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  • January 28, 2009 |

    Brazilian mining GC makes private practice move

    The general counsel of Brazilian mining company Vale has moved back to private practice, joining Latin-American law firm Veirano. Pedro Aguiar de Freitas will take up his new position at the beginning of February after spending six years in-house at Vale. He has also worked as general counsel of Brasil Telecom and as senior counsel at the International Finance Corporation.The move marks de Freitas's return to the firm where he started his career more than 20 years ago, which was then the Rio de Janeiro office of Baker & McKenzie.

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  • January 27, 2009 |

    Ashurst to lay off up to 15 staff in latest cuts

    Ashurst has entered into a redundancy consultation with a number of its London-based support staff. The firm has kicked off a consultation within the last two weeks, with around 15 secretarial positions in London at risk. The consultation, which mainly affects float secretaries and staff on night shifts, is expected to conclude in February. The top 10 City firm confirmed the talks in a statement saying: "We are in the course of a consultation process to make a small number of secretaries redundant in accordance with business needs."

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  • January 26, 2009 |

    Beachcroft lands Orange role after panel review

    Orange UK has completed a review of its legal advisers, with Beachcroft among the firms to win a place on the telecoms company's newly-expanded roster. The review, Orange's first in three years, sees the company increase its number of advisers to 13. Other new firms added to the panel include regional firm Ward Hadaway and Northern Ireland's Worthingtons.

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  • January 23, 2009 |

    Bakers lays off 20 legal staff from London office

    Baker & McKenzie has cut 20 legal positions in London with the firm also set to review its support function. The firm confirmed today (23 January) that 20 London-based legal staff have lost their jobs, with the redundancies affecting a number of associates and paralegals. It is understood that the cuts affect a number of practice areas, including corporate.In addition, the firm has launched a separate review of its secretarial and support services which could result in job losses. No formal redundancy consultation has been launched and the review is set to last several months.

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  • January 21, 2009 |

    Linklaters: partners to go and firm set for job cuts

    Linklaters is gearing up for plans to cut back its partnership in a move that is expected to see more than 35 partners worldwide leave the City giant.Legal Week has learned that the firm's City headquarters could see around 10 partners depart by the end of the current financial year in April, though its European practice has been cited by some outside the firm as the most vulnerable.Three of the departing City partners are in the capital markets, banking and corporate practices, but it is not yet known where the remaining cuts will be made.

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  • January 13, 2009 |

    Jones Day seals Lat-Am launch with Mexico merger

    Jones Day is set to launch its first office in Latin America with a merger with its referral partner in Mexico City. The firm is set to consolidate 20 years of referral work with De Ovando & Martinez del Campo with a full merger, which will gift the firm its 31st branch worldwide. The combined office will focus on M&A, banking and finance and transactions along with real estate and capital markets work.

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  • January 9, 2009 |

    Bakers announces associate layoffs in New York

    Baker & McKenzie has become the latest firm to announce redundancies, with the firm cutting six of its New York associates as a result of the ongoing economic downturn. The international firm's New York office houses around 140 lawyers including 60 partners and the cuts come as part of a range of cost-cutting measures introduced in response to market conditions.Bakers said in a statement issued today (9 January): "We are in strong financial health, thanks in part to a sound strategy and fiscal discipline, as well as our firm's geographic and practice diversity. However, over the last few months, as a consequence of the downturn affecting the global economy, we have seen declines in some areas."

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  • December 11, 2008 |

    London office of the year

    There are more than 200 international firms with London offices and this award - a new category - demonstrates the myriad of strategies being employed. Bingham McCutchen has had a London base since 1973, but has resisted the temptation to stray beyond its core areas. Its powerful financial restructuring group has been heavily involved in many of Europe's largest workouts and restructurings, acting for bondholders and other creditors. A sign of the US firm's confidence in its City outpost is shown by the fact that London managing partner James Roome oversees its Hong Kong office, which was launched in 2007.

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  • December 11, 2008 |

    Capital markets team of the year

    To say there has been turmoil in capital markets would perhaps win an award for understatement of the year. These extraordinary times have placed new demands on lawyers, and the finalists demonstrated that they have what it takes to help clients through the turbulence. The judges hailed the way Allen & Overy's (A&O's) capital markets team has adapted to the downturn. Much of A&O's recent work has involved crisis management, whether restructuring transactions, making existing structures more resilient or advising on derivatives and structured finance. A&O has been particularly active in the structured investment vehicles field and the covered bond market, while its equity capital markets work includes advising Imperial Tobacco on a £4.9bn rights issue, the second largest underwritten issue in the UK ever.

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  • December 11, 2008 |

    Managing/senior partner of the year

    Running a modern law firm is a complex challenge, and many a talented lawyer has been burnt by the experience. The judges agreed that all six finalists showed they have what it takes to deliver outstanding performance. David Gray is stepping down as Eversheds' chief executive after five years, having notched up a litany of achievements. These include a £10m investment in the project management skills of its lawyers as well as the Global Account Management System. Gray has led from the front - partners can rate his performance on an intranet page. But he can be tough too, introducing a yellow and red card scheme to improve partners' approach to cash management.

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