Alex Newman

March 17, 2014 | International Edition

Addleshaw Goddard has kicked off its managing partner election process after current post-holder - Paul Devitt - announced his intention to stand down a year early at the end of April. is stepping down from his role a year to stand down from his post in April 2015, bringing forward an election contest by six months. Partners were informed of Devitt's decision not to stand for re-election via an internal email on Friday (14 March). The election process was originally timetabled to begin in September, but will now kick off immediately.

By Alex Newman

3 minute read

March 14, 2014 | International Edition

White & Case's London banking head Magdalene Bayim-Adomako has left the firm, it has emerged. Bayim-Adomako is not thought to be in talks to join another firm, having formally left the UK partnership at the end of January.

By Alex Newman

2 minute read

March 14, 2014 | International Edition

King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin is to close its Berlin office in May, following a strategic review of the firm's Germany practice. The office's venture capital transactional team, headed by partners Frank Vogel and Jan Dirk Heerma, are departing to set up their own boutique firm, while litigation counsel Tilman de Vries will relocate to Frankfurt.

By Alex Newman

3 minute read

March 13, 2014 | International Edition

Alistair Asher, the general counsel of the Co-operative Group, was already on a higher basic salary than the average FTSE 30 legal chief, according to the mutual's own estimates. Leaked details of the Co-op's executive remuneration review - first disclosed by The Observer at the weekend and since seen by Legal Week - show Asher's current basic salary of £475,000 is at the top end for UK listed companies.

By Alex Newman

3 minute read

March 13, 2014 | International Edition

Linklaters and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) have taken combined total fees of £5m for their investigation into allegations G4S engaged in false billing practices between 2005 and 2013. G4S and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) yesterday confirmed they had reached a £109m settlement after G4S overcharged the government for electronic monitoring services.

By Alex Newman

2 minute read

March 13, 2014 | International Edition

An alliance quickly loses its purpose when one party feels its ambitions are being blocked. So news this week that Willkie Farr & Gallagher is considering a push into UK private equity work in London may suggest that the US firm has designs beyond its formal arrangement with Dickson Minto. In recent months Willkie has held recruitment discussions with at least one high-profile UK-qualified private equity partner in London. While those talks are understood to have fallen through, the firm's Paris-based European chair, Daniel Hurstel, confirmed that Willkie is still considering a move into UK private equity, as well as finance, funds and arbitration work.

By Alex Newman

4 minute read

March 11, 2014 | International Edition

The future of Willkie Farr & Gallagher's formal alliance with Dickson Minto has been called into question after it emerged that the US firm is considering a push into private equity work in London. Legal Week has learned that the New York-headquartered firm has in recent months held recruitment discussions with at least one high-profile UK-qualified private equity partner in London.

By Alex Newman

3 minute read

March 10, 2014 | International Edition

A host of international, US and Irish law firms have won roles on the $1bn (£597m) merger between Irish fruit company Fyffes and US rival Chiquita. The combination will create the world's largest banana company, ChiquitaFyffes, which is set to list in New York. Chiquita instructed Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom for the merger, with the firm fielding a team headed by New York corporate partner David Friedman and Chicago-based global co-head of corporate transactions Peter Krupp.

By Alex Newman

2 minute read

March 07, 2014 | International Edition

Reed Smith's London office revenue increased 13% in 2013, the second successive year of double-digit growth for the Pittsburgh-founded firm's UK outpost. The City office hit its revenue target of $190m (£113.6m) last year, up from $168m (£100.5m) in 2012, with the energy and natural resources and financial industries groups performing particularly strongly.

By Alex Newman

2 minute read

March 07, 2014 | International Edition

Hill Dickinson, King & Spalding and Minter Ellison have advised on the Stobart Group's £280.8m sale of its transport and infrastructure arm Eddie Stobart Logistics (ESL) to a management team backed by private equity firm DouglasBay Capital (DBAY).

By Alex Newman

2 minute read