Moves of the month

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Moves of the month
  • As the advance of US players in London continues, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton hired disputes partner James Norris-Jones (pictured) from Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) to its office in the capital. Norris-Jones, who was made a partner at HSF in 2012, has a broad practice that encompasses High Court litigation as well as arbitration. His arrival will boost Cleary’s already well-established London disputes team, comprising partners Sunil Gadhia, Jonathan Kelly, Christopher Moore, David Sabel and Romano Subiotto QC.

    • Continue reading “Moves of the month”

Essex Court forced to clarify position after local Bar outcry over its Singapore play

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Essex Court forced to clarify position after local Bar outcry over its Singapore play

Allied branch will act independently to chambers

Essex Court Chambers strengthened its Singapore ties in November by bringing in four advocates to become overseas members, but was later asked by Singapore’s Ministry of Law to explain itself after initial media reports implied the set had formally opened a Singapore law branch. Continue reading “Essex Court forced to clarify position after local Bar outcry over its Singapore play”

Locke Lord fined, Clydes ex-partner suspended, while Appleby hit by data breach

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Locke Lord fined, Clydes ex-partner suspended, while Appleby hit by data breach

In a tough period for international firms at the hands of legal regulators, US firm Locke Lord received the largest-ever fine handed down by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) in November.

The £500,000 penalty handed to Locke Lord came after one of its former UK lawyers engaged in ‘dubious financial arrangements’ with a client’s bank account. The lawyer in question, Jonathan Denton, left the firm in October 2015. Continue reading “Locke Lord fined, Clydes ex-partner suspended, while Appleby hit by data breach”

Clifford Chance partner Panayides to face SDT over Excalibur involvement

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Clifford Chance partner Panayides to face SDT over Excalibur involvement

In another twist in the Excalibur professional negligence saga and a clear sign of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) clamping down on lawyers at the City’s top firms, a case management hearing over Clifford Chance (CC) disputes partner Alex Panayides (pictured) took place at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal at the end of November following an investigation by the SRA.

The prosecution relates to Panayides’ involvement in the notorious Excalibur litigation, in which CC represented Excalibur Ventures in an unsuccessful $1.6bn Kurdistan oil deal damages claim against Gulf Keystone Petroleum and Texas Keystone in 2013. Continue reading “Clifford Chance partner Panayides to face SDT over Excalibur involvement”

Keystone becomes second UK law firm to float in 2017 while Gordon Dadds goes shopping

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Keystone becomes second UK law firm to float in 2017 while Gordon Dadds goes shopping

Recently listed Gordon Dadds acquires tax advisory business CW Energy

November saw New Law player Keystone Law become the third UK law firm to float on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), following the trail blazed by Gateley two years ago and Gordon Dadds earlier this year. The mid-market challenger firm, which was granted an alternative business structure (ABS) licence in 2013, saw shares priced at 160p and raised £15m from its initial public offering (IPO). It will be known as Keystone Law Group plc. Continue reading “Keystone becomes second UK law firm to float in 2017 while Gordon Dadds goes shopping”

‘It’s no different to being a deal lawyer’ – Jacobs reflects on a year at Linklaters’ helm

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‘It’s no different to being a deal lawyer’ – Jacobs reflects on a year at Linklaters’ helm

Last October, Linklaters’ Charlie Jacobs took over as senior partner amid high hopes that the rainmaker would bring flair and dynamism to leadership at a City giant that looked in danger of losing its way. One year on, Legal Business sat down with Jacobs to discuss progress made.

On taking the senior partner role:

‘When I stood for senior partner, I had a lot of questions: “Why are you doing this? Why don’t you wait a few years?” I wanted to set the tone. There is a lot going on in our industry and we could do with someone dynamic and at a young age. Continue reading “‘It’s no different to being a deal lawyer’ – Jacobs reflects on a year at Linklaters’ helm”

Bird & Bird eyes outbound China work as it seals co-operation deal with local leader AllBright

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Bird & Bird eyes outbound China work as it seals co-operation deal with local leader AllBright

After 26 consecutive years of revenue increases Bird & Bird, which has grown its top line by 162% over the last decade – largely through international expansion – has moved its Asia ambitions further forward by teaming up with noted Chinese firm AllBright Law Offices.

Although the deal is no more than a non-exclusive co-operation agreement, it will see AllBright gain a base in London. The firm will open its operation within Bird & Bird’s Fetter Lane headquarters next year, staffed in the medium term by a permanent representative. Continue reading “Bird & Bird eyes outbound China work as it seals co-operation deal with local leader AllBright”

Bristows points to Brexit as TMT specialist launches first-ever international office in Brussels

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Bristows points to Brexit as TMT specialist launches first-ever international office in Brussels

The impact of Britain’s exit from the EU on the international strategy of City firms is still largely obscure – those announcing Dublin launches since the referendum have sought to play down the role of Brexit in their decision.

But Bristowsʼ joint managing partner Marek Petecki is clear: the rationale for launching the firm’s first international office in its 180-year history ‘is about addressing the challenges of Brexit’. Continue reading “Bristows points to Brexit as TMT specialist launches first-ever international office in Brussels”

Latham, Ropes and Travers get physical as US buyout house takes control of PureGym in the UK

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Leonard Green acquires gym chain for £600m

2017 has continued to provide rich pickings for firms with marquee private equity practices on either side of the Atlantic, with Latham & Watkins, Ropes & Gray and Travers Smith leading as US private equity house Leonard Green & Partners announced its £600m acquisition of PureGym from buyout firm CCMP Capital Advisors in November. Continue reading “Latham, Ropes and Travers get physical as US buyout house takes control of PureGym in the UK”

Dealwatch: 2017 closes out with slew of energy, tech and transport deals

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Dealwatch: 2017 closes out with slew of energy, tech and transport deals
    • Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May advised UK’s ‘big six’ energy providers Npower and SSE on the merger between their domestic retail operations. Freshfields corporate partners Simon Marchant, Julian Pritchard and Andrew Craig advised SSE, along with competition partners Deirdre Trapp and James Aitken. Slaughters corporate partners Richard Smith and Tim Boxell led the team advising Npower parent company Innogy, alongside competition partner Lisa Wright, financing partner Ed Fife, IP/IT partner Rob Sumroy, tax partner Gareth Miles, and pensions and employment partners Charles Cameron, Padraig Cronin and Daniel Schaffer. Best-friend firm Hengeler Mueller also advised Innogy, led by corporate partners Andreas Austmann and Thomas Meurer.

Continue reading “Dealwatch: 2017 closes out with slew of energy, tech and transport deals”