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  • August 14, 2007 |

    Chemicals combination might not be deadly for Freshfields

    It was refreshing to hear an honest assessment of how a lawyer feels about advising the target of a multibillion-pound takeover this week.“These…

    1 minute read

  • August 10, 2007 |

    CC breezes off with €1.8bn wind power deal

    Magic circle giant Clifford Chance (CC) has advised longstanding client International Power on its €1.8bn (£1.2m) agreement to acquire the Trinergy wind power portfolio in Italy and Germany. The deal sees International Power - an independent electricity operator with plants in 17 countries - acquire the Trinergy portfolio from private investors connected with the Matrix Group and CJS Capital Partners.

    1 minute read

  • August 9, 2007 | International Edition

    Simmons and LeBoeuf cook up $700m oil deal

    Simmons & Simmons and LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae have taken the lead advisory roles on Shell's sale of an oil refinery in the south of France for $700m (£345m). Simmons took the lead for Shell under corporate partner Paul Exley as the fuels giant moves to sell its Berre l'Etang refinery to petrochemical group Basell. LeBoeuf advised Basell, led by Paris corporate partner Stephen Walters alongside London competition partner Peter Crowther and environmental partners Paul Watchman and Nicholas Rock.

    1 minute read

  • August 9, 2007 |

    Simmons and LeBoeuf cook up $700m oil deal

    Simmons & Simmons and LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae have taken the lead advisory roles on Shell's sale of an oil refinery in the south of France for $700m (£345m). Simmons took the lead for Shell under corporate partner Paul Exley as the fuels giant moves to sell its Berre l'Etang refinery to petrochemical group Basell. LeBoeuf advised Basell, led by Paris corporate partner Stephen Walters alongside London competition partner Peter Crowther and environmental partners Paul Watchman and Nicholas Rock.

    1 minute read

  • August 9, 2007 |

    HSBC pilots cutting-edge data deal with advisers

    Banking giant HSBC is gearing up to gain unprecedented access to the know-how of 34 of its panel law firms.

    1 minute read

  • August 9, 2007 |

    Editor's Comment: Lockstep gets old

    "We keep the situation constantly under review" - that favoured non-comment of managing partners everywhere has been getting a dusting off, this time for Ashurst's partnership review. The firm has been here before in 2004 after approving plans to create a bonus pool aimed at rewarding top performers and fending off predatory recruitment. The current review has led to talk of measures designed to produce similar scope to reward top performers. However, following two years of excellent financial performance, such strategic thinking looks as aggressive as the previous initiative was defensive, giving the firm a chance to capitalise on its current strength with top-level recruitment.

    1 minute read

  • August 9, 2007 |

    Polish lawyers say fee cap move to be ditched

    Polish lawyers are confident that controversial legislation that would cap legal fees at just A70 (£47.30) per hour will be dropped, although political uncertainty has blurred the timeline for a final decision.

    1 minute read

  • August 9, 2007 |

    AmLaw poll shows partnership hopes plunging at US law firms

    Partnership ambitions among US associates have sunk to an all-time low despite soaring demand for their services, according to research by The American Lawyer, which shows just 12% expect to make equity at their current firm.

    1 minute read

  • August 9, 2007 |

    Latham converts London and Milan to LLPs

    Latham & Watkins' London and Milan offices have converted to limited liability partnership (LLP) status this month as the firm seeks to protect partners' individual assets in the event of a firm-busting negligence claim.

    1 minute read

  • August 8, 2007 |

    Scotland: Home and away

    From London to Aberdeen, Scotland's law firms are branching out and the English are moving in. But is the success of some Scots firms' London operations a cause for concern among those rooted to Edinburgh and Glasgow - or does London success come at a price? Ed Thornton reports

    1 minute read