A&O bolsters corporate practice as PE star follows Lloyd from Ashurst

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He was singled out as one of Ashurst’s rainmakers of the future but private equity specialist Karan Dinamani has become the second high-profile corporate exit to Allen & Overy (A&O) in six months.

Dinamani (pictured) joins Ashurst’s former global head of corporate, commercial and competition Stephen Lloyd, who resigned within weeks of the firm fully integrating with Australian partner Blake Dawson and post-merger management elections. Lloyd joined A&O as co-head of its private equity practice in November. Continue reading “A&O bolsters corporate practice as PE star follows Lloyd from Ashurst”

Taking London – Latham on the offensive in the Square Mile with hire of third private equity partner from CC

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As our Taking Manhattan cover feature underlines, the Los Angeles-bred Latham & Watkins continues to make major inroads in the key global hubs of New York and increasingly London. Making the point again, the global giant has today (18 February), announced the recruitment of high-profile Clifford Chance (CC) partner Kem Ihenacho, the third private equity partner to join Latham’s City arm from CC in the last 12 months.

The move follows the departure of former CC global head of private equity David Walker in April last year and another CC partner Tom Evans in October.

Continue reading “Taking London – Latham on the offensive in the Square Mile with hire of third private equity partner from CC”

Premier League: Gateley advises West Ham on sale of Upton Park as DWF gets behind Everton on Umbro signing

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The fast-paced Premier League last week handed two lucrative deals to LB100 firms Gateley, Howard KennedyFsi, Hill Dickinson and DWF, as West Ham sold its iconic Upton Park ground and Everton Football Club (FC) entered a five-year partnership with Umbro.

Birmingham-based firm Gateley and West End firm Howard KennedyFsi advised on West Ham’s sale of Upton Park to Galliard Group after the team won the rights to use the Olympic Stadium for its new ground from 2016. Continue reading “Premier League: Gateley advises West Ham on sale of Upton Park as DWF gets behind Everton on Umbro signing”

Partner exits: NRF corporate partner Cathy Pitt and head of climate change Hobley move on

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Top 10 LB100 firm Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) has said goodbye to two further senior partner departures as longstanding London-based corporate finance partner Cathy Pitt last month (January) moved to CMS Cameron McKenna to head up its investment management funds group, while the firm’s global head of sustainability and climate change Anthony Hobley left to join the Carbon Tracker Initiative (CTI) as its first chief executive officer on 1 February.

Having spent 18 years at the 2,647-lawyer firm, Pitt was involved in corporate finance work within the asset management practice, including the establishment of investment funds and corporate advisory work. She also spent seven months on secondment as a legal advisor to financial institution HSBC in 2006, followed by a stint as interim head of group legal at insurer Prudential in 2010.

Continue reading “Partner exits: NRF corporate partner Cathy Pitt and head of climate change Hobley move on”

More lateral hires as Katten Muchin and K&L Gates boost international corporate practices

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US firms Katten Muchin Rosenman and K&L Gates have strengthened their international corporate practices this month through lateral hires from rival Global 100 firms.

Hogan Lovells’ private equity partner Philip Watkins has quit the firm to join US firm’s Katten Muchin’s London office.

He joined Katten Muchin Rosenman at the beginning of the year, along with two associates who will join the Chicago-headquartered firm’s London base next month. Watkins joined legacy firm Hogan & Hartson’s City corporate practice in November 2008.

Continue reading “More lateral hires as Katten Muchin and K&L Gates boost international corporate practices”

Latham sets pace for 2014 as expansive City arm hires Weil private equity partner

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For many watchers of the upper reaches of City law, Latham & Watkins has in recent years established a profile as one of the most upwardly mobile players in London, a reputation the US-based giant has moved to underline early in 2014 with the recruitment of Weil, Gotshal & Manges funds partner Nick Benson.

The move is the fifth partner hire for Latham’s City arm within the last 12 months and a further high-profile addition to the 600-partner firm’s UK buyout practice after the recruitment last April of Clifford Chance’s (CC) private equity head David Walker, which was followed up in October with the appointment of fellow CC partner Tom Evans. Continue reading “Latham sets pace for 2014 as expansive City arm hires Weil private equity partner”

International markets – Addleshaw hires third partner in Hong Kong and rebrands to Francis & Co

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Having launched in Hong Kong last summer, Addleshaw Goddard has forged ahead with a number of developments in the region including adding a third partner, Daniel Wan, and rebranding following the arrival of Nigel Francis at the end of 2013.

Wan, who joins from Jun He and previously worked at Herbert Smith Freehills, specialises in M&A and equity capital markets, particularly pre-initial public offering (IPO) investment and restructuring and post-IPO regulatory and compliance matters.

Continue reading “International markets – Addleshaw hires third partner in Hong Kong and rebrands to Francis & Co”

Ashurst delves into Magic Circle for Linklaters DCM partner as Beddow named corporate co-head

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Ashurst has tapped into the magic circle in a bid to strengthen its finance practice, hiring Linklaters debt capital markets (DCM) partner Francis Kucera to its City-based securities and derivatives practice.

In his new role, Kucera will strengthen Ashurst’s DCM offering in the emerging markets. He joins a two-partner team – including former Linklaters’ colleague Stephen Edlmann who joined in 2010 and Clifford Chance senior associate Derwin Jenkinson, who joined as a partner in January this year. The team is led by Anna Delgado, who joined from Allen & Overy ten years ago.

Continue reading “Ashurst delves into Magic Circle for Linklaters DCM partner as Beddow named corporate co-head”

H1 2013/14: Nabarro points to pick up in corporate and real estate amid flat half year results

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Nabarro has posted flat half year (H1) revenues for the 2013/14 year, with figures rising by a marginal 0.3% from £52.3m to £52.5m, the firm announced yesterday (4 December).

Speaking to Legal Business, senior partner Graham Stedman (pictured) attributed the static results to a ‘quiet August and September’ but noted the firm has experienced a ‘pickup in real estate and corporate.’

He added: ‘As you come out of recession, although the market is still challenging, you would expect the non-contentious parts of the firm to pick up and that’s what we’re seeing now.

Continue reading “H1 2013/14: Nabarro points to pick up in corporate and real estate amid flat half year results”

Corporate caution as private equity acquisitions and IPOs trickle in

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A wary optimism was the prevailing mood of private equity partners in October, as deals such as the $2.2bn acquisition of Vion Food Group’s gelatine-making subsidiary, Vion Ingredients by private equity house Darling International demonstrated that there is appetite, and funds, for the right kind of asset.

Texas-based Darling used K&L Gates and Clifford Chance (CC), while the Netherlands’ Vion was advised by leading Benelux independent De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek.

K&L Gates fielded an international team, led by Dallas corporate partner Mary Korby and including Frankfurt-based corporate partner Mathias Schulze Steinen and London competition partner Scott Megregian. Continue reading “Corporate caution as private equity acquisitions and IPOs trickle in”