Global 100: Gibson Dunn – A global outlook for an LA stalwart

‘We are in growth mode,’ announces Joshua Lipshutz, chief operating officer of Gibson Dunn, as he beams into the boardroom of the firm’s London office via Zoom. An apt statement for a firm that has stormed into the Global 100’s top ten in a year where many firms’ revenues have faltered. Up four places from …

Global 100: White & Case: Global elite leader or missed opportunity?

‘Our ability to pitch top-ranked teams under both New York and English law, and where needed under the local laws to back that up, remains our USP,’ asserts Oliver Brettle, White & Case’s vice chair, underscoring what sets the firm apart. Unveiling subdued financials this cycle, the firm’s London arm experienced a modest 1% revenue …

The Global 100 debate: Going hard and betting long

Nathalie Tidman, Legal Business: How have your businesses been performing over the last year? What have been the highlights? Deborah Finkler, Slaughter and May: Remarkably well. I certainly think that we have all been holding our breath for the last two years for the downturn, which still has not entirely happened. The biggest issue we …

M&A stages tentative comeback but dealmakers remain hamstrung by uncertainty

‘The biggest issue for the market is uncertainty’, says Richard Youle, who has headed Skadden’s London office since July. ‘Whether that’s in relation to the current geopolitical landscape, higher interest rates, inflation, or navigating tougher stances by regulators – we’re seeing people take longer to think about transactions and execute them. There’s also a mismatch …

The in-house debate: Look to the future now

David Halliwell, Pinsent Masons Vario: The world is now seen through a ‘VUCA’ lens – it’s Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. Are the risks that businesses are facing much more uncertain? What does that mean for how you are working in your roles? John Ventress, Lombard Odier Investment Managers: As in-house lawyers, we need to …

Switzerland focus: Testing the mettle

In the words of Patrik Peyer, managing partner of Niederer Kraft Frey (NKF): ‘As the Swiss legal market confronts these multifaceted challenges, the resilience and adaptability of legal practitioners become crucial in shaping a forward-looking legal landscape.’ ‘The legal market is always developing in parallel to the general economic situation,’ says Bär & Karrer’s Susanne …