• September 9, 2011 |

    Macfarlanes signs up Shearman partner to lead real estate practice

    Macfarlanes has recruited a new head of real estate with the hire of a senior partner from US firm Shearman & Sterling. Ian Nisse will join Macfarlanes at the end of the month after seven years as a partner at Shearman, where he was international co-head of real estate, working in both the firm's London and Abu Dhabi offices. He will succeed Simon Hillson as head of real estate at Macfarlanes, with Hillson continuing as a partner in the group after five years as practice head.

    1 minute read

  • September 7, 2011 |

    Ashurst set for vote as terms emerge on Blake Dawson Asia deal

    Ashurst looks set to nearly double its Asian partner count through a tie-up with Blake Dawson that will see the Australian leader rebrand as Ashurst. Partners at the UK law firm received a document confirming details of the proposed joint venture late last month, with a vote expected to take place before the end of September.

    1 minute read

  • September 7, 2011 |

    Stephenson Harwood boosts energy practice with ex-Ashurst partner hire

    Stephenson Harwood has added another energy-specialist partner to its corporate practice, with the hire of Fulbright & Jaworski's Jeremy Sheldon. Sheldon has been a partner in the US firm's London office since 2007, when he joined from Ashurst, where he was a member of the energy, transport and infrastructure group.

    1 minute read

  • September 7, 2011 |

    Ashurst takes top role for San Miguel on $610m Malaysian oil push

    Ashurst has taken the lead role advising San Miguel Corporation on its $610m (£382m) acquisition of a number of ExxonMobil subsidiaries in Malaysia, reports The Asian Lawyer. San Miguel, a Philippines conglomerate best known as a brewing company, has acquired three Malaysian divisions of the US oil giant in all-cash deals, paying $206m (£129m) for Esso Malaysia and $404m (£253m) for both ExxonMobil Malaysia and ExxonMobil Borneo.

    1 minute read

  • September 5, 2011 |

    Mayer Brown adds partner to City corporate insurance team with Debevoise hire

    Mayer Brown has strengthened its London corporate and securities practice with a hire from Debevoise & Plimpton. Colin Scagell joined the international firm today (5 September) as the newest partner in its London-based insurance industry group. He joins from the City office of Debevoise, where he was an associate.

    1 minute read

  • September 1, 2011 |

    Ireland's Dillon Eustace opens second Asia base with Hong Kong launch

    Irish firm Dillon Eustace has bolstered its Asian practice with an office launch in Hong Kong. Corporate and M&A partner Paul Moloney will head the office, which opened today (1 September) and will provide European financial and regulatory advice to the firm's existing Asian clients.

    1 minute read

  • August 31, 2011 |

    UK leaders lay out bold plans for expansion in Asia-Pacific

    Linklaters, Hogan Lovells, Ashurst and Clifford Chance (CC) are all planning to significantly ramp up their Asian operations as increasing numbers of UK and US firms look to capitalise on the region's growth potential. Linklaters is hoping to increase the amount of fee income it generates in the Asia-Pacific region to nearer 20% of global revenues over the next four years, up from 12%-13% at present.

    1 minute read

  • August 31, 2011 | International Edition

    Doubling down - who holds the cards in the scramble for Asia?

    Five years ago the tiny special administrative region of China, Macau, replaced Las Vegas as the world's top gambling destination. Now, as private wealth continues to soar both within China and Asia more generally, and regional markets remain resilient despite the wider global economic turmoil, the UK's largest law firms are attempting to guarantee they retain a significant slice of the market.

    1 minute read

  • August 31, 2011 |

    Doubling down - who holds the cards in the scramble for Asia?

    Five years ago the tiny special administrative region of China, Macau, replaced Las Vegas as the world's top gambling destination. Now, as private wealth continues to soar both within China and Asia more generally, and regional markets remain resilient despite the wider global economic turmoil, the UK's largest law firms are attempting to guarantee they retain a significant slice of the market.

    1 minute read

  • August 31, 2011 |

    Coutts names first-ever GC ahead of investment management push

    Coutts & Co has appointed its first-ever general counsel as the bank gears up for a push into investment management services in the UK. Coutts, which provides private banking services for high-value clients, has recruited James Clarry from its parent company, the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), to take up the new role.

    1 minute read