• December 13, 2009 |

    Macfarlanes

    This hard-working but merit-driven firm City thoroughbred has a top-notch rep for private equity and private client - though it's actually pretty handy for most stuff.

    1 minute read

  • December 11, 2009 |

    CC and Freshfields take lead roles on £935m BAA bond launches

    Clifford Chance (CC) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have picked up mandates on airports operator BAA's programme of bond issuances. CC advised co-arrangers Citi and The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), with London capital markets partners Emma Matebalavu and Steve Curtis taking lead roles.

    1 minute read

  • December 8, 2009 |

    Quartet lead on £136m dental company buyout

    Dundas & Wilson, Slaughter and May, Allen & Overy (A&O) and Wragge & Co have advised on the £136m management buyout (MBO) of Associated Dental Practices (ADP). Big four Scots firm Dundas advised ADP chief executive Bharat Patel and management on the MBO, which closed last week (30 November).

    1 minute read

  • December 8, 2009 |

    Litigation and regulatory team of the year

    Jones Day's work advising AIM-listed Sibir Energy in relation to allegations of fraud against two former directors has attracted glowing praise from the company's board. "Under the inspired leadership of Craig Shuttleworth the tactics have been impeccable," said director and former chief executive Stuard Detmer.

    1 minute read

  • December 7, 2009 |

    Bingham boosts City base with hire of former Sidley finance partner

    Bingham McCutchen has made its second partner hire in London this year with the recruitment of Sarah Smith for its City finance practice. Smith, the former co-head of Sidley Austin's international finance group, will join Bingham at the beginning of 2010 after leaving Sidley in February.

    1 minute read

  • December 4, 2009 |

    Ashurst and Cleary win lead roles on Rusal's $3bn Hong Kong listing

    Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Ashurst have won roles on Rusal's planned $3bn (£2bn) flotation on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Cleary has landed the main role on the listing, fielding a team led by City-based partner Dan Braverman advising on US, English and French law. Ashurst corporate partner Andrew Edge is providing additional English law, while US firm Sidley Austin is advising on Hong Kong law, with a team led by Hong Kong-based capital markets partner Constance Choy.

    1 minute read

  • December 4, 2009 |

    Slaughters set to receive £33m for financial crisis work for the Treasury

    Slaughter and May is set to receive as much as £33m in fees by next year for its work advising the Treasury throughout the financial crisis. According to a National Audit Office report, the magic circle firm will rake in £32.9m in fees by March 2010 for the numerous mandates the firm has won from the Treasury during the downturn.

    1 minute read

  • December 3, 2009 |

    The job squeeze

    First came the wave of training contract deferrals, as many of the top law firms scrambled to find volunteers to delay their training contract start dates by a year. Next, as the recession deepened, recruitment targets (for training contracts starting in 2011) were scaled back, with Eversheds and Field Fisher Waterhouse going so far as to close their graduate recruitment programmes altogether until next year. Then, during the summer, firms took the opportunity to cut headcount further by reducing trainee retention rates on qualification to approximately 70% - a significant drop from the 90%-plus retention figures that were the norm in the boom years.

    1 minute read

  • December 2, 2009 |

    Dealmaker: Sharon Lewis

    Lovells capital markets head Sharon Lewis gets in a nod to Hogan and salutes the Pooh school of management

    1 minute read

  • December 2, 2009 |

    LW research highlights top client performers

    Lovells, Wragge & Co and Travers Smith are among 14 firms to be named as best performers in Legal Week research. The trio head their respective categories of international, national and City firms within the legal adviser rankings compiled by Legal Week's Client Satisfaction Report.

    1 minute read