Life During Law: Tihir Sarkar

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Life During Law: Tihir Sarkar

I grew up in the Midlands in the ̒80s. It was hard hit by the recession. My dad lost his job as an engineer, working for Smiths Industries, which supplied the car industry. It was the deindustrialisation of large parts of the UK. My father was a businessman and entrepreneurial. He became self-employed, started his own printing business, but it was certainly not stable.

I became a lawyer because I wanted a regular job. There were no lawyers in our family. It wasn’t a profession that was accessible or easy to understand from my background. Growing up in the ethnic community in Birmingham, second generation, the only other options on the table were being a doctor, a dentist or a pharmacist and I definitely didn’t want to be any of those! Continue reading “Life During Law: Tihir Sarkar”

Sponsored briefing: New consolidated regime of early access in France

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Sponsored briefing: New consolidated regime of early access in France

On 14 December 2020, the French Social Security Financing Act for 20211 (article 78) reformed early market access mechanisms in France and simplified the former systems of derogatory reimbursement for medicines, which included the temporary authorisation for use (ATU) and temporary recommendation for use (RTU) regimes.

Two new regimes have been created: early access authorisation (AAP – exceptional use of certain drugs for specific therapeutic indications, intended to treat serious, rare, or disabling diseases) and compassionate use (exceptional use of certain medicines in specific therapeutic indications). Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: New consolidated regime of early access in France”

The Legal Business Awards and GC Powerlist UK 2021: Great to be back!

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The Legal Business Awards and GC Powerlist UK 2021: Great to be back!

Pinsent Masons, Travers Smith and easyJet were among the major winners at the 2021 Legal Business Awards, which returned as a live event following the pandemic, bringing together 600 guests in Covid-safe conditions at the Grosvenor House hotel on 30 September.

As is tradition, the event was preceded by a reception to mark the launch of our annual GC Powerlist – acknowledging the contribution of key general counsel (GCs) at influential businesses. Later, the main event got underway in the Great Room at Grosvenor House, with Legal Business managing editor Mark McAteer welcoming the guests to the evening’s proceedings and thanking them for a huge turn out at one of the first in-person events to take place for some time. Continue reading “The Legal Business Awards and GC Powerlist UK 2021: Great to be back!”

Life During Law: Natasha Harrison

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Life During Law: Natasha Harrison

My maths teacher was married to a criminal barrister, so I did a mini-pupillage at his set. Loved it but decided I didn’t want to do criminal law. Over the years that followed I did more mini-pupillages, including at a commercial set, a common law set, as well as work experiences at law firms, the BBC and Foreign Office. All of which confirmed I wanted to do commercial law.

I really wanted to go down the barrister route, but I was the first person in my family to go into law and I didn’t know any barristers growing up. I had been to Durham rather than Oxbridge and I was a girl. Continue reading “Life During Law: Natasha Harrison”

Sponsored briefing: Interview: Mohammed R Alsuwaidi – chair, founding partner, Alsuwaidi & Company

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Sponsored briefing: Interview: Mohammed R Alsuwaidi – chair, founding partner, Alsuwaidi & Company

Can you give our Legal Business readers an overview of Alsuwaidi & Company.

Alsuwaidi & Company is a full-service business law firm, rooted in regional know-how. Since the firm’s inception in 1997, we have supported leading businesses across the UAE and beyond, assisting them to navigate complex and commercial challenges. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: Interview: Mohammed R Alsuwaidi – chair, founding partner, Alsuwaidi & Company”

In memory of Stephen J Doggett

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In memory of Stephen J Doggett

It is with tremendous sadness that we learned that our former colleague and friend, Stephen J Doggett, passed away on 8 August after a two-year battle with a rare form of cancer (synovial sarcoma). He was just 40.

Like many legal journalists and law firm consultants of his generation, Stephen (or SJD as he affectionately became known) cut his teeth researching The Legal 500 in the regions. But it soon became clear that he was an exceptional talent, combining a razor-sharp, analytical mind with a gentle, unflappable and unquestionably generous nature – bringing all these qualities together to make him a highly respected legal commentator and, more importantly, a unique and much-loved human being. Continue reading “In memory of Stephen J Doggett”

Life During Law: Adam Plainer

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Life During Law: Adam Plainer

I didn’t want to be a lawyer. My father wouldn’t let me go to RADA. Acting is what I wanted to do but people from Leeds in 1984 didn’t go to acting school. My favourite uncle said: ‘You’re going to be a lawyer’. So I jumped on a conveyor belt and ended up becoming one.

My father was a taxi driver and mum was a housewife. All our holidays were in Blackpool, St Anne’s and Scarborough. Now everyone’s only allowed to go to those places. Continue reading “Life During Law: Adam Plainer”

Sponsored briefing: Interview with Doug Bryden (partner and head of risk and operational regulatory) and Heather Gagen (partner, dispute resolution)

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Sponsored briefing: Interview with Doug Bryden (partner and head of risk and operational regulatory) and Heather Gagen (partner, dispute resolution)

What are your backgrounds in terms of advising and acting for clients on ESG-related risks?

Doug Bryden (DB): I have advised clients in relation to a broad spectrum of risks for many years, from environmental to business ethics (including modern slavery and human rights) and on related governance and boardroom responses. The prevailing trend now is to view these operational, reputational and legal issues through the lens of ‘ESG’. The consolidation of these risks under a single banner is proving extremely useful in both explaining those risks to boards as well as streamlining a stronger, better considered management response. On one hand my job as an ‘ESG lawyer’ is to help clients promote ESG awareness within a business and to ensure compliance with an ever-increasing range of ESG regulatory obligations. However, this needs to be carefully balanced against the threat of novel legal risks that ESG programmes and associated public disclosures create. Much of my practice and Heather’s is focused on achieving outcomes which sensibly protect an organisation from such legal risks, without undermining the real opportunities and progress that better ESG management creates. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: Interview with Doug Bryden (partner and head of risk and operational regulatory) and Heather Gagen (partner, dispute resolution)”

Sponsored briefing: The effect of recent English Supreme Court judgments on GCC-based arbitration

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Sponsored briefing: The effect of recent English Supreme Court judgments on GCC-based arbitration

Robert Sliwinski, of counsel at Alsuwaidi & Company, explains how common law principles are transforming international arbitration proceedings in the GCC region

Over the past six months there have been two important judgments in the Supreme Court of England and Wales which are likely to influence GCC-based arbitrations where they are based on common law procedures and rules. They may also impact arbitrations seated in the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC), the Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM) and the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) which are pockets of common law jurisdiction within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar Civil Law Structures.
Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: The effect of recent English Supreme Court judgments on GCC-based arbitration”

Sponsored briefing: Container securitisation thriving in Bermuda

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Sponsored briefing: Container securitisation thriving in Bermuda

Over the last decade, leased container securitisation transactions have increasingly enabled container lessors to raise capital and leverage growth opportunities based on strong performance and outlook in the container leasing sector. Bermuda has played an integral role for market-leading lessors such as Textainer and Triton, and has a trusted reputation among lessors as the leading offshore jurisdiction offering flexible and innovative structures for container securitisation transactions.

Structuring a Bermuda Container Securitisation Transaction

A typical container securitisation transaction involves the incorporation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV), normally a Bermuda exempted company, although exempted limited liability companies (LLCs) can also be used. The SPV can either be directly owned by the parent or use an orphan structure (held by a Bermuda purpose trust) which removes the asset from the parent’s balance sheet. The SPV will purchase the container leases (or other specified assets) with some form of regular cash flow and issue loan notes or preference shares in the capital markets to finance the purchase. The repayment of principal and interest on such notes is then secured by the purchased assets and the accompanying cash flow. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: Container securitisation thriving in Bermuda”