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  • April 18, 2013 |

    Outsourcing out of favour as majority of partners back more near-shoring schemes

    The majority of partners at UK law firms believe firms should set up their own near-shoring ventures to cut costs ahead of sending work to outsourcing companies, according to new research published in the wake of several firms scaling back contracts with Integreon. Legal Week's latest Big Question survey found nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents believe own-firm near-shoring ventures in cheaper locations such as Belfast or other regional UK locations provide a better alternative to outsourcing companies for both legal process and back office support. A further 18% said firms should look to set up their own offshore ventures in regions such as the Philippines and India, with only the same percentage coming out in favour of outsourcing companies.

    1 minute read

  • April 18, 2013 |

    Pinsents launches Singapore TMT practice with local team hire

    Pinsent Masons has launched a technology, media and telecoms (TMT) practice in Singapore with the hire of a team led by partner Bryan Tan from local boutique Keystone Law Corporation. Tan, a founding member of Keystone, will join Pinsents in the Asian city state this May, alongside two associates and one trainee.

    1 minute read

  • April 17, 2013 |

    Bakers seals merger with top UAE law firm Habib Al Mulla

    Baker & McKenzie is merging with respected United Arab Emirates leader Habib Al Mulla & Company. The merged firm, which will be known as Baker & McKenzie Habib Al Mulla in the UAE, will go live on 1 July. The tie-up is significant as the first merger of a global law firm with a UAE independent.

    1 minute read

  • April 3, 2013 |

    Transfer Window Asia: recent moves including KWM, K&L Gates and Orrick

    K&L Gates has boosted its corporate team in Hong Kong with the hire of former Allen & Overy (A&O) capital markets partner David Johnson and Orrick commercial disputes partner Samuel Ngo. Johnson, who left A&O last summer, advises corporate and sovereign issuers and underwriters on public and private equity and debt financings and other corporate transactions, while Ngo represents PRC, Hong Kong-listed companies and property developers on a variety of complex commercial litigation and arbitration matters.

    1 minute read

  • March 27, 2013 |

    Top firms relocate more senior lawyers to Asia as East's rise continues

    UK and global law firms are increasingly relocating senior partners and practice group heads to the Asia-Pacific region as they continue to pin their hopes on the market, despite the recent downturn in activity in areas such as capital markets. A survey of 30 UK and US law firms by Legal Week found that 57% of those firms now have at least one global practice head, department co-chair or deputy chair based in Asia, with the majority of these appointed since the start of 2010. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Clifford Chance (CC) and Herbert Smith Freehills each now have at least two international practice heads based permanently in the Asia-Pacific, compared with one or fewer in 2010.

    1 minute read

  • March 25, 2013 |

    The Transfer Window: recent moves including SNR, Gateley, K&L Gates

    Harbottle & Lewis has recruited top-rated defamation and reputation management partner John Kelly from Schillings, in an eye-catching hire for the City firm. Kelly has acted for a raft of high-profile clients including disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong and former England manager Steve McClaren, as well as other celebrities including Steve Coogan, Madonna, Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie and Matt Lucas.

    1 minute read

  • March 25, 2013 |

    KWM strengthens Sydney tax team with Bakers partner hire

    King & Wood Mallesons has bolstered its tax team in Sydney with the appointment of Baker & McKenzie partner Tim Sherman. Sherman, who left Mallesons in 2009 to join Bakers in the Australian city, re-joins his previous firm on 1 July 2013 in a bid to strengthen the firm's regional tax offering. Focusing on income tax, Sherman has a wealth of experience providing taxation-related advice for corporate acquisitions, divestments and restructurings, capital raisings, onshore and offshore funds, and executive and employee share and option schemes.

    1 minute read

  • March 21, 2013 |

    Simmons makes double City partner hire from K&L Gates

    Simmons & Simmons has made a double partner hire from K&L Gates' London office, taking on the US firm's UK heads of pensions and employee incentives. Pensions partner Danny Tsang and employment partner Ian Fraser have joined Simmons' City employment and benefits team, taking the total partner count in the group to 10. Tsang has been at K&L Gates since 2007, when he joined from McDermott Will & Emery to launch a London pensions practice for the firm. His practice covers plan restructurings and corporate pensions strategies, as well as pensions aspects relating to corporate transactions, business recovery and restructuring.

    1 minute read

  • March 18, 2013 |

    Firms team up for new effort to tackle lack of diversity on career track

    Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), Hogan Lovells and Eversheds are among a line-up of eight City firms spearheading a new initiative to promote diversity and multiculturalism for all legal sector employees. NOTICED, which will be launched at the Law Society this Wednesday (20 March), will feature a series of events at which legal professionals from all backgrounds can network, debate diversity issues and share good practice, in an effort to make the legal industry more accessible and boost cultural awareness.

    1 minute read

  • March 17, 2013 |

    BT finalises adviser review with more than 140 appointed around the world

    BT has finalised a review of its network of external legal advisers in the UK and Ireland, alongside the appointment of more than 140 law firms to advise it around the world. The review, which was led by general counsel Dan Fitz alongside litigation and employment head Miles Jobling, has seen the telecoms giant divide its global adviser network between four regions: UK and Ireland; Asia-Pacific; North & Latin America; and Rest of Europe, Middle East and Africa.

    1 minute read