Simmons amends partnership deed following A&O departures

Posted on |
Simmons amends partnership deed following A&O departures

While Herbert Smith Freehills became embroiled in a very public court battle over a team defection to White & Case in Australia earlier this year, Simmons & Simmons has quietly amended its partnership deed following a group exit to Allen & Overy (A&O) in 2016.

In the space of four months from last summer, Simmons lost four intellectual property (IP) partners to A&O, including highly-regarded patent specialist Marjan Noor in June, followed by London IP head Marc Döring in August, and Mark Heaney and David Stone in September.

Continue reading “Simmons amends partnership deed following A&O departures”

GCs take on corporate sustainability briefs as plcs strive to protect brands

Posted on |
GCs take on corporate sustainability briefs as plcs strive to protect brands

Angry shareholders, rising demands for transparency, tougher regulation, declining trust in business and the need to access new markets. Just some of the reasons why a growing number of plcs are moving to improve their focus on long-term performance and ethical standards… and calling in their general counsel (GCs) to help.

As part of an Insight report on sustainability, Legal Business gathered responses from more than 250 senior in-house counsel to gauge the extent that such initiatives are impacting on the day jobs of plc law chiefs.

Continue reading “GCs take on corporate sustainability briefs as plcs strive to protect brands”

GC for National Grid spin-off to overhaul adviser roster this year

Posted on |
GC for National Grid spin-off to overhaul adviser roster this year

Following National Grid’s £13.8bn separation of its gas distribution business to create Cadent, general counsel Mark Cooper will hold a panel review later this year.

Since its spin-off, a roster of 12 firms that previously acted for National Grid continues to advise Cadent. The firms are Addleshaw Goddard, CMS Cameron McKenna, DLA Piper, Eversheds Sutherland, Herbert Smith Freehills, Linklaters, Berwin Leighton Paisner, Bircham Dyson Bell, Dentons, Irwin Mitchell, Norton Rose Fulbright and Shakespeare Martineau.

Continue reading “GC for National Grid spin-off to overhaul adviser roster this year”

‘Fiddling around the edges’: CC votes for more lockstep reform to keep pace

Posted on |
‘Fiddling around the edges’: CC votes for more lockstep reform to keep pace

Partnership votes to raise compensation levels two years after last shake-up

In its most recent bid to compete with high-paying US rivals, Clifford Chance (CC) last month voted through another round of changes to its remuneration structure, two years after last introducing more flexibility to its system.

Continue reading “‘Fiddling around the edges’: CC votes for more lockstep reform to keep pace”

End of the carrot and stick? Litigators react to legal privilege implications in SFO case

Posted on |
End of the carrot and stick? Litigators react to legal privilege implications in SFO case

Last month the High Court ruled that documents prepared by mining giant Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC) relating to a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation were not protected by legal professional privilege.

The SFO began investigating ENRC in 2013 over allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption. As part of its investigation, the agency requested relevant documents from ENRC. ENRC refused on the basis that the documents were privileged. But Mrs Justice Andrews ruled that the SFO was warranted in its request to see the documents, stating that there is a ‘recognised public interest in the SFO being able to go about its business’.

Continue reading “End of the carrot and stick? Litigators react to legal privilege implications in SFO case”

Emerging empires – Bakers, CMS and DLA Piper rise up the ranks as global giants march on

Posted on |
Emerging empires – Bakers, CMS and DLA Piper rise up the ranks as global giants march on

Ella Marshall and Jonathan Armstrong assess the latest EMEA rankings from The Legal 500

The market continues to evolve in Europe’s key heartlands, as a band of expansive globalised firms spread out their tentacles, while another grouping of more transactionally-driven players strip down their businesses with an eye on profitability. Following the recent publication of The Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) 2017 edition, we look at the winners and losers among major international law firms this year.

Continue reading “Emerging empires – Bakers, CMS and DLA Piper rise up the ranks as global giants march on”

‘Reflecting market pressure’: DLA and Latham pick up lead roles on largest toll road merger

Posted on |
‘Reflecting market pressure’: DLA and Latham pick up lead roles on largest toll road merger

DLA Piper, Latham & Watkins and Legal Business Euro Elite leader Gianni, Origoni, Grippo, Cappelli & Partners all picked up mandates as Italian infrastructure company Atlantia launched a €16.3bn bid to acquire its Spanish rival Abertis.

The offer comprised an all-cash bid that values Abertis at €16.50 per share or a share alternative structure. The merger will be the largest foreign acquisition by an Italian company since utility company Enel bought Spain’s Endesa in 2007 and would create the world’s biggest operator of toll roads.

Continue reading “‘Reflecting market pressure’: DLA and Latham pick up lead roles on largest toll road merger”

‘Much busier than expected’: White & Case and Freshfields advise Alfa Financial Software on IPO

Posted on |
‘Much busier than expected’: White & Case and Freshfields advise Alfa Financial Software on IPO

White & Case’s City growth strategy is seeing results with the US firm and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer winning places advising Alfa Financial Software on its planned float on the London Stock Exchange. The initial public offering (IPO) is expected to value Alfa at more than £800m.

The float of the company, which specialises in software for the asset finance industry, will be the largest UK tech listing in the past two years. Alfa’s clients include Bank of America, Barclays and Mercedes-Benz.

Continue reading “‘Much busier than expected’: White & Case and Freshfields advise Alfa Financial Software on IPO”