Europe’s elite continues robust performance as multi-site firms prosper

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Europe’s elite continues robust performance as multi-site firms prosper

The mood among most managing partners at independent law firms from Lisbon to Moscow is certainly upbeat. And for good reason. Our third Euro Elite survey shows overall revenues of continental Europe’s 25 top independents had a strong year, reaching €4.04bn.

The number is only marginally up on last year’s €4.03bn, but with smaller outfits from Russia and the Baltics joining the elite club it still speaks of a robust performance among continental European players. The total number of lawyers in the group is marginally down to 10,753 from 10,867, while partner numbers have risen to 2,355 from 2,338. Continue reading “Europe’s elite continues robust performance as multi-site firms prosper”

Asia calling: Linklaters and CMS confirm local law capability in Shanghai and Hong Kong

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Asia calling: Linklaters and CMS confirm local law capability in Shanghai and Hong Kong

Recent announcements from Linklaters and CMS have provided a fillip to international firms looking to gain a surer footing in China.

Linklaters announced in May that it had finally received the green light to practise Chinese law through a joint operations agreement with Shanghai outfit Zhao Sheng Law Firm. Continue reading “Asia calling: Linklaters and CMS confirm local law capability in Shanghai and Hong Kong”

DLA joins Brexit march to Dublin after finding the right kind of leader

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DLA joins Brexit march to Dublin after finding the right kind of leader

William Fry’s David Carthy will join the firm to head new office

The decision of DLA Piper to join a handful of other City and international firms that have opened a Dublin office in the last year was partly to do with the UK’s move to leave the EU, and partly not. Continue reading “DLA joins Brexit march to Dublin after finding the right kind of leader”

Fieldfisher continues European push with Luxembourg and Frankfurt offices

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Fieldfisher continues European push with Luxembourg and Frankfurt offices

Legal Business 100 pacesetter Fieldfisher has further extended its European reach with the opening of a new office in Luxembourg, which will be managed by country managing partner Ingrid Dubourdieu who joins from local firm D.Law.

Initially focusing on finance and funds work, the London-headquartered firm expects the office to grow into corporate M&A and international tax, and will complement existing offices in Brussels and Amsterdam. Continue reading “Fieldfisher continues European push with Luxembourg and Frankfurt offices”

Global elite joins Japanese and offshore heavyweights as Takeda persists with Shire bid

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Global elite joins Japanese and offshore heavyweights as Takeda persists with Shire bid

Life sciences giant puts £46bn offer on table for Irish rival

Magic Circle duo Slaughter and May and Linklaters have been joined by Davis Polk & Wardwell and Ashurst in landing key mandates as Japanese giant Takeda Pharmaceutical Company launched a £46bn takeover of Shire last month. Continue reading “Global elite joins Japanese and offshore heavyweights as Takeda persists with Shire bid”

Dealwatch: PE deals continue to dominate agenda for City firms

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Dealwatch: PE deals continue to dominate agenda for City firms
  • Ropes & Gray’s London arm advised on the largest-ever UK private equity software buyout. Helen Croke (pictured) led the team advising Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) on a £1.3bn joint partnership investment. ICG was joined by Hg Saturn Fund as they invested in IRIS Software Group, a business-critical software provider for the UK accountancy, education and business market. Hg Saturn was advised on the transaction by Linklaters, while Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom acted for IRIS.
  • White & Case continued its strong run of private equity deals as the firm advised CVC Capital Partners on the €1.01bn loan financing of a consortium buyout of Finnish private healthcare provider Mehiläinen. The team comprised banking partners Martin Forbes and Justin Wagstaff. Meanwhile Latham & Watkins advised CVC and the banks – UBS, M&S, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Jefferies, Credit Suisse, KeyBank and Barclays. Kirkland & Ellis advised Summit Partners, which was a selling shareholder.

Continue reading “Dealwatch: PE deals continue to dominate agenda for City firms”

Rich pickings for Travers Smith and Freshfields as Bridgepoint cashes in on Pret

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Rich pickings for Travers Smith and Freshfields as Bridgepoint cashes in on Pret

Ten years after acquiring Pret A Manger in a deal worth £350m, private equity house Bridgepoint is selling it for more than four times its original investment and providing City firms with big mandates.

Luxembourg-headquartered JAB Holding Company, an investment firm owned by Germany’s Reimann family, is to buy the food chain for £1.5bn. Continue reading “Rich pickings for Travers Smith and Freshfields as Bridgepoint cashes in on Pret”

Moves of the month

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Moves of the month
  • White & Case maintained its recent hiring spree in its litigation practice with the recruitment of Chris Brennan from Addleshaw Goddard. Brennan is White & Case’s second key City disputes lateral hire this year following the addition of Hannah Field-Lowes from Weil, Gotshal & Manges. Brennan previously headed up Addleshaw’s Financial Conduct Authority investigations and enforcement team as well as serving as head of regulatory at Lloyds Banking Group.
  • As Allen & Overy lost Nicola Dagg, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer strengthened its intellectual property capability with the addition of Christopher Stothers from Arnold & Porter. Stothers is due to work closely with the firm’s patent litigation teams in Germany and the Netherlands.
  • Ashurst has set about rebuilding after a three-partner exodus at the end of 2017, with the hire of Baker McKenzie’s former global co-head of securitisation Jonathan Walsh. Walsh left Bakers after 13 years, having also served as head of international securities at Norton Rose until 2005.
  • Bakers, meanwhile, made additions of its own this last month, with the hire of Kathy Honeywood to its energy, mining and industrials practice. Honeywood was previously at Clifford Chance, bringing with her experience in M&A transactions, corporate finance and joint ventures. She relocated to Singapore in 2015, where she led the Magic Circle firm’s corporate practice in South-East Asia.
  • Dentons strengthened its City presence with the addition of Howard Barrie, who rejoins the firm after a previous 19-year stint with Dentons before leaving for Eversheds Sutherland. Barrie focuses on projects and project finance, in addition to structured trade finance and commodity finance.
  • Mayer Brown was among those to make strategic international additions, securing the hire of Raúl Fernández-Briseño from White & Case. Fernández spent nearly 20 years at White & Case and will now serve as head of M&A for Mayer Brown in Mexico City.

Life during law: Richard Crump

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Life during law: Richard Crump

Never wanted to be a lawyer. I was persuaded to read law at Oxford by my school. I wanted to do history. Hated law at university. Wasted my time. I was lectured by the great and good but didn’t find it interesting. The one interesting course was on international trade, which was given by a guy called Francis Reynolds. Also a guy that tutored me at college, Peter Gross, who later became a Lord Justice of Appeal, they kindled that interest for me.

When I joined Holman Fenwick & Willan, as it was then known, my intention was to get my two years’ articles and do something else. Continue reading “Life during law: Richard Crump”