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  • December 8, 2013 |

    Hunton & Williams ramps up in Asia with two senior hires

    US law firm Hunton & Williams has ramped up in Asia this month with the hire of two senior lawyers in disputes and tax. Litigation specialist Apichart Phankeasorn and tax expert Chinawat Assavapokee have joined the firm's 50-partner Bangkok base, its head office in Asia, with a view to growing both of these practices in the region.

    1 minute read

  • November 28, 2013 |

    NQ intake at London offices of top US firms dips by 6%

    The intake of newly qualified lawyers (NQs) at the largest US and international firms in the UK fell by 6% in the last year, highlighting the continued uncertainty for lawyers at the junior end of the profession. Just a handful of firms in the group of 21 surveyed by Legal Week posted year-on-year increases in the number of NQs who were offered and accepted a training contract. These included Mayer Brown, Shearman & Sterling, McDermott Will & Emery and Sidley Austin. Sidley Austin, alongside Paul Hastings and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom were the only firms to retain 100% of their intake. The research also highlighted the sizeable impact US and international firms have had on the graduate recruitment market, with Reed Smith, Dentons and Baker & McKenzie each taking on at least 25 NQs in 2013.

    1 minute read

  • November 27, 2013 |

    Siemens legal chief Solmssen resigns as GC role removed from board

    Siemens general counsel Peter Solmssen is to resign from the company at the end of the year, after six years in the role. The company said Solmssen, who served as both GC and head of legal and compliance, is leaving by mutual agreement.

    1 minute read

  • November 25, 2013 |

    London IP firm Rouse opens in Myanmar

    UK intellectual property firm Rouse has become the latest firm to launch an office in Myanmar with a team of two partners. The London-headquartered outfit has opened in the former capital city Yangon, and claims to be the first international IP firm with a presence on the ground.

    1 minute read

  • November 24, 2013 |

    Mayer Brown JSM makes up five Asia lawyers in annual promotions round

    Mayer Brown JSM has made up five lawyers in Asia as part of 22-strong global promotions round this year. The US firm, which currently has eight offices in the region, promoted four solicitors in Hong Kong and one in Beijing working across disputes, corporate and bankruptcy, effective from 1 January 2014.

    1 minute read

  • November 21, 2013 |

    Gide, Norton Rose Fulbright and Bakers among firms winning spots on Credit Agricole's global roster

    Gide Loyrette Nouel, Baker & McKenzie and Norton Rose Fulbright are among a number of firms to have been appointed to Credit Agricole's global legal panel, following a competitive tender process led from Paris. The review concluded in the last few weeks after firms were invited over the summer to pitch for a slot on the roster. Other law firms understood to have been appointed include Ashurst, Hogan Lovells and Linklaters.

    1 minute read

  • November 21, 2013 |

    In-house lawyers yet to see value of low-cost legal centres

    A surge of interest among law firms in low-cost legal centres has yet to be mirrored by the in-house community, with many general counsel still to be convinced of the benefits of legal process outsourcing (LPO). The availability of LPO – including outsourcing to external providers and the use of own service centres – was deemed to be the least important factor when selecting a law firm, according to Legal Week Intelligence's annual Client Satisfaction Report, which polled more than 1,400 in-house lawyers. GCs gave an average rating of just 4.4 out of 10 when asked to grade the importance of low-cost centres. However, despite this apparent apathy, satisfaction levels with LPO centres scored an average of 5.7 out of 10 – one of only a few areas in the report where contentment with service levels outstripped the relative importance they were given.

    1 minute read

  • November 21, 2013 |

    African Legal Awards 2013: who won what – and why...

    Two hundred lawyers gathered at the African Legal Awards in October to celebrate the achievements of the continent's leading business lawyers. The ceremony was hosted by Legal Week in association with the Corporate Lawyers Association of South Africa (CLASA) and featured leading South African investigative journalist Derek Watts in the role of master of ceremonies.

    1 minute read

  • November 20, 2013 |

    Firm duo hit jackpot on Sydney casino resort

    Ashurst and Baker & McKenzie have taken key mandates on the development of Australian entrepreneur James Packer's latest Crown casino resort in Sydney. The AUS$1.5bn (£870m) Crown Sydney Hotel Resort project (pictured), which will be located at Barangaroo South in Sydney Harbour, got approval from the New South Wales (NSW) Government earlier this month and is expected to open in November 2019.

    1 minute read

  • November 20, 2013 |

    Bakers corruption lawyer joins City office following ejection from Russia

    A Baker & McKenzie lawyer who was earlier this year banned from entering Russia, where he was based, has transferred to the firm's London office.

    1 minute read