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  • July 18, 2007 |

    Roof with a view

    The Diary has previously marvelled at the ergonomic paradise that is the new(ish) Allen & Overy (A&O) command bunker at Spitalfields. Between the solar panels and helicopter landing pads, the office boasts a rather stunning rooftop terrace, where partners can wander among dense foliage and brightly-coloured floral displays - presumably planted by all those departing partners A&O had on gardening leave a year or two ago.

    1 minute read

  • July 18, 2007 |

    Public versus private

    The decision of the House of Lords in YL v Birmingham City Council and others may have considerable significance for businesses providing services to public bodies under 'contracting out' arrangements. Their Lordships had to determine whether a private care home fell within the definition of 'public authority' under the Human Rights Act when providing care and accommodation for an elderly resident with Alzheimer's disease. In what might be described as a battle between public and private law rights, private law triumphed. In a split decision, the majority of their Lordships found that the care home was not exercising 'functions of a public nature'; much to the dismay of those who saw this as an unduly restrictive approach to the definition of public authority under the Act.

    1 minute read

  • July 18, 2007 | International Edition

    A&O lands top role on record Metronet insolvency

    Allen & Overy (A&O) has landed the key role advising Ernst & Young (E&Y) on the £2.6bn restructuring of struggling transport group Metronet. The role is a major boost for the magic circle law firm, which is advising E&Y as administrator on the largest formal insolvency procedure ever seen in the UK. Insolvency head Mark Sterling and restructuring partner Katrina Buckley are leading the team for A&O.

    1 minute read

  • July 18, 2007 |

    A&O lands top role on record Metronet insolvency

    Allen & Overy (A&O) has landed the key role advising Ernst & Young (E&Y) on the £2.6bn restructuring of struggling transport group Metronet. The role is a major boost for the magic circle law firm, which is advising E&Y as administrator on the largest formal insolvency procedure ever seen in the UK. Insolvency head Mark Sterling and restructuring partner Katrina Buckley are leading the team for A&O.

    1 minute read

  • July 18, 2007 |

    Deal Week Dispatch: 18/7/2007

    Deal Week Dispatch brings readers an early taster of news from Legal Week's unparalleled Deal Week section, with Ashurst, Wragges and Norton Rose among the deal-doers.

    1 minute read

  • July 13, 2007 |

    Camerons cuts 20 IT staff in Indian outsourcing

    CMS Cameron McKenna has become the latest City firm to outsource a chunk of its IT work to India, in a move that will see around a third of the department made redundant, the firm announced this week (11 July). The top 20 UK law firm has struck a five-year deal worth £10m with HCL Technologies, with the Indian IT outfit working alongside Camerons' internal IT capability.

    1 minute read

  • July 13, 2007 |

    Legal Week Lunchbox: 13/7/2007

    The five most popular articles on legalweek.com; some cracking readers' comments; and Alex Novarese on the bouncebackability of Guy 'Blue sky' Beringer

    1 minute read

  • July 12, 2007 |

    Blue-sky Beringer delivers on some of the hype

    What a difference a year makes in commercial law. There was Allen & Overy (A&O) being written off in some circles after a tough 18 months that…

    1 minute read

  • July 12, 2007 |

    A&O joins magic circle £1m club with 31% PEP rise

    Allen & Overy (A&O) has joined magic circle rivals including Clifford Chance and Linklaters by topping the £1m partner profits mark, after the City giant unveiled robust results for the last financial year. Profits per equity partner (PEP) at A&O rose by almost a third (31%) from last year's figure of £788,000 to a new mark of £1.03m. Turnover was up from £736m to £887m - an increase of almost 21% - while total profits improvoed by 36% to £395m.

    1 minute read

  • July 11, 2007 |

    Herbies' CIT links pay dividend as firm signs up bank as new mid-market client

    Herbert Smith has expanded its mid-market banking client roster after winning CIT Bank as a new client.

    1 minute read