David made Goliath – Kerr on Bird & Bird’s re-invention as a leading global TMT shop

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Victoria Young talks to veteran chief David Kerr about growing pains and going even more global

There’s no doubt chief executive David Kerr has overseen a rapid extension of Bird & Bird’s international reach, with additions ranging from a major takeover in Australia, to acquisitions in Denmark, and associations around the Asia-Pacific region. But for Kerr – re-elected in March for another three-year term after spending two decades as chief executive – a new priority is consolidating and tightening the firm’s focus as it comes off a flat 12 months in a crowded mid-market.

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Deal watch: Corporate activity in May 2016

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SULLIVANS AND WACHTELL ADVISE ON $62m BAYER DEAL

Sullivan & Cromwell, Allen & Overy (A&O), and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz all won roles as healthcare and agriculture company Bayer placed a bid to acquire agricultural company Monsanto for $62bn in May. Sullivans and A&O are acting for Bayer on M&A and financing matters respectively, while Wachtell has taken the lead for US firm Monsanto.


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Life during law: Apostolos Gkoutzinis, Shearman & Sterling

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Describe myself in three words? Passionate, impatient and aspirational.

I come from a small fishing town in northern Greece most lawyers would not know. A very traditional family, my father was a local civil servant, my mother a homemaker. We weren’t poor, nor rich. Modest in Greece in the 1970s meant no car, no television. But there was a drive to do better. My pushy mum, when I was ten, would give any Indian or Chinese mum today a run for their money!

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Sidley secures TowerBrook work despite K&E charm offensive

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Tussle continues over lucrative work after K&E raid

After a high-profile tussle and one of the biggest team hires in the City, Sidley Austin has secured the corporate work of key Kirkland & Ellis client TowerBrook Capital Partners, amid claims that Sidley pushed aggressively to secure the work.

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Pinsents scraps leadership for life amid top-down management restructure

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Changes include new board responsibility for strategic decision-making

Pinsent Masons has made a series of changes to its management structure, including the introduction of fixed terms for those in leadership positions, the formation of an operations committee and the cession of decision-making control to the board.

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Ashurst’s next global head right for the role despite challenges

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A power shift towards Australia was seen at Ashurst last month when the firm announced its next global managing partner would be Sydney-based banking partner Paul Jenkins (pictured).

Jenkins will join chair and New Zealander Ben Tidswell at the helm, splitting his time between London and Sydney. Part of his role will include heading the executive committee, day-to-day management, partner performance and client management.

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Magic Circle’s ‘disappointing’ approach to apprenticeships

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Magic Circle firms have taken a ‘disappointing’ approach to the government-backed scheme, the Trailblazers Apprenticeship in Law initiative, with both Slaughter and May and Clifford Chance ruling apprentices out completely, while Allen & Overy (A&O) and Linklaters have been non-committal.

The only firm to announce any willingness to offer apprenticeships is Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, with a spokesperson confirming last month it was ‘looking at a number of ways to attract talented people in Manchester and the apprenticeship model is one that we are hoping to be able to offer later this year’. It is understood the firm is currently mulling over paralegal apprenticeships with no decision on whether this will be offered in conjunction with Trailblazers.

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