• November 2, 2010 |

    UK law firms await Credit Agricole decision on new global legal panel

    Credit Agricole is close to finalising its new global legal panel after a competitive tender process that kicked off over the summer, as Societe Generale begins talking to its advisers with a view to launching its own review next year. Credit Agricole's review is being led by Paris-based head of legal and compliance Martine Leimbach, with the results due before the year's end. All of the firms sitting on the existing panel were invited to pitch, including Ashurst, Baker & McKenzie and Norton Rose.

    1 minute read

  • October 27, 2010 |

    A&O wins RenCap panel role after Russian bank reviews legal advisers

    Allen & Overy (A&O) has won a first-time spot on Russian investment bank Renaissance Capital's (RenCap's) legal panel. The magic circle firm is the only new global addition to the roster following the review, which has seen all six existing advisers reappointed and a small number of firms added in specific jurisdictions. The overhaul means A&O will line up alongside existing panel members Herbert Smith, Hogan Lovells, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, White & Case, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Latham & Watkins to advise the bank.

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  • October 26, 2010 |

    Linklaters takes BP role on $650m oil wells sale to Japanese investor

    Linklaters has taken a lead role for BP on the $650m (£412m) sale of four oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico, reports the Am Law Daily. The sale to to Japanese trading company Marubeni is BP's latest move to sell off up to $30bn (£19bn) in assets to offset the rising costs associated with cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico after the disastrous explosion aboard its Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig in April.

    1 minute read

  • October 20, 2010 |

    New ideas in law: The geek shall inherit...

    Having reached the profession late, law blogging has emerged in recent years to secure real influence. Alex Aldridge assesses how the format has introduced a new range of voices to the legal community

    1 minute read

  • October 20, 2010 |

    Is Howrey's model broke or can global litigation deliver?

    Does the global litigation law firm model work? This disturbing question has been explicitly raised this month by news of a 12-partner exodus from the European network of disputes and intellectual property (IP) specialist Howrey. Indeed, departing partners from Howrey, who are heavily concentrated in the firm's Amsterdam and Brussels offices, have made much of the problems of working within a US-based firm. The argument goes that the US' generally stricter conflicts rules are a real hurdle for litigators operating in Europe, particularly when the bulk of the practice is weighted stateside, which makes it inevitable that American clients will get the upper hand in a close call on conflicts.

    1 minute read

  • October 15, 2010 |

    Mayer Brown acts on late Liverpool bid as £300m takeover goes through

    Mayer Brown has advised investment company Mill Financial on its failed eleventh-hour bid for Liverpool FC, as US sports group New England Sport Ventures (NESV) completes its £300m takeover of the Premier League club. US investor Mill, which was advised by Mayer Brown's UK corporate head Peter Dickinson and corporate partner Kate Ball-Dodd, today (15 October) held negotiations with co-owner Tom Hicks over the acquisition of his stake in the club.

    1 minute read

  • October 14, 2010 |

    Bakers takes US law role for Liverpool board as judge throws out attempt to block takeover

    Liverpool Football Club's board have succeeded in their bid to push forward with the club's takeover after the High Court dismissed a temporary restraining order granted by a Texas court to US owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. The club's board, represented by One Essex Court's Lord Grabiner QC (pictured), returned to court today to apply for an anti-suit injunction to prevent Hicks and Gillett from continuing their legal action in the US.

    1 minute read

  • October 13, 2010 |

    Top names ready to battle for honours at 2010 British Legal Awards

    Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Hogan Lovells and Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) are among the firms shortlisted for a number of categories in the 2010 British Legal Awards. The group has been nominated for the much sought after Law Firm of the Year award alongside Clyde & Co, Sullivan & Cromwell and Travers Smith.

    1 minute read

  • October 13, 2010 |

    Burges Salmon leads as Eurostar buys high-speed trains for £700m

    Burges Salmon has taken the lead role on Eurostar's multimillion-pound German train purchase. The Channel Tunnel rail operator announced a £700m investment programme for its fleet last week (7 October), including the purchase of 10 new high-speed trains from German engineering giant Siemens, which are set to cut the London-Paris journey time by about 15 minutes.

    1 minute read

  • October 6, 2010 |

    Carlsberg to refresh adviser line-up with first Euro corporate panel

    Carlsberg has kicked off a competitive tender process with a view to creating its first-ever European corporate panel. The review is being led out of Denmark by the drinks company's general counsel and vice president Ulrik Andersen. Carlsberg's current global panel features UK firms Norton Rose, Bond Pearce and Tollers, as well as Swedish law firm Vinge and Denmark's Kromann Reumert, which have all been invited to pitch.

    1 minute read