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  • July 11, 2013 |

    Bakers and HSF among advisers as Asia energy giants invest in Australian wind farms

    Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Baker & McKenzie are among a number of firms to have advised on the acquisitions of two Australian wind farms by Southeast Asian energy giants. The first deal saw Malakoff, Malaysia's largest power producer, take a 50% stake in the A$650m (£387m) Macarthur Wind Farm from New Zealand's Meridian Energy. The 450MW wind farm in Victoria is the largest in the southern hemisphere and is operated by Australian gas and electricity company AGL Energy, which owns the remaining share.

    1 minute read

  • July 11, 2013 |

    Employee Satisfaction Report 2013 – costs not careers take priority

    Assistants at top law firms are still receiving a high level of professional satisfaction from the quality of their work and their access to the best clients, according to the 2013 Legal Week Employee Satisfaction Survey. On the flip side, lawyers are generally feeling less engaged on a personal level. This may well be the year when law firms accept that the way they manage their human resources is driven much more by the need to reduce client fees than providing a coherent career structure for junior lawyers. The scores for the professional elements of the survey – from quality of work and prestige of the firm to client quality and international opportunities – are all higher this year as more junior lawyers are given a greater opportunity to shine. But the picture is less rosy in the personal section, where lawyers consider their engagement in terms of being valued or their treatment by partners. Assistants are happy with the work but find they are being treated less well in softer HR areas such as work/life balance, recognition and praise.

    1 minute read

  • July 11, 2013 |

    Links, Travers and Shoosmiths come out top in associate satisfaction poll

    Linklaters and Norton Rose Fulbright have been rated as the law firms that associates at rivals would most like to work for, according to new research by Legal Week. Legal Week Intelligence's flagship Employee Satisfaction Report (ESR) this year found the pair ranked ahead of Slaughter and May, Allen & Overy (A&O) and Pinsent Masons as the five most popular firms to work for, as rated by peers at rival law firms. Norton Rose, A&O and Slaughters have been in the top five for the last three years of the survey, while Pinsents and Linklaters are new entrants this year, replacing Berwin Leighton Paisner and Clyde & Co.

    1 minute read

  • July 11, 2013 |

    Hong Kong firms poised to advise on PRC law in China as liberalisation gathers pace

    Hong Kong law firms are set to discover whether they will be permitted to advise on PRC law in China in a new special economic zone under development in the south of the country. The Law Society of Hong Kong has submitted proposals to the mainland authorities asking for Hong Kong firms to be allowed to advise on the ground in China by setting up joint ventures with mainland outfits in the new Qianhai Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which is due for completion in 2020. It is expecting a decision within the next two months. The proposals state that Hong Kong firms should be allowed to tie up with mainland Chinese firms based in the Guangdong province to form new joint entities, which in turn could offer a one-stop shop for legal services for Chinese clients.

    1 minute read

  • July 10, 2013 |

    Line-up of top law firms win spots on new RBS EMEA panel

    Clifford Chance (CC), Allen & Overy (A&O), White & Case and Eversheds are among a host of firms to have won places on Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS) EMEA legal panel. At least 21 international firms have taken coveted spots on the panel - which covers the bank's legal work across 24 European, Middle East and African countries - following a competitive tender process.

    1 minute read

  • July 8, 2013 |

    Field Fisher secures Asia presence with Shanghai tie-up

    Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has made its debut into Asia through a tie up with Shanghai outfit Ryer & Associates. The City firm, which is eyeing corporate and IP work in China, has set up a Swiss Verein with the three-partner firm, which goes live today and will operate as Field Fisher Ryser (FFR).

    1 minute read

  • July 5, 2013 |

    Baker & McKenzie hires King & Wood Mallesons duo in Australia

    Baker & McKenzie has boosted its tax and employment teams in Australia with the appointment of two senior lawyers from King & Wood Mallesons (KWM). The duo Ellen Thomas and Sean Selleck were previously employed as senior associate and of counsel at KWM respectively, but both join Bakers in Australia as partners.

    1 minute read

  • July 4, 2013 |

    Pharma, medical and biotech sector three-year overview

    A detailed overview of the sector's biggest deals, featuring mandates for Dechert, Baker & McKenzie and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

    1 minute read

  • July 1, 2013 |

    Bakers promotes 71 to partnership including one third female lawyers

    Baker & McKenzie has made up 71 lawyers to its partnership around the world, including one in London, bringing total partner headcount at the firm to almost 1,500. The promotions round represents a rise of eight on last year, when 63 were made up, with the 71 new partners taking total partner count across the firm to 1,450.

    1 minute read

  • June 27, 2013 |

    Mission in Manila – Asia Development Bank's GC on switching from private practice

    Christopher Stephens, the new general counsel of the Asian Development Bank, tells Elizabeth Broomhall about 'desperate' times at Coudert Brothers and why Asian companies don't need panels

    1 minute read