Routes into law: Queen Mary teams up with Reed Smith on ‘degree with apprenticeship in law’
US law firm Reed Smith and Queen Mary University in London have created the first degree with an apprenticeship in law offered at an elite UK university.
Go your own way: Lawyers at Covington & Burling and DLA Piper leave to launch boutiques
Having watched an increasing number of their peers depart during 2014 to launch boutique law firms, Covington & Burling‘s co-head of EU litigation and DLA Piper‘s former Middle East managing partner have quit their respective firms to set up their own boutiques.
‘The pharma sector is very busy’: Slaughters, Davis Polk and Skadden win roles on Shire’s $5.2bn acquisition
Slaughter and May was called upon by longstanding pharmaceutical client Shire on its biggest acquisition to date as it purchased biotech NPS Pharma, represented by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, for $5.2bn.
‘A watershed moment’: Q&A with Cooley’s CEO on the firm’s London launch and philosophical decisions
Joe Conroy, chief executive of tech focused Californian firm Cooley, talks to Tom Moore on why it was harder to open in London than China and how the collapse of Edwards Wildman‘s city office created a ‘significant opportunity’ that led to a 55-lawyer launch.
Planning to ‘make a big impact’: Cooley raids Edwards Wildman and MoFo’s City offices to launch in London
US firm Cooley has made its long-awaited entrance to the London legal market, taking partners from Morrison & Foerster and Edwards Wildman Palmer to create a 55-lawyer UK practice.
First claim of the year: Allen & Overy selected by energy giants to sue Spain in large arbitration claim
Nine investors in Europe’s largest solar power plant, including German energy giant RWE, have instructed Magic Circle firm Allen & Overy to sue Spain at the World Bank’s arbitration court following cuts to solar energy subsidies.
Asia-Pacific: Cadwalader raids Latham’s Hong Kong office for seven lawyer team
Michael Liu, who was co-head of Latham & Watkins‘ Greater China practice and was formerly managing partner of its Hong Kong office, has led a seven lawyer move over to US rival Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft.
‘An investment in Europe’: Latham & Watkins to open nearshoring office in Manchester
US firm Latham & Watkins has announced internally that it will open a business services office in Manchester during the first half of 2015.
Investing in London: Reed Smith promotes seven in the City in 24-strong partnership round
Pittsburgh-headquartered Reed Smith has made its London office the centre of its promotions round by making up seven London lawyers to partner, four more than any other office.
League Tables: Gap between US firms and Magic Circle widens as UK firms slump in 2014 deal rankings
The Magic Circle lost ground in the global M&A rankings as Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters, Allen & Overy (A&O) and Clifford Chance (CC) all lost places to US rivals, with London-headquartered firms badly impacted by a jittery European deals market that saw a large number of deals collapse.