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  • March 5, 2013 |

    BLP, Pinsents and Eversheds among winners on Heathrow Airport panel

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and Morton Fraser are among nine firms landing spots on Heathrow Airport Holdings' legal panel, with the duo appointed to the roster for the first time. The company, formerly known as BAA, has reappointed existing panel members Allen & Overy, Blake Lapthorn, Brodies, Eversheds, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Pinsent Masons, with the latter winning a spot after merging with longstanding adviser McGrigors last year.

    1 minute read

  • March 4, 2013 |

    Carillion teams up with Clarkslegal to offer employment law advice

    Carillion has turned legal services provider after teaming up with law firm Clarkslegal to offer employment law advice to businesses, organisations and individuals. The FTSE 250 construction and support services group has been developing the service since asking its 12 appointed panel firms to use its low-cost arm, Carillion Advice Services (CAS), for commoditised work last year.

    1 minute read

  • February 28, 2013 |

    Defying the odds – how Ladbrokes' legal overhaul helped it stay ahead of the pack

    While other retailers have suffered in the recession, the gambling sector is thriving. Alex Newman looks at how Ladbrokes' overhaul of its in-house department has helped it stay ahead of the pack...

    1 minute read

  • February 28, 2013 |

    Retention rates at top 20 decline as economic climate pushes firms to cut back

    Trainee retention rates across the bulk of the UK's largest law firms have fallen this year, with research by Legal Week finding the average rate has dropped by almost 10% on last spring's qualifying intake. At the top 20 UK firms with a spring intake, an average of 76.5% of newly qualified (NQ) lawyers have been kept on this year, 9% down on the equivalent intake last year and 3% lower than last autumn's qualifying round. Of 441 trainees at the firms to have released details to date, 343 have been kept on – down on the total of 358 of 422 NQs kept on across the same group in spring 2012.

    1 minute read

  • February 28, 2013 |

    Slaughters brought in by SFO for multimillion-pound Tchenguiz claim

    Slaughter and May has been instructed by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to defend it against claims totalling as much as £300m resulting from its failed investigation into businessmen and brothers Robert and Vincent Tchenguiz. The SFO today (28 February) confirmed the appointment of the magic circle firm, which comes after the collapse of the long-running investigation into the brothers for suspected impropriety in relation to the 2008 failure of Icelandic bank Kaupthing.

    1 minute read

  • February 28, 2013 |

    Hogan Lovells, SJB and Herbert Smith see retention rates fall from last year

    Hogan Lovells, SJ Berwin and Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) have become the latest UK top 20 firms to confirm their trainee retention figures for spring 2013, with all three posting lower rates than the equivalent intake last year. Hogan Lovells has posted a 76% retention rate after 26 newly qualified (NQ) lawyers accepted a role at the firm, from an intake of 34 trainees.

    1 minute read

  • February 25, 2013 |

    Links leads on largest Japanese outbound deal of the year to date

    Linklaters and Dutch firm De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek have taken roles on Japanese financial services group Orix's €1.935bn (£1.69bn) acquisition of asset manager Robeco Group from Rabobank, the largest Japanese outbound deal of the year so far. Under the terms of the deal, Orix is acquiring 90.01% of the shares of Robeco, with the Dutch bank retaining a 9.99% equity stake as part of a strategic alliance between the two groups. Rabobank will continue to work with Orix in expanding Robeco's business platform.

    1 minute read

  • February 21, 2013 |

    Hong Kong – three-year overview

    A comprehensive look at the top M&A deals in Hong Kong from the past three years, featuring mandates for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Allen & Overy and Slaughter and May

    1 minute read

  • February 21, 2013 |

    Throwing down the gauntlet – GCs are piling pressure on law firms to adapt their fee arrangements

    General counsel have always battled with their external lawyers over costs. But as the post-Legal Services Act market opens up to new players, these power struggles are taking on an entirely new dimension. GCs, under more pressure than ever to cut spending, are sensing serious opportunities to look for new solutions to address the old problems of – what many perceive as – over-lawyered, over-priced legal services. Thomas Crane, GC of the Home & Savings Bank, says: "There are new entrants to the market and companies really do have new opportunities to speak to other firms. Legal work is of a high quality from a large number of firms."

    1 minute read

  • February 20, 2013 |

    Slaughters, Paul Weiss and Sullivan advise on Countrywide IPO

    Slaughter and May, Sullivan & Cromwell and Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison have landed the lead roles on UK estate agency Countrywide Group's initial public offering (IPO). Countrywide, the UK's largest estate agency by revenue and deal volumes, has been listed on the London Stock Exchange by US private equity house Oaktree Capital, its majority owner.

    1 minute read