Legal Business

The Client Profile: Aleksandra Schellenberg, UBS

Posted on |
In-house UBS

Aleksandra Schellenberg, UBS’ global head of legal sustainable finance, knew she wanted to be a lawyer from the age of 14, revealing that she made her decision after watching the first episode of American legal comedy drama Ally McBeal, while growing up in Poland in the late 1990s.

She recalls: ‘I remember after watching the show, going to my mum and telling her I wanted to be a lawyer and she said, “Hey honey, we don’t have any lawyers in the family, that might be a bit difficult!”

Legal Business

Particularly egregious? Market reacts over Credit Suisse buyout as bondholder litigation looms large

Posted on |
UBS

As the fall of Credit Suisse mobilises swathes of advisers, Legal Business asks whether the collapse will yield an influx of work for the litigation community

In March, the collapse of US-based Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was among the biggest tremors in the banking world since 2008. However, there are weeks in which the events of decades happen, as has been the case since SVB’s demise.

Legal Business

RBS’ Dan Williams resurfaces as APAC and wealth management GC at UBS

Posted on |
In-house UBS

Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) Dan Williams has resurfaced at UBS as the bank’s general counsel (GC) for wealth management in Asia Pacific (APAC) and overall GC for the region.

Williams, who started the role at the end of March, reports to 2016 Legal Business Powerlist member Maria Leistner (pictured) who is global GC for the international wealth management division and will sit on Leistner’s management committee. In his Asia Pacific oversight role, Williams reports to UBS group GC Markus Diethelm and UBS APAC president Kathryn Shih.

Having worked as an in-house lawyer for financial institutions for more than 17 years, Williams joined RBS in April 2008 as GC for equities from ABN Amro after RBS took over ABN in 2007. He held five different positions within RBS, including GC for Asia Pacific and Markets UK/EMEA and head of corporate & institutional banking (CIB).

According to UBS, Williams has a ‘wide-ranging knowledge of products and the APAC region in general and has been heavily involved in managing a number of extensive regulatory investigations’ as well as a ‘proven track record of managing large teams.’

Williams’ departure came in January following RBS kicking off a review of is 400-strong legal team in July 2016 as a way of controlling costs and driving efficiency. The bank did not replace Williams, instead appointing RBS’ GC for the Americas James Esposito to take on a combined role, incorporating the CIB remit which Williams held.

At RBS, Williams succeeds Frances Wong, who was previously the GC representative for the APAC region. Wong continues in her role as the Hong Kong GC as well as continuing as a senior lawyer in the APAC region.

Also in 2016, the bank appointed former Barclays’ deputy group GC Michael Shaw as its group GC after John Collins resigned only 11 months into the job to join Santander UK.

RBS has also seen a host of senior legal departures in the last few years, with deputy GC Rushad Abadan having joined insurer Standard Life as its GC at the start of 2016. The British banking giant also lost its EMEA head of financial crime, Carolina Garces-Monterrubio, to HSBC at the start of 2015.

kathryn.mccann@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

Barclays’ Americas chief Michael Crowl set to join UBS

Posted on |
In-house BarclaysUBS
legal-business-default

Barclays’ high-profile managing director and general counsel (GC) for the Americas, Michael Crowl, is to head UBS’ US wealth management division, replacing former permanent head Jonathan Eisenberg, who returned to K&L Gates earlier this year.

A spokesperson for Barclays last month confirmed the bank has, until a permanent replacement is announced, put in place two interim heads: New York-based Kevin Genirs and Marcelo Riffaud.

Legal Business

Barclays high profile Americas chief Michael Crowl set to join UBS

Posted on |
In-house BarclaysUBS
legal-business-default

Barclays’ high-profile managing director and general counsel (GC) for the Americas, Michael Crowl, is leaving to head UBS’ US wealth management division, replacing former permanent head Jonathan Eisenberg, who returned to K&L Gates last year.

A spokesperson for Barclays confirmed that the bank has, until a permanent replacement is announced, put in place two interim heads: New York-based Kevin Genirs and Marcelo Riffaud.

Genirs, a former Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson lawyer, is managing director (MD) – Office of the General Counsel, and joined Barclays in 2008 from Lehman Brothers.

Riffaud joined Barclays as MD and senior counsel from Deutsche Bank in 2012.

Crowl joined Barclays Global Investors (BGI) in 2007 from Goldman Sachs, where he was latterly MD and GC of the financial institution’s core investment banking division and capital markets group, heading a team of 30 lawyers and 14 paralegals to provide global legal coverage.

The former Cravath, Swaine & Moore associate joined BGI in October 2007, overseeing a team of 52 lawyers, eight paralegals and 75 compliance personnel, and led the in-house team on the sale of BGI to BlackRock in December 2009 for around $15bn.

Since becoming Barclays’ New York-based MD and GC of the Americas in February 2010, Crowl has overseen the legal coverage for all Barclays Bank’s business in North America and South America – through a team of around 170 lawyers and paralegals – which include Barclays Corporate and Investment Banking (formerly known as Barclays Capital) and Barclaycard.

Crowl will start with UBS in July, with interim head Brent Taylor set to return to his role as head of legal for the bank’s wealth management and investment solutions, reporting to Crowl.

caroline.hill@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

Time for change

Posted on |
Europe UBS
legal-business-default

With some of the cornerstones of Swiss identity – banking and secrecy – under threat, the country’s law firms are caught up in the maelstrom. LB uncovers how Switzerland’s conservative legal community has been responding to the upheaval.

Switzerland recently encountered its most significant period of economic turmoil, and its lawyers are right on the front line. Although the consequences of the financial backlash were largely kept at bay through government intervention, hitherto unknown banking and investor losses were recorded.