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  • January 26, 2012 |

    Aviva appoints Clydes and CMS to new reinsurance legal panel

    Clyde & Co and CMS Cameron McKenna have won appointments on Aviva's new reinsurance panel, put together after the insurance giant's former exclusive adviser Barlow Lyde & Gilbert merged with Clydes in November last year. Clydes and Camerons were both appointed as Aviva's UK reinsurance advisers for a two-year term taking effect from 1 January, with both also set to handle most of the reinsurance work driven from the UK for the wider Aviva Group globally.

    1 minute read

  • January 25, 2012 |

    Weil's London office seals hire of Hogan Lovells finance partner

    Weil Gotshal & Manges has strengthened its London finance practice with the hire of international finance partner Mark Donald from Hogan Lovells. Donald, who handed in his notice this week and will join the US firm's City base later in the year, focuses on domestic and cross-border leveraged and acquisition finance, real estate finance and fund financing.

    1 minute read

  • January 20, 2012 |

    Merger mania again - but has anything changed this time?

    You can forget all the forensic stuff about strategic tie-ups; large UK mergers usually don't make it over the line because the partners haven't wanted them enough and didn't sufficiently fear the consequences of not doing a deal...

    1 minute read

  • January 19, 2012 |

    Stayin' alive (just) – high street woe looks set to shake restructuring market out of relative calm

    With budget fashion retailers Peacocks and Barratts this week looking set to join a growing list of high street casualties in the latest round of economic turmoil, 2012 should – in theory – shape up to be a busy year for City restructuring and insolvency partners. To date, January has already seen the likes of Addleshaw Goddard, Travers Smith, Linklaters and SJ Berwin win roles on the administrations of Blacks Leisure and lingerie chain La Senza and, with many predicting a surge of additional collapses, the tally of firms winning work from turbulence on the high street is obviously set to increase. Still, a quick glance behind the more high-profile headlines shows that restructuring – and in particular, insolvency – work has so far failed to see the sustained upsurge predicted in the wake of Lehman Brothers' collapse and the onset of the last recession. While there was a run of deals in the wake of the banking crisis through 2009 and early 2010, by consensus pickings have been slimmer than restructuring teams expected.

    1 minute read

  • January 19, 2012 |

    Herbert Smith in talks to build global platform with top-tier Australian firm

    Herbert Smith has become the latest UK law firm to set its sights on the coveted Australia market, with the firm entering into merger talks with Freehills. The two firms are holding exploratory discussions about a tie-up, with all options under consideration – including a full merger, a Swiss verein-style deal or a joint venture agreement.

    1 minute read

  • January 17, 2012 |

    Herbert Smith in Freehills talks as firm targets Australia tie-up

    Herbert Smith is in talks to tie up with Australia's Freehills, making the firm the latest in a growing list of leading UK players attempting to enter the strategically important market. The two firms are currently holding exploratory discussions, with all options under consideration, including a full merger, a Swiss verein-style tie-up or a joint venture agreement.

    1 minute read

  • January 12, 2012 |

    BNP adds City firms to panel as RBS prepares for tough adviser review

    BNP Paribas has confirmed the line-up of law firms on its new global legal panel, with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Herbert Smith winning places. Details of the panel have been confirmed as leading firms predict an extensive overhaul of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) legal panel, with the bank's deputy general counsel John Collins and GC for corporate and M&A Rushad Abadan set to kick off a review in the coming months.

    1 minute read

  • January 11, 2012 |

    UK law firms sign up to support Government social mobility push

    Ten top UK law firms have signed up to a government-led scheme to boost social diversity among big business. The participating organisations - which also include the Bar Council and the Legal Services Board - have committed to participate in initiatives aimed to benefit low income or minority ethnic groups, including encouraging staff to become mentors and ensuring equal access to work experience placements.

    1 minute read

  • January 11, 2012 |

    BLP turns to CC for latest London structured finance partner hire

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) is bulking up its banking and capital markets practice with the hire of Clifford Chance (CC) partner Prashanth Satyadeva. Satyadeva is set to join BLP's structured finance team, which sits within the wider banking group, in the coming weeks.

    1 minute read

  • January 10, 2012 |

    Shearman seals hire of Ashurst energy partner for London office

    Shearman & Sterling is set to bulk up its London projects practice with the hire of Ashurst energy partner John Inglis. Inglis, who joined Ashurst from Norton Rose in 2007, is a member of the firm's energy transport & infrastructure team in London, focusing on the development and financing of energy projects in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

    1 minute read