Anna Reynolds

October 31, 2013 | International Edition

Ashurst is set to roll out a new sector-based approach, shaking up its internal management structure as its merger with legacy Australian firm Blake Dawson goes live. The firm's practice heads are in consultation about which sectors the firm will focus on, with the new groups set to span its four existing practice lines. The sector focus approach is only currently in place in the energy, resources and infrastructure practice, with new divisions in the practice created for resources; utilities; social infrastructure and defence; and transport.

By Anna Reynolds

3 minute read

October 31, 2013 | International Edition

Bond Dickinson and Blackstone Chambers have been appointed as lead counsel on supermarket chain Sainsbury's judicial review challenging rival Tesco. Sainsbury's is requesting a judicial review after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rejected its complaint about Tesco's Price Promise campaign.

By Anna Reynolds

1 minute read

October 31, 2013 | International Edition

Squire Sanders has re-elected managing partners Peter Crossley and Stephen Mahon to serve a further three year term. The firm kicked off the process of selecting candidates for the firm's European managing partner in June. At the time names being linked to the role included London head Robert Weekes, Leeds office head Jonathan Jones and Leeds litigation partner Simon Miller.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

October 30, 2013 | International Edition

Ashurst, Clifford Chance (CC) and DLA Piper have landed roles on the £300m sale of iconic shoe manufacturer Dr Martens to private equity firm Permira. CC acted for longstanding client Permira, which has agreed to buy R Griggs Group, the parent company of the Dr Martens brand. CC fielded a team led by corporate partner David Pearson and banking partner Robert Lee.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

October 30, 2013 | International Edition

Berwin Leighton Paisner's head of finance Matthew Kellett has left the firm, prompting an independent review of the practice. Kellett, who also leads BLP's banking and capital markets practice group, joined the firm in 2010, prior to which he was managing director and head of financial structuring at the Royal Bank of Scotland. He was previously a partner at Linklaters for thirteen years, from 1990-2003.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

October 29, 2013 | International Edition

Ashurst has turned to Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer to boost its global energy, resources and infrastructure (ERI) team with the hire of Michael Burns as partner. Burns, who was a counsel at the magic circle firm, will be based in London, taking the total number of City partners in Ashurst's team to 12.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

October 29, 2013 | International Edition

Baker & McKenzie former London managing partner Gary Senior has been elected to serve on the firm's global Executive Committee, succeeding Beatriz Araujo whose term has ended. The announcement was made at Bakers' annual meeting in Singapore which was held between 24-26 October. Senior - whose term on the committee will last four years - will be responsible for developing and implementing the firm's global business strategy as well as carrying out general management duties.

By Anna Reynolds

3 minute read

October 24, 2013 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have acted as key advisers on the sale of logistics and warehouse business PointPark Properties (P3) to a joint venture between private investment firm TPG and real estate company Ivanhoe Cambridge. Freshfields won the mandate for TPG and Ivanhoe, fielding a team led by real estate partner Alex Watt, corporate partner Bruce Embley and banking partner Jeffrey Rubinoff. They were supported by lawyers from the firm's London, Paris, Cologne, Amsterdam, Milan and New York offices. The duo acquired P3, an investor, developer and asset manager of warehouse properties, from alternative investment firm Arcapita.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

October 24, 2013 | International Edition

The departure of Ian Bagshaw (pictured, left) and Richard Youle (pictured, right) from Linklaters may have been widely anticipated, but their decision to join White & Case has raised questions about the magic circle's ability to compete against US firms in the field of private equity. The duo's move is the latest in a long line of high-profile departures from City firms, including Raymond McKeeve's exit from Berwin Leighton Paisner to join Jones Day and the hire by Latham & Watkins of David Walker, Clifford Chance's erstwhile private equity chief. It is a fairly open secret that Bagshaw and Youle's CVs have been on the market for some time. In 2010 the pair looked set to join Ropes & Gray before Linklaters persuaded them to stay on with what a source has described as "a sweetheart package".

By Anna Reynolds

5 minute read

October 23, 2013 | International Edition

An employment tribunal claim brought against Linklaters earlier this year by a former paralegal has been dismissed. As Legal Week reported in June, former Linklaters paralegal Ali Hussain had accused the firm and his former manager Hasan Bayat of bullying and harrassment.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read