FRESHFIELDS SIGNS 20-YEAR LEASE ON NEW HQ
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has signed a pre-let agreement on a 20-year lease in February to move from existing premises in Fleet Street to 100 Bishopsgate in 2021. The Magic Circle firm will reduce its London real estate by roughly a third when it takes out 255,000 sq ft of office space.
EVERSHEDS COMPLETES SINGAPORE MERGER
Eversheds Sutherland has gained approval from the Ministry of Law to merge with Singapore firm Harry Elias Partnership. The merger will allow Eversheds access to Singapore’s legal market, without being subject to local licensing requirements that only allow firms to practise Singapore law in ‘permitted areas’ and are subject to renewals. The only fully integrated firm at present is Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, which combined with Stamford Law in March 2015 to enable it to practise across all legal service areas.
FIELDFISHER CONTINUES EXPANSION WITH AMSTERDAM OFFICE
Fieldfisher has announced the opening of a new office in Amsterdam, which will begin operations on 1 May. The new office consists of five former partners from local firm Kennedy Van der Laan, led by Marcel Willems. The Amsterdam opening follows the launch of Fieldfisher’s new four-partner Shanghai office in early February, headed by corporate partner Liang Xing.
HOGAN LOVELLS HALTS LONDON HQ SEARCH
Hogan Lovells has opted against moving its London headquarters, preferring to stay in its long-term home of Atlantic House instead. The firm began its search for a new premises last year but has decided to stay put after negotiating a favourable deal with its current landlord, Deka Immobilien Investment. However, the firm is continuing its hunt for new space to house those in its other London offices at 21 Holborn Viaduct and Meridian House.
WATER JV UNVEILS FIRST PANEL
Pinsent Masons, Bond Dickinson and Shepherd and Wedderburn have all won places on Water Plus’ legal panel. The panel is the first for the joint venture, launched by FTSE 100 water company Severn Trent and United Utilities. The LB100 firms have each won a place on the panel lasting two years.
DENTONS AND JONES DAY DROPPED BY PPF
The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has cut Dentons, Jones Day and Bevan Brittan from its panel of legal advisers after a review by PPF general counsel David Taylor. Burness Paull, Kingsley Napley and Pitmans have also been removed as the other 16 firms who make up PPF’s legal panel have been given a one-year extension.
BG’S LANDES MOVES TO INVESTMENT FIRM
British investment firm Chrysaor Holdings has hired Howard Landes as general counsel. Landes, who previously acted as BG Group’s chief counsel for corporate, oversaw the legal aspects of BG’s £47bn sale to Royal Dutch Shell.
NHSLA UPS SPEND IN NEW PANEL
The NHS Litigation Authority is reviewing its panel of law firm advisers with a total legal spend of £544m. The health body had a legal spend of around £400m when it unveiled its last panel in 2013. Firms are able to pitch for three sub-panels; clinical, non-clinical liability and regulatory, health and disciplinary by 3 April.
ARM GC DAVIS STEPS ASIDE
Cambridge tech firm ARM has appointed Symantec Corporation’s Carolyn Herzog as its new general counsel (GC) based in California. Former GC Philip Davis leaves in March.