Strengthening its considerable European disputes offering, Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) will open in Milan with the hire of Simmons & Simmons’ Italian disputes and IP head Laura Orlando.
The firm is seeking to take advantage of the European pharmaceutical patent litigation market, second only in the world to the US in terms of size. The office is set to officially open in early 2018. Continue reading “HSF launches in Milan with hire of Simmons Italian disputes head”
Revenue at Dentons’ continental European arm grew 11% to €275.8m in the year to 31 December 2016, according to LLP accounts published this week.
In a year marked by five office launches and 32 lateral hires, the global giant’s continental operations also saw profits increase 13% to €72.3m, up from €64.2m in 2015. Continue reading “‘The idea is working’: Dentons Europe recorded double-digit revenue growth, LLPs show”
Marco Cillario finds deal professionals heaving a sigh of relief after a nail-biting end to 2016
Economic and political shocks took their toll on the deal market in the first half of 2017 as activity levels dipped but M&A professionals are sizing up the crucial post-summer period in an unexpectedly upbeat mood thanks to a run of big-ticket bids.
Barry Devereux, managing partner of Irish leader McCann FitzGerald, is not letting the bad Irish weather dampen his spirits. ‘The Irish market is buoyant and there are a lot of things going on. The economy is growing, markets are good and debt is relatively inexpensive. The climate is good for deal-making. Brexit is the reality, but it will undoubtedly provide opportunities across the financial services market in Dublin. It has given a fillip to the market in terms of the interest in real estate, and people looking for accommodation and office space. Dublin is doing very well.’
Dublin’s legal market continues to boom. The impact of Brexit undoubtedly dented the transactional market in the last six months of 2016, but the shock has, for the most part, subsided and many practice areas are busy. Real estate has enjoyed a particular resurgence after the painful post-bailout year, while corporate and finance lawyers are always in high demand. But the Irish market is also enjoying a boom in more niche areas, including data protection and intellectual property, particularly with the incoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and legal works in the fields of fintech, regulatory investigations and online gaming. Continue reading “Emerald Ambitions”
Former Clifford Chance(CC) Germany private equity (PE) head, Christopher Kellett, who retired from the firm’s partnership in April, is understood to be joining Linklaters’ Frankfurt office as the firm strengthens its capabilities.
Kellett joined CC in 1996. The firm appointed him head of PE in Germany in 2015. Continue reading “Linklaters strengthens German private equity arm with former Clifford Chance heavyweight”
The government department for exiting the European Union (DExEU) has spent £3.7m in legal costs since it was set up last summer, the most significant area of expenditure for DExEU after overall staff costs of £14m.
A government report published on Wednesday (19 July) revealed that DExEU cost taxpayers £1.2m in legal fees for the cases brought against the government, including that on triggering of Article 50, which formally started the UK’s withdrawal process from the European Union (EU). Continue reading “Brexit government department spent £3.7m in legal costs in year since EU referendum”
London’s top firms have been quietly retrenching for years in mainland Europe. As Brexit looms, where has that left the Magic Circle?
‘Welcome to Europe, the haven of legal certainty,’ quips Burkhart Goebel, Hogan Lovells’ managing partner for continental Europe. Continue reading “The Global 100: The European question – Have years of cuts left the Magic Circle exposed as Brexit looms?”
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang has continued to expand by opening its Monaco office through a combination with Pasquier Ciulla & Marquet Avocats (PCM), the firm’s first global practice launch since the UK tripartite merger went live on 1 May.
Continue reading “CMS launches Monaco office with local merger to service international investors”
With a core base of demanding clients facing an uncertain future, insurance specialist Kennedys will be relieved to have posted 8% revenue growth for the 2016/17 period, up from £138.8m to £149.9m.
In a series of banking, finance and tax appointments across the globe, international firms are hiring to boost their financial capacities.
