining the firm's property litigation team.

    1 minute read

  • February 9, 2007 |

    DLA Piper makes up 66 new partners; 10 in City

    DLA Piper has promoted 66 lawyers to its global partnership, the firm announced today (9 February). The appointments, which were effective from 1 January, 2007, see 27 new partners made up across Europe and Asia, with a further 39 promotions in the US. Ten new partners have been made up in London, - the largest haul in a single office.

    1 minute read

  • February 7, 2007 |

    Lawyers try their hands for Manchester 'super-casino'

    The project is also likely to generate work for firms on the six-strong panel of the Northwest Regional Development Agency, which currently includes Hammonds, Beachcroft, Eversheds and Mace & Jones, as well as Wigan's Platt & Fishwick and Warrington practice Forshaws.

    1 minute read

  • January 31, 2007 |

    Agent provocateur

    The recent football 'bungs' scandal neatly illustrates the issues faced by businesses when employing the services of agents or middlemen to facilitate business contracts. Agencies can arise automatically, and the definition of 'agent' in this context may surprise some people.

    1 minute read

  • January 31, 2007 |

    Deals: Capital Markets 01/02/2007

    Pinsent Masons has advised home shopping retailer N Brown Group on its £80m payout to shareholders. Corporate partner Helen Ridge led the team. CMS Cameron McKenna structured finance partner Douglas Colliver advised N Brown on banking aspects. Eversheds Manchester-based banking partner Samantha Rollason advised the debt providers, HSBC and The Royal Bank of Scotland. Herbert Smith advised Credit Suisse.

    1 minute read