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  • December 6, 2012 |

    Foreign law firms in Vietnam face pushback from local practices

    The activities of international law firms in Vietnam have been thrown into question following a call by local law practices to bring in tighter restrictions for global entrants to the market. The issue was discussed last month at Vietnam's National Assembly, at which an amended version of the country's Law on Lawyers was passed. The legislation is perceived by some as ambiguous as to whether foreign firms can draft local commercial contracts and business charters.

    1 minute read

  • December 6, 2012 |

    Fixed-fee billing favoured by 50% of corporates, LW research finds

    Half of all corporates prefer fixed fees when it comes to law firm billing, according to a Legal Week study of client satisfaction among in-house lawyers. Legal Week Intelligence's Client Satisfaction Report, which surveyed 1,204 companies, found 50% favouring fixed fees, with 11% of respondents preferring hourly billing to other methods, while a quarter said they prefer capped hourly rates.

    1 minute read

  • December 4, 2012 |

    Bakers expands in South Africa with disputes firm takeover

    Baker & McKenzie has bulked up its new Johannesburg base with the takeover of three-partner disputes practice Rudolph Bernstein & Associates (RB&A). RB&A founders Gerhard Rudolph and Darryl Bernstein have joined Bakers along with Kate Daniels, with all three becoming partners at the international firm.

    1 minute read

  • November 29, 2012 |

    EDF set to appoint panel firms for new two-year term after roster review

    A host of firms are poised to be appointed to EDF Energy's new UK legal panel as the energy giant finalises a review of its roster of external advisers. Herbert Smith Freehills, Eversheds, Squire Sanders and TLT are among those expected to be reappointed to the line-up, with Baker & McKenzie winning a first-time appointment to the roster. Final terms and panel structure will be agreed in the coming weeks.

    1 minute read

  • November 29, 2012 |

    Law firms vote for prestige over value as lure of central Hong Kong withstands soaring office costs

    Office space in Hong Kong's central business district (CBD) may be more expensive than anywhere else in the world, but leading global law firms have little intention of following the lead of other professional services businesses and moving into cheaper areas. Proximity to banks and other clients, combined with competition for mandates and partners, means property analysts predict firms will stay put despite cutting costs in other areas. The predictions come despite a report by real estate consultancy CB Richards Ellis (CBRE) finding that annual occupancy costs in central Hong Kong stand at $248.83 (£155.38) per sq ft – higher than any other market.

    1 minute read

  • November 29, 2012 |

    Magic circle duo bag roles on £1.7bn rail systems acquisition by Siemens

    Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have advised on Siemens' £1.74bn acquisition of technology company Invensys' rail operations in the UK.

    1 minute read

  • November 22, 2012 |

    Starting from scratch – how Atos' new GC transformed the IT giant's in-house team

    "I think we have a story to tell," says Alexandre Menais, group general counsel at Atos. He is not wrong, although the public profile of Atos – by its own estimation Europe's second largest IT services provider after IBM – is remarkably low for a company with annual revenues of €8.7bn (£6.7bn) and 78,500 employees...

    1 minute read

  • November 22, 2012 |

    Travers takes top law firm prize at British Legal Awards 2012

    Travers Smith, Norton Rose and LV= were among the prize winners at last night's (22 November) British Legal Awards, which took place at London's Old Billingsgate Market. Travers saw off competition from Berwin Leighton Paisner, Clifford Chance, Latham & Watkins, Mishcon de Reya and Olswang to scoop the coveted Law Firm of the Year award.

    1 minute read

  • November 21, 2012 |

    The Transfer Window: recent moves including White & Case, Stephenson Harwood and A&O

    US firm Goodwin Procter has added a fifth partner to its London office with the hire of Allen & Overy (A&O) tax counsel Ben Eaton. Eaton, whose tax practice focuses on investment funds and real estate transactions, also has broad tax experience of private equity, infrastructure and renewables, debt, hedge funds and real estate.

    1 minute read

  • November 20, 2012 |

    Bakers joins law firm rush into Korea with application for local licence

    Baker & McKenzie has become the latest international law firm to apply to open in South Korea following the country's move to liberalise its legal market last year. The US outfit is among a slew of global players eyeing the Asian sovereign state for opportunities, with Nam Hung Paik, an M&A partner in Bakers' corporate practice, appointed to lead the new office upon receiving the necessary approvals.

    1 minute read