Shearman, Reed Smith, Dentons and Eversheds among firms to win places
Shearman & Sterling, Reed Smith, Dentons and Eversheds are among the firms appointed to Nokia’s newly-created global legal panel.
Sidley secures TowerBrook work despite K&E charm offensive
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
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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Shell global panel slashed from 11 to six
Clifford Chance, Allen & Overy, Baker & McKenzie and Norton Rose big winners
Royal Dutch Shell has cut its global panel from 11 firms to just six, as the company reorganises its legal arrangements following its merger with BG Group.
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Ashurst’s next global head right for the role despite challenges
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
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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From offshore to Big Law: the Panama Papers’ lasting imprint on the legal landscape
Tom Moore argues profession must deal with changing attitudes on tax and reputation
The offshore market is being redrawn following the leak on 3 April of 11 million documents from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca & Co, which led to a public outcry about tax evasion. The leak revealed some 12 world leaders, including close associates of Russian president Vladimir Putin and 143 politicians, used the firm to avoid tax in developed countries.
HSF and Jones Day lead firms on £1.4bn London housing JV
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Jones Day were among a raft of firms that advised the investors behind residential schemes at the Olympic Park in Stratford and Elephant and Castle on a joint venture (JV) to combine the developments and create a £1.4bn JV vehicle for rented housing. Amid a booming London real estate market, intensified by supply not keeping up with housing demand, the firms were instructed by Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company, property firm Delancey’s flagship fund DV4 and Dutch pension fund asset manager APG, combining to create 4,000 London homes. Olswang, Mishcon de Reya, Simmons & Simmons and London firm Michael Conn Goldsobel also won instructions on the deal.
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Magic Circle take the lead as Glencore sells $2.5bn stake in agricultural arm
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters advised on Glencore’s $2.5bn sale last month of a 40% stake in Glencore Agricultural Products to Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).
Glencore instructed a Linklaters team led by corporate heavyweights David Avery-Gee and Charlie Jacobs, while Freshfields corporate partners David Higgins and Richard Thexton advised CPPIB. Freshfields’ Amsterdam managing partner Winfred Knibbeler also advised on the antitrust aspects of the deal.
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Mirror images: Goodwin expands in Europe to recreate London practice
US firm returns to King & Wood Mallesons to staff Paris offering
The first quarter of this year has proved slow for many private equity (PE) practices in Europe but this has not deterred Goodwin Procter from recruiting in France.
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