Dentons is suing the Republic of Guinea and its Ministry of Mines and Geology for $10.2m over alleged unpaid legal fees, as well as costs that the country has ‘repeatedly acknowledged they owe’ the firm. US firm Williams & Connolly is representing Dentons in the dispute.
Africa expansion: Dentons ties up with Cape Town associate firm
Dentons has announced today (9 April), that it has tied up with local associate firm KapdiTwala to launch an office in Cape Town.
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After South Africa, Hogan Lovells launches nearshoring venture in Birmingham
Following Hogan Lovells announcement at the start of February that it is setting up a business process outsourcing centre in South Africa, the top 15 LB100 law firm has launched a new legal services centre in Birmingham to undertake low level legal work as a cost effective extension of its London office.
The nearshoring venture, called the Legal Service Centre, will be developed over time in response to client demand but it is expected to comprise up to 20 lawyers initially. London partner Alan Greenough will be moving to Birmingham to manage the office, which is expected to be established by autumn this year. Continue reading “After South Africa, Hogan Lovells launches nearshoring venture in Birmingham”
Hogan Lovells eyes growth in South Africa with hire of Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs partner as banking head
Transatlantic giant Hogan Lovells has made its first lateral hire in South Africa since merging last December with Routledge Modise, taking on finance partner Anina Boshoff from leading local firm Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs (ENS) to head up its banking and finance department in Johannesburg.
Boshoff (pictured), who returned to South Africa early in 2010 after working in the Singapore office of Allen & Overy for three years, will begin her new role on 1 March, and will be joined by ENS associates Candice Morgan and Sanrie van Tonder. Continue reading “Hogan Lovells eyes growth in South Africa with hire of Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs partner as banking head”
Deal watch: Taylor Wessing and Freshfields advise on HSBC Jordan bank deal
HSBC’s steps to streamline its business by disposing of non-core global assets has gifted Taylor Wessing and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer with a significant Middle East mandate, as Arab Jordan Investment Bank (AJIB) acquires the international retail bank’s local assets.
Taylor Wessing’s City-based corporate partner Ronald Graham advised AJIB on the deal, which constitutes one of the biggest banking agreements that Jordan has ever seen, with support from local firm Dajani & Associates. Continue reading “Deal watch: Taylor Wessing and Freshfields advise on HSBC Jordan bank deal”
Merger watch: Hogan Lovells to tie-up with South Africa’s Routledge Modise
Hogan Lovells is to combine with South African law firm Routledge Modise, with the union set to go live on 1 December.
The Johannesburg office will comprise 120 lawyers, including 40 partners, and will focus on corporate, commercial, litigation, mining and employment work, while Routledge Modise is expected to rebrand and relaunch as Hogan Lovells in early 2014.
The top 10 LB100 firm informed its partners of the move today (19 November) and said in a statement that a physical presence in Africa has become increasingly important as the majority of its top 200 clients have operations on the continent. Continue reading “Merger watch: Hogan Lovells to tie-up with South Africa’s Routledge Modise”
As Brazil cools Latam heat – Garrigues moves into Colombia; SJB primes Saudi move
With Brazil’s economy continuing to disappoint during 2013, there is increasing focus on other economies across Latin America. Moving to meet that demand Iberian giant Garrigues has announced that it is to acquire Colombian outfit Zarama y Asociados.
Garrigues has secured the signatures of Zarama y Asociados sole partners, Fernando Zarama and Camilo Zarama, along with the rest of the fee earners at the firm. The deal allows Garrigues to make a significant play in one of the fastest growing and most touted of Latin America’s economies, combining the practice with the Spanish firm’s Bogota branch.
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Revolving Doors: Key hires for Mayer Brown, Greenberg Traurig, Herbert Smith, K&L Gates and Pinsent Masons
The lateral hiring spike of September is running into October, as Mayer Brown and US rival Greenberg Traurig Maher bulk up in London, Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and K&L Gates recruit into their Australian practices, and Pinsent Masons boosts its Middle Eastern energy projects team.
Mayer Brown has hired Patricia Jones, a real estate partner from SJ Berwin, to join its team in London, following the hire last week of corporate partner Greg Stonefield from White & Case. Jones has been at SJ Berwin for 10 years and most recently acted for British Land on the redevelopment of the Shoreditch Estate. Continue reading “Revolving Doors: Key hires for Mayer Brown, Greenberg Traurig, Herbert Smith, K&L Gates and Pinsent Masons”
Guest post – Syria: the UK can legally use force
In some ways this week, with the recall of Parliament and the UK tabling a UN resolution, seems like a fast replay of the run up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Many people’s attitudes to what’s happening are informed by the experience of Iraq, and reflect the view they took of that action ten years ago. Mine too.
So it may be no surprise that, although my legal argument is different here from that in the case of Iraq, and involves undoubted legal controversy, I think there is a proper legal basis on which the UK can participate in military action against Syria.
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Middle East: Dentons ends period of upheaval in Kuwait with decision to close local office
Dentons’ partnership has voted in favour of shutting its Kuwait office following a review, bringing to an end a turbulent chapter in the region.
The firm, which has had an office in Kuwait since 2008, only in January entered into a new association with local lawyer Jamal Ahmed Al-Shehab, replacing its association with International Legal Group. Continue reading “Middle East: Dentons ends period of upheaval in Kuwait with decision to close local office”