Alex Newman

March 02, 2014 | International Edition

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has entered the Canadian legal market with the acquisition of Toronto-based immigration law firm Bomza Law Group. The firm, which will be renamed PricewaterhouseCoopers Immigration Law LLP, has more than 20 years of experience in Canadian, US and global immigration law.

By Alex Newman

2 minute read

February 28, 2014 | International Edition

Lloyds Banking Group has kicked off a review of its customer-pay panel, with City banking teams having been invited to pitch in the last week. Firms have been given until 19 March to tender for spots on the roster, with the bank set to announce the new line-up on 7 April, the same day the panel comes into effect.

By Alex Newman

2 minute read

February 27, 2014 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC), Linklaters and Norton Rose Fulbright are among nine firms to have won spots on the UK Government-backed Green Investment Bank's (GIB) first formal panel. Legal Week understands that Slaughter and May, Allen & Overy (A&O), Pinsent Masons, Burges Salmon and KWM SJ Berwin were all also successful in their pitches for the roster.

By Alex Newman

3 minute read

February 27, 2014 | International Edition

Squire Sanders is in preliminary merger discussions with Washington-based public policy and lobbying firm Patton Boggs. In a statement, the two firms said discussions are in the early stages, and that there was no assurance a combination would be completed.

By Alex Newman

2 minute read

February 27, 2014 | International Edition

Dentons has now picked up a total of 46 lawyers from collapsed Canadian firm Heenan Blaikie following the signing of a five-partner, 11-associate team this week. Corporate partner Allen Garson and insolvency partners Kenneth Kraft and John Salmas join in Toronto, while corporate partner Wendy Del Mul and infrastructure partner Tommaso Nanci will join Dentons as counsels in Toronto and Montreal respectively.

By Alex Newman

2 minute read

February 27, 2014 | International Edition

Non-equity partners will be forced to take on a proportionally higher degree of financial risk than their more senior colleagues as a result of the crackdown by the UK's HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on the taxation of limited liability partnerships (LLPs). Changes to the way HMRC will determine the employee status of partners at LLPs from 6 April mean new and existing salaried or fixed-share partners will have to make capital contributions of at least 25% of their annual earnings to their firms.

By Alex Newman

4 minute read

February 25, 2014 | International Edition

Paul Hastings, McDermott Will & Emery and King & Spalding each posted global revenue rises in 2013, according to financial results released by the US-headquartered law firms this week.

By Alex Newman

2 minute read

February 25, 2014 | International Edition

Sidley Austin has placed the future of its Frankfurt office under review, following a number of recent partner departures. Among the options being considered by management is the closure of the office and the transfer of clients and referral relationships to a German firm, Legal Week understands.

By Alex Newman

2 minute read

February 24, 2014 | International Edition

Irwin Mitchell partner Rob Thompson is to take over from London real estate head Jon Vivian from 1 May. Vivian, who will continue as senior real estate partner in London, will focus on managing existing and new client relationships. Since 2011, he has also helped drive the firm's push into corporate, commercial, regulatory and litigation work.

By Alex Newman

2 minute read

February 23, 2014 | International Edition

Peter Rees QC, the former head of Royal Dutch Shell's legal team, is to return to international arbitration, Legal Week has learned. Sources confirmed that Rees (pictured), who is currently taking a month's leave following his departure from the oil giant, has decided against another in-house role, but instead plans to return to either a law firm or the bar.

By Alex Newman

2 minute read