Anna Cole-Bailey rounds up the latest in-house panel reviews and moves
In a busy month of in-house activity, National Grid revealed the line up of its new legal panel, Lombard International embarked on creating its first-ever legal roster, and blue chips BAE Systems and Lloyds Banking Group lost senior legal heads. Continue reading “Three firms cut as National Grid unveils panel following ‘pay to play’ review and BAE loses longstanding legal chief”
The take-private market has cooled after a prolonged spree of deals across Europe but US investors have continued to pile cash into non-domestic assets, with Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Baker McKenzie and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett all commanding lead roles on multi-billion-dollar transactions with a tech flavour in recent weeks.
Blackstone’s proposed $3bn acquisition of a majority stake in MagicLab, the London-based dating and social networking app start-up, spelled instant attraction for transatlantic teams from Simpson Thacher and Bakers. Continue reading “A boon for Global London firms on big-ticket buyouts as US investors target hot tech assets”
Goodwin Procter and Eversheds Sutherland both made significant corporate hires in November, with the pair recruiting Kirkland & Ellis partner Carl Bradshaw and Simmons & Simmons former head of UK corporate Giles Dennison respectively.
For Goodwin, the hire of Bradshaw comes during an expansive period for the firm, particularly in private equity. He brings nine years of experience from Kirkland – four of which were as partner – and a practice that focuses on cross-border private equity deals; leveraged buyouts; carve-outs; public-to-privates; consortium deals; and co-investments. Continue reading “Goodwin and Eversheds make bold corporate plays amid hopes of increasing City transactional firepower”
I was born in Nigeria as one of five children. My parents were medical doctors. My father was one of Nigeria’s pre-eminent neurologists, and quickly became globally renowned. A typical aspirational father, he built himself up through effort and excellence and thought all his children should be equally excellent. By the age of 15 I was sent to a boarding school in England to do my A levels. After that I did an economics degree at Queen Mary London.
I went back to Nigeria and did national service. Not as exciting as it sounds, more community service than military service. Did that for a year and part of it was working in a bank. It was not for me. Continue reading “Life During Law: Segun Osuntokun”
Pinsent Masons has topped the list of firms with the largest number of top-tier rankings in the 2020 Legal 500 UK Solicitors Guide. Continue reading “Legal 500 Data: Behind the story”
Ahead of the 2020 Legal Business Awards, James Tsolakis of NatWest reports on the past year’s developments for the profession
As the deadline for the 2020 Legal Business Awards entries closes, there is much to reflect on and celebrate in the UK legal sector. Once again, NatWest is delighted to be the headline sponsor of the awards and recognise the success of the legal sector as it continues to support major global transactions, reshaping the commercial world domestically and internationally. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: Celebrating the successes of the legal sector”
Industry pioneers are attracting public and private interest in alternative models
While many lofty predictions of New Law’s rise remain unrealised, the market’s traditional champions have all made major contributions to its growth in recent weeks. Flexible lawyering business Axiom engaged in a surprise private equity (PE) sale; US alternative provider UnitedLex turned over $350m in an impressive year; while Elevate achieved revenues of £76m in another record result. Continue reading “Growth and investment define New Law as frontrunners make big gains”
Leading US firms continue to dominate the London recruitment market with significant appointments from the Magic Circle, as Weil, Gotshal & Manges hired Linklaters’ highly-rated M&A partner David Avery-Gee (pictured) shortly after Allen & Overy (A&O) saw corporate pair Simon Toms and George Knighton jump ship to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
The hire of Avery-Gee is a coup for Weil, which has struggled against more potent US rivals in recent years in London. The office has had setbacks in corporate, including the loss of London managing partner Mike Francies’ protégé Samantha McGonigle, who left after 13 years to co-found a growth fund in February. Continue reading “Double blow for Magic Circle as US leaders Weil and Skadden secure M&A veterans”
Ruling sends strong message but Nathalie Tidman finds unease over watchdog’s shifting remit
October’s prosecution of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Ryan Beckwith highlights awkward truths for the profession as regulators increasingly target claims of harassment and sexual misconduct in law. The ruling on 10 October, the most high-profile scalp yet after a string of embarrassing post-#MeToo disclosures for the UK legal profession over the last 18 months, has already produced a bout of soul searching across the City along with many lurid headlines. Continue reading “Beckwith ruling a wake-up call for profession as regulators close in on #MeToo complaints”
