• January 3, 2013 |

    RPC sees off big-name rivals to win debut Ofcom role on 4G auction

    RPC has won a competitive three-way tender to advise UK telecoms regulator Ofcom on the forthcoming auction of the 4G mobile spectrum. The mandate marks a first-time appointment for RPC from Ofcom, with the firm's team led by competition head and ex-Ofcom in-house adviser Stephen Smith alongside corporate partner Karen Hendy.

    1 minute read

  • December 17, 2012 |

    The Transfer Window: recent moves including Addleshaws, DWF and A&O

    Addleshaw Goddard has bolstered its finance services team with the hire of Olswang regulatory partner Brian McDonnell. McDonnell will join Addleshaws early next year after almost five years at Olswang. He was previously a regulatory lawyer at the London Stock Exchange, and also spent 10 months on secondment at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

    1 minute read

  • December 14, 2012 |

    CC picks up role advising Autonomy founder against HP claims

    Clifford Chance is advising Autonomy founder Mike Lynch against allegations of financial impropriety and misrepresentation made by Hewlett Packard (HP), which acquired Lynch's software company last year for $11bn (£6.8bn). The magic circle firm also confirmed it is advising other former members of Autonomy's management. HP made the allegations in a press statement on 20 November, as it announced an $8.8bn (£5.5bn) write-down related to Autonomy in the fourth quarter of its 2012 fiscal year.

    1 minute read

  • December 13, 2012 |

    Partners scale back hopes for year ahead as economic woes hit business confidence

    The prolonged eurozone downturn and economic stagnation in the UK are continuing to dent business confidence within the legal profession, with one in three partners expecting revenues to fall or remain static at their firm over the coming year. Legal Week's latest business confidence survey found 28% of respondents forecasting static revenues for 2013 – almost double the proportion making the same prediction in July, when the survey was last conducted – while a further 7.5% expect revenues at their firm to drop next year.

    1 minute read

  • December 13, 2012 |

    Major firms join influential 30% Club initiative to boost female partners

    Clifford Chance (CC), Ashurst and Eversheds are among a band of ten firms to have signed up to a major new initiative to boost women partner numbers across professional services firms in the UK.

    1 minute read

  • December 12, 2012 |

    Freshfields, Sullivan, Cahill Gordon advise on record $1.9bn HSBC fine

    Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised HSBC on its record $1.9bn (£1.2bn) fine in a settlement with the US Department of Justice for breaching US money laundering and sanctions laws. The magic circle firm advised the bank on the UK law aspects of the settlement with a team led by global financial services head Michael Raffan and London corporate finance head Barry O'Brien.

    1 minute read

  • December 11, 2012 |

    SNR Denton and Pinsents on board £1.2bn MoD-BAE submarine deal

    SNR Denton and Pinsent Masons have taken advisory roles on the negotiation of a £1.2bn contract between BAE Systems Marine (BAE) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the fourth of the Royal Navy's Astute Class nuclear-power submarines.

    1 minute read

  • December 10, 2012 |

    Weil billings on MF Global administration reach £15m with £2m for Norton Rose

    Weil Gotshal & Manges has billed more than £15m for its work on the administration of MF Global in the past year, as total legal fees generated by the broker's high-profile collapse pass £18m. The second six-month progress report filed by administrator KPMG reveals that lead legal adviser Weil billed a total of £5.8m for the period from 1 May to 30 October this year.

    1 minute read

  • December 6, 2012 |

    Slaughters among firms advising on Autumn Statement lending initiative

    Slaughter and May is advising the Treasury on the first set of investments made as part of the Government's Business Finance Partnership venture, announced yesterday (5 December) in Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne's Autumn Statement. The Government will invest £600m in the venture, which is intended to increase the supply of capital through non-bank lending channels, with fund managers Alcentra Limited, Haymarket Financial, M&G Investment Management and Pricoa Capital to raise a further £650m. An additional £100m is expected to be invested with a fifth fund manager.

    1 minute read

  • December 6, 2012 |

    Slaughters leads for GSK on £650m India and Africa investment

    Slaughter and May is advising global healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) on a £650m move to increase its stake in its India and Nigeria subsidiaries. The magic circle firm is has put forward a team under corporate partners David Johnson, Simon Nicholls and Richard Smith to advise GSK.

    1 minute read