Life during law: Richard Youle, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

Life during law: Richard Youle, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

When I moved to Hull from Sheffield at five my next-door neighbour was a just-born, [Linklaters partner] Alex Woodward – Woodie. A very good friend. Our mums and dads are very good friends. Went to the same schools, drank in the same pubs. Woodie is super-smart, so he got a training contract at Linklaters, whereas …

Global London Focus: Cooley

Global London Focus: Cooley

London headcount: 80 lawyers, 27 partners London head: Justin Stock (pictured) Office speciality: Technology, life sciences, litigation Representative work: Advised SoftBank on virtual reality company Improbable’s $502m fundraising; advised Apollo Global Management and The Vistria Group on $1.1bn acquisition of Apollo Education Group; advised Tata Steel and Bambino on a series of litigation matters.

Global London Focus: Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy

Global London Focus: Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy

London headcount: 116 lawyers, 22 partners Fee-earner headcount change since 2012: +81% London heads: Suhrud Mehta and Julian Stait Office speciality: Finance, restructuring, capital markets, litigation Representative work: Defended Visa on a claim brought by Sainsbury’s on interchange fees and acted for the defendants in $1bn competition Libor case; advised on the $3.7bn restructuring of …

CMS dismisses Singapore head and reports to SRA amid ‘confidential matters’

CMS dismisses Singapore head and reports to SRA amid ‘confidential matters’

CMS’ Singapore head has been dismissed from the firm and the matter reported to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), Legal Business has established. Former legacy Olswang corporate partner Andrew Stott has left the firm after his dismissal in late February was recommended by senior partner Penelope Warne and managing partner Stephen Millar and unanimously approved …

A&O recruits fintech specialist in rare City lateral while Freshfields loses one in Germany to Latham

A&O recruits fintech specialist in rare City lateral while Freshfields loses one in Germany to Latham

The old days when the only ways in and out of a Magic Circle partnership were promotion and retirement (forced or otherwise) seems like ancient history with this week already seeing Allen & Overy (A&O) make a rare City hire as Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer loses one of its own in Europe. A&O’s move sees the firm …

Deal watch: Global 100 elite line-up on $6bn GKN-Dana transatlantic union

A group of elite firms both sides of the Atlantic, including Macfarlanes and Slaughter and May, face off as British engineering giant GKN has agreed to a $6.1bn merger of its automotive business with US-based car parts supplier Dana. In a deal that will create one of the world’s largest auto parts providers, Macfarlanes’ corporate …

City of angels: Baker McKenzie launches in LA with Hogan Lovells team hire

City of angels: Baker McKenzie launches in LA with Hogan Lovells team hire

Baker McKenzie has opened its ninth US office in Los Angeles after recruiting a five-partner employment and litigation team from rival global firm Hogan Lovells. As the firm looks to beef up its numbers in the region as part of its 2020 strategy, two of Hogan Lovells’ former partners will launch the new office today …

Linklaters offers top-of-equity deal to recruit Cleary rainmaker Casati ahead of his 70th birthday

Linklaters offers top-of-equity deal to recruit Cleary rainmaker Casati ahead of his 70th birthday

In one of the most significant senior moves in the Italian market in recent years, Linklaters has hired Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton veteran rainmaker Roberto Casati. In a bid by the City giant to expand beyond its finance and capital markets focus in the country into mainstream corporate, Linklaters has drafted a waiver to …

Weil Gotshal and Debevoise see double-digit PEP hikes as Reed Smith’s top line makes a comeback

Weil Gotshal and Debevoise see double-digit PEP hikes as Reed Smith’s top line makes a comeback

Weil, Gotshal & Manges has scored an 18% global rise in profits per equity partner (PEP) as London turnover soared 33%, while Debevoise & Plimpton recorded a 17% PEP increase against a 12% revenue uptick. Fellow US firm Reed Smith has finally returned to growth after two consecutive years of decline, increasing its top line …