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  • March 14, 2008 |

    A&O appoints Meeus as new Belgian head

    Allen & Overy (A&O) has elected a new managing partner of its Belgian offices, the City giant announced today (14 March). Dirk Meeus will assume the role in Brussels on 1 May, taking over from Wim Dejonghe, who is stepping up to become global managing partner, based in London.

    1 minute read

  • March 13, 2008 |

    Lehman cost-cutting seals panel place for Simmons

    US investment bank Lehman Brothers has extended its main UK legal roster, adding top 10 City firm Simmons & Simmons to its list of preferred advisers.Simmons, which has been doing an increasing amount of work for the bank over the last 12 months, joins Lehman's established UK advisers - Linklaters, Allen & Overy, Ashurst, Lovells, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Weil Gotshal & Manges - following a review that also saw the bank crack down on fee arrangements with outside counsel.

    1 minute read

  • March 13, 2008 |

    Pinsents loses out as National Grid completes panel review

    FTSE 100 energy giant National Grid has finalised its UK-based general commercial and disputes panel with historic adviser Pinsent Masons missing out on a place on the main roster. Wragge & Co and Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) have won places as general advisers to National Grid, with Eversheds mandated to advise on commercial litigation and construction work. National rival Hammonds will advise on general commercial and health and safety matters. Pinsents, while missing out on a formal place on the panel, will continue to provide competition advice.

    1 minute read

  • March 12, 2008 | International Edition

    Magic circle trio dealt lucky hand with Goldman pensions purchase

    Three magic circle firms have taken lead roles advising on Goldman Sachs' purchase of the Rank Group's pension scheme - the UK's biggest ever pensions liability transfer to date.Allen & Overy (A&O) took the main role for Goldman, advising as its recently-formed subsidiary Rothesay Life purchased the assets and liabilities of the Rank Group pension scheme. The deal is thought to be the largest transfer of pension liabilities in the UK so far, with the Rank scheme assets valued at around £700m.

    1 minute read

  • March 12, 2008 |

    Magic circle trio dealt lucky hand with Goldman pensions purchase

    Three magic circle firms have taken lead roles advising on Goldman Sachs' purchase of the Rank Group's pension scheme - the UK's biggest ever pensions liability transfer to date.Allen & Overy (A&O) took the main role for Goldman, advising as its recently-formed subsidiary Rothesay Life purchased the assets and liabilities of the Rank Group pension scheme. The deal is thought to be the largest transfer of pension liabilities in the UK so far, with the Rank scheme assets valued at around £700m.

    1 minute read

  • March 12, 2008 |

    McDermott drives forward with top role on E1.4bn Greek infrastructure development

    McDermott Will & Emery's London office has advised on a Greek infrastructure project worth an estimated €1.42bn (£1.07bn). McDermott fielded a team under project finance partner Andrew Watson, including London finance partner Cam Brockie and associates from both the London and Brussels offices, to advise the project's sponsors, Elliniki Technodomiki and Intracom Holdings.

    1 minute read

  • March 12, 2008 |

    Corporate Counsel: Legal regeneration

    Since making the move to the London Development Agency (LDA) from air traffic control company NATS last year, general counsel Debbie Adams has set in motion the wheels of change at the body's legal team. After inheriting a skeleton legal team of nine secondees and temporary lawyers, Adams earlier this year began hiring a raft of new lawyers at all levels of seniority. She says that her new team will be able to tackle a daily diet of contracts and projects work as well as playing a major role in Adams' ambitious plan to slash the LDA's annual legal costs by £3m. It is no mean feat for a body that is charged with tackling a raft of major projects, including a wealth of complex legal issues surrounding the 2012 Olympics and ensuring the legacy of related development

    1 minute read

  • March 10, 2008 |

    Mourant hires Cayman partner from rival Maples

    Mourant du Feu & Jeune has hired the head of trust litigation from offshore rival Maples and Calder in a boost to the firm's Cayman Islands disputes team. Ziva Robertson, who joins Mourant as a partner next month, specialises in contentious trust, probate and fiduciary disputes, representing local and international trustees of large private and charitable trusts.

    1 minute read

  • March 10, 2008 |

    Simmons' Gaymer given nod as honorary QC

    Former Simmons & Simmons senior partner Janet Gaymer has been named among the latest batch of honorary QCs, it was confirmed today (10 March). Gaymer, who retired from the top 20 UK law firm in July 2006, is recognised for her work developing employment law in the UK. She is the only solicitor nominated for the honoris causa award this year, alongside four candidates from academia.

    1 minute read

  • March 10, 2008 |

    City giants top slashed LS Trillium panel

    Land Securities Trillium (LST) has slashed its roster of external advisers, with two-thirds of its previously preferred firms missing out, following the property outsourcing giant's first-ever formal panel review. Allen & Overy (A&O) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer are handed coveted roles as LST's main strategic advisers at the top of a three-tier panel system.

    1 minute read