• November 15, 2012 |

    Black Solicitors Network names UK's most diverse law firms

    Shoosmiths has been named as the UK's most diverse law firm for the second year running by the Black Solicitors Network (BSN) Diversity League Table. A total of 50 law firms, including 30 top 100 UK firms, took part in the research, with participants marked out of 500 in two key areas - demographics and policy and practice.

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  • November 8, 2012 |

    Bakers, Norton Rose among firms on $5.4bn SA renewable energy project

    Baker & McKenzie and Norton Rose are among a raft of firms advising on a major South Africa renewables initiative which has seen the country's government sign deals with 28 independent power producers. Earlier this week $5.4bn (£3.4bn) worth of contracts between the South African Government, state power provider Eskom and independent power producers were signed after 28 bidders were approved in the first of a three-phase negotiation process.

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  • November 5, 2012 |

    CC, Bakers among advisers on Carrefour's €250m Malaysia exit

    Clifford Chance (CC) and Baker & McKenzie are among a group of law firms to have advised on the €250m (£200m) sale of Carrefour's Malaysian operations to Japanese retailer Aeon Co. The transaction, which closed last week, is part of a global cost-cutting plan by France's largest supermarket chain.

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  • November 3, 2012 |

    Slaughters, Sullivan and Davis Polk eye big returns from key China IPO

    Slaughter and May, Sullivan & Cromwell and Davis Polk & Wardwell have picked up lead advisory roles as the state-owned People's Insurance Company of China (PICC Group) draws closer to completing its multi-billion dollar Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO).

    1 minute read

  • November 1, 2012 |

    DAC Beachcroft confirms Chile merger deal with local allies

    DAC Beachcroft has officially launched in Chile following the confirmation of its planned three-way merger with local firms SegurosLex and Amunategui & Cia. The office, which will be known as DAC Beachcroft Chile, will work with international insurers, advising on all corporate, commercial, regulatory and claims issues.

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  • October 31, 2012 |

    Herbert Smith and MoFo line up on closely-watched HK$4bn pharma IPO

    Herbert Smith Freehills and Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) have both acted on the HK$3.97bn (£318m) initial public offering (IPO) of Shanghai-based Fosun Pharmaceutical Group, in one of the largest listings in the region this year. Herbert Smith advised the underwriters - UBS, China International Capital Corporation, JP Morgan Securities, Deutsche Bank, Agricultural Bank of China International and Haitong International - led by Hong Kong corporate partner Gary Lock and Asia head of US securities Kevin Roy.

    1 minute read

  • October 30, 2012 |

    Milbank continues City recruitment with hire of rated Norton Rose partner

    Norton Rose is set to to see the departure of respected financial disputes partner Charles Evans to US firm Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy's London office. Evans - who is top-rated for contentious financial services by Chambers - joined Norton Rose's London practice in 1997 and made partner in 2000. He represents corporates, financial institutions and individuals under investigation and in enforcement proceedings.

    1 minute read

  • October 29, 2012 |

    Freshfields and Slaughters lead on Penguin Random House merger

    Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May have picked up leading roles alongside two US firms on the planned joint venture between Penguin and Random House, which will create a consumer publishing giant with combined revenues of around £2.5bn. UK media group Pearson and German rival Bertelsmann confirmed today (29 October) that they have agreed to combine their respective publishing outfits, with Random House owner Bertelsmann set to own 53% of the new Penguin Random House joint venture and Penguin parent Pearson the remaining 47% stake.

    1 minute read

  • October 25, 2012 |

    Firms forced to bid for Asia work in front of rivals amid costs squeeze

    Partners in Hong Kong confirmed that pressure to reduce costs has resulted in occasional instances of state-owned enterprises asking tendering firms to reveal fee quotes in front of their competitors, with several magic circle and US law firms among those stating that they have been required to publically bid for some work in recent months.

    1 minute read

  • October 25, 2012 |

    Pitch perfect – general counsel on the dos and don'ts of the panel pitch

    "We do look for concise, effective communication. If the firm can't do something as simple as keep to the word count how can I be confident it can follow instructions and be concise and precise when advising?"

    1 minute read