‘Everybody wanted to be on that bus’: Baker Botts on its award-winning Saudi green hydrogen deal

Baker Botts walked away from this year’s Legal Business Awards with the trophy for energy/infrastructure team of the year, in recognition of the firm’s work advising Air Products and Chemicals on Saudi Arabia’s landmark NEOM Green Hydrogen Project. LB spoke with two of the lead partners on the deal to discuss getting it over the line, the …

The Client’s View on DLA Piper – how do your lawyers score?

What do clients really think about the service they get from your firm? Every year, the Legal 500 asks hundreds of thousands of clients how they rate firms on a range of metrics, including lawyers and team quality, value, billing, and industry knowledge. The scores we collect allow us to benchmark firms against each other – this …

‘A wake-up call to those resisting integration’: HSF US merger marks further shift towards profit-sharing

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has made no secret of its ambition to grow in the US, and has long been touted as a potential merger partner for Stateside firms. Even so,  Monday’s news (11 November) that it is intending to combine with New York’s Kramer Levin came as a surprise to some partners within the …

The customer is always right – which firms do clients rate most highly?

The data doesn’t lie – it’s been a good year for the Global 100. Eighty-eight of the world’s largest firms posted revenue increases last year, with many enjoying record results, and total revenue across the group rose by more than 6% to break through the $150bn mark for the first time. As to what was …

Herbert Smith Freehills set for $2bn transatlantic merger with Kramer Levin

Since the A&O Shearman merger went live in May, there has been no shortage of market speculation about which transatlantic duo would be next to tie the knot. However, few had predicted Monday’s (11 November) news that Herbert Smith Freehills is set to combine with New York’s Kramer Levin, a deal which will create a …

Travers private equity departures continue as practice head leaves

Lucie Cawood, the head of Travers Smith’s private equity and financial sponsors group, has left the firm, marking the latest in a series of exits from the City firm’s transactional practices. Cawood has led the firm’s PE group since January 2023, when she succeeded Ian Shawyer, following his move to Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. …

Footing the bill – as chargeout rates spiral, will clients put their foot down?

‘The next revolution in the market will be clients waking up to the fact that chargeout rates go up so much each year.’ This is the prediction of one well-known partner at a leading US firm in London in the wake of another stellar performance by the Global 100, in which total revenue climbed by 6% …

Pinsents, CC and HSF among big winners as new Legal 500 UK rankings are revealed

Almost 1,200 law firms have secured spots in the new Legal 500 UK rankings, which have been revealed after months of research into the legal markets up and down the country. The rankings, which are based on extensive analysis of the legal markets across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, have been put together based …