Filter This View

  • September 5, 2013 |

    Desert dreams – why law firms are reassessing their Middle East strategies

    In Abu Dhabi Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has been looking in recent months to sub-let half its office space on the 23rd floor of the prestigious Al Sila Tower. The firm stresses it remains committed to the city, but its move nonetheless reflects a broader readjustment of international law firm ambitions in the UAE capital. "It's no secret that we are looking to sub-let half of the floor we originally let," says Zubair Mir, head of HSF's Middle East operations, before adding that "we are not looking to return the lease in any way". He explains: "What happened was we bought an entire floor in Dubai which became more full than we expected, so when we negotiated in Abu Dhabi we took out more space than we needed to try to avoid the situation of not having enough room." HSF is not alone in rethinking its needs in Abu Dhabi. Hogan Lovells closed its outpost there last year and transferred its work to the firm's Dubai office, having decided that it made for a stronger regional hub.

    1 minute read

  • September 5, 2013 |

    AIG to launch Asia-Pacific adviser review as regulatory demands grow

    AIG is set to kick off a review of its external legal advisers across the Asia-Pacific region, as the insurance giant sizes up a potential merger of its corporate and claims panels. The US-based company currently has a corporate panel including five to 10 law firms across several Asian countries, alongside a separate claims panel subdivided by jurisdiction and area of expertise. The corporate panel covers 13 countries where AIG has operations in Asia – Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. AIG expects to finalise the process before the end of the year.

    1 minute read

  • September 5, 2013 |

    Eversheds and Bakers talk turkey as Bernard Matthews secures investment

    Eversheds and Baker & McKenzie have advised on a deal that has secured the future of the UK's largest turkey farmer and producer, Bernard Matthews Holdings. Turnaround and restructuring investor Rutland Partners has taken a controlling stake in Bernard Matthews, which rears more than seven million turkeys a year and employs 2,000 staff.

    1 minute read

  • September 4, 2013 |

    DLA Piper's Hong Kong insurance head to leave private practice

    The head of DLA Piper's insurance practice in Hong Kong is leaving the firm to pursue opportunities in legal consulting. Will Harrison, who joined DLA in 2007 as a senior associate from Clifford Chance in Hong Kong, is highly rated for contentious insurance work in the region.

    1 minute read

  • September 3, 2013 |

    Slaughters helps Arsenal to £42.4m record signing of Real Madrid's Ozil

    Slaughter and May has advised longstanding client Arsenal Football Club on its summer transfer dealings, including the club record signing of Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Ozil. The Germany international completed his move last night (2 April) in a deal valued at £42.4m, one of the biggest-ever transfer fees paid by a Premier League club.

    1 minute read

  • September 3, 2013 |

    Kinstellar launches in Kazakhstan with forrmer Dentons partner

    Kinstellar is launching in Kazakhstan with the hire of Dentons' Central Asia banking head Joel Benjamin. Benjamin joins the independent firm as managing partner of the new Almaty office alongside Adlet Yerkinbayev who also joins from Dentons as a partner and six associates.

    1 minute read

  • September 3, 2013 |

    Linklaters hires former A&O partner to lead Asian restructuring practice

    Linklaters has appointed former Allen & Overy (A&O) partner David Kidd to lead its restructuring and insolvency (R&I) practice in Asia, as the firm looks to strengthen its finance and litigation teams in the region. The magic circle firm, which is best known in Asia for its corporate, capital markets and projects work, has hired Kidd to join its Hong Kong base just weeks after recruiting Herbert Smith Freehills' former Asia disputes head, Gavin Lewis.

    1 minute read

  • August 28, 2013 |

    Bakers grows revenues by 5% to $2.4bn as partner profits jump 10%

    Baker & McKenzie has posted a 5% increase in global revenues to reach a new record high of $2.419bn (£1.56bn), with profits per equity partner (PEP) up 10% to $1.2m (£775,000). The results - which cover the year to 30 June 2013 - make Bakers the second-highest grossing global law firm, just behind DLA Piper, which posted revenues $2.44bn for its 2012 calendar financial year.

    1 minute read

  • August 27, 2013 |

    Transfer Window Asia: recent moves including Ashurst and Simmons

    Ropes & Gray has added to its corporate practice in Seoul with the hire of counsel Jaewoo Lee from Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. Lee, who joins the US firm as a partner, will initially be based out of New York and Hong Kong but will relocate to Ropes and Gray's Seoul office when his license to practice in the North Asian state is approved.

    1 minute read

  • August 14, 2013 |

    Charles Russell becomes latest firm to enter Qatar market with Doha launch

    Charles Russell is launching a new office in Qatar as the UK top 50 firm moves to ramp up its presence in the Middle East. The firm has received its licence from the Qatar Financial Centre Authority, effective as of 29 July, and will officially open the new Doha base in early September.

    1 minute read