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  • April 3, 2008 | International Edition

    City partnership rounds hold up despite financial market fears

    Herbert Smith and Olswang have both announced bumper crops of new partners, as the UK's top law firms cast aside fears about the credit crunch to announce their latest round of partnership promotions. The pair join firms including Macfarlanes, CMS Cameron McKenna and Wragge & Co to increase their tallies on last year, with Trowers & Hamlins the only firm to date to see a significant drop in its number of new partners.

    1 minute read

  • April 3, 2008 |

    City partnership rounds hold up despite financial market fears

    Herbert Smith and Olswang have both announced bumper crops of new partners, as the UK's top law firms cast aside fears about the credit crunch to announce their latest round of partnership promotions. The pair join firms including Macfarlanes, CMS Cameron McKenna and Wragge & Co to increase their tallies on last year, with Trowers & Hamlins the only firm to date to see a significant drop in its number of new partners.

    1 minute read

  • April 2, 2008 |

    Middle East and India: The new road to riches

    It is easy to become blase about the significance of law firms entering a new market in their droves, and for the pace of change in that market to become a platitudinous talking point among lawyers.But it was not that long ago that some lawyers in the Middle East outposts of City firms routinely took advantage of the Gulf weekend being on Thursdays and Fridays, by rolling the local weekend into the Western weekend for a bumper four-day rest, leaving three days to get their weekly work done. Now it is more common for Gulf lawyers to work both weekends, such is the volume of business being done in the region.

    1 minute read

  • April 2, 2008 |

    Middle East and India: Money talks

    Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) have dominated the headlines of recent weeks after buying stakes in US investment banks hit by write-downs of billions of dollars. The $7.5bn (£3.7bn) equity investment by Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) in Citi is a notable example. Two weeks ago the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation broadened its reach by investing A1bn (£788m) in a company controlled by Italy's Benetton family. Many of the state-owned SWFs, such as the Kuwait Investment Authority, have in fact been in existence for half a century or more. However, the spotlight has only really been focused on these funds in the past two or three years. This is primarily due to the abundance of super liquidity arising from the spike in the price of commodities, most notably oil (up from $10 (£5) a barrel in 1990 to $100 (£50) or so now) but also the steady decline in the dollar, which has had a marked impact on the fortunes of China and other east Asian countries.

    1 minute read

  • April 2, 2008 |

    ...Legal Week Lunchbox: 2/04/08...

    The five most popular articles on legalweek.com today; plus the pick of the day's posts; and more

    1 minute read

  • April 1, 2008 |

    Ashurst promotions add 17 to partnership

    Ashurst has announced its partner promotions for 2008, with the City giant making up 17 new partners from 1 May. Eight promotions come in the firm's London hub across a range of practices, while three in Paris get the nod alongside two in Frankfurt and one apiece in Brussels, Dubai, Madrid and Stockholm.

    1 minute read

  • April 1, 2008 |

    MacRitchie hands Shearman City reins to Ward

    Anthony Ward is stepping up to become managing partner of Shearman & Sterling in London, the US firm announced today (1 April). Ward, who is currently head of Shearman's City finance team, will succeed high-profile incumbent Kenneth MacRitchie in the management role. MacRitchie returns to full-time fee earning in the project development and finance group after six years at the helm of the London office.

    1 minute read

  • March 20, 2008 |

    External funding booms as litigators plot upturn

    Eight out of 10 of the City's top law firms are already using or assessing external funding for litigation and arbitration cases, it has emerged, marking a dramatic move of third-party funding into mainstream practice. All of the top 10 City firms except Linklaters and Slaughter and May are now offering, or considering offering, clients external funding in some cases, Legal Week has established.

    1 minute read

  • March 18, 2008 |

    ...Legal Week Lunchbox: 18/03/08...

    The five most popular articles on legalweek.com today; plus the pick of the day's posts; Manches' Joanne Edwards on Heather versus Sir Paul; and more

    1 minute read

  • March 17, 2008 |

    Ashurst raids W&C again for Asia finance hire

    Ashurst has bolstered its Asian banking and restructuring practice with its second hire in as many months from US outfit White & Case, the top 10 UK law firm announced today (17 March). Carl Dunton, whose clients include a number of major international banks, joins the Singapore office of Ashurst as a partner. He will work alongside banking and projects partners Matthew Bubb, who heads up the office, and Ashley Wright.

    1 minute read