Anna Reynolds

October 14, 2013 | International Edition

Macfarlanes has added to its commercial real estate practice with the hire of Ashurst partner Anthony Burnett-Scott. The announcement follows the recent additions to the practice of partners Clare Breeze, who joined from Shearman and Sterling in July and Ann Minogue, also from Ashurst, in August.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

October 14, 2013 | International Edition

DAC Beachcroft has promoted three female associates to partner in its Northern health practice team. The promotions follow the departure of a five-partner team from DAC Beachcroft's Leeds office to healthcare specialist firm Capsticks in August.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

October 10, 2013 | International Edition

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has suffered two further partner exits this week as it embarks on a review of its strategy. Corporate finance partner Michael Weir and finance partner Richard Todd mark the most recent departures, joining Jones Day and Mayer Brown respectively. Weir follows Raymond McKeeve, BLP's former global head of private equity, who left the firm in August to join Jones Day's London office.

By Anna Reynolds

3 minute read

October 07, 2013 | International Edition

Hogan Lovells has appointed Jackie Newstead as its new global head of real estate, replacing current co-heads Bruce Parmley and Michael Stancombe. London-based Newstead will take up the role with effect from 1 January 2014 as Stancombe is set to retire at the end of the year after 35 years with the firm. Parmley will remain with Hogan Lovells acting as head of real estate in the Americas, based in Washington.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

October 04, 2013 | International Edition

Ashurst is set to cut 120 roles from London following the conclusion of a redundancy consultation that had placed 350 roles at risk. Following the announcement in June it was set to open a low cost centre in Glasgow, Ashurst put 350 London support roles at risk of redundancy. Of these, 120 London roles will be lost with staff given the option to transfer up to Glasgow.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

October 03, 2013 | International Edition

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) is offering to provide lawyers from its Belfast volume work centre to clients as part of a new service to help in-house teams manage routine work...

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

October 03, 2013 | International Edition

Hogan Lovells and Reed Smith have acted on Barwa Bank's $125m (£78m) Islamic facility made available to UAE-based shipping company Topaz Energy and Marine. The facility will finance 12 of Topaz's ships operating in the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea. It has two separate structures: a $110m (£68.2m) scheme for 10 existing vessels; and a $15m (£9.3m) deal for the purchase of two vessels under construction.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

October 03, 2013 | International Edition

Lawyers are buoyed by growing boardroom confidence following a pick-up in global M&A activity during the last quarter, dominated by the rise of mega deals. The $130bn (£80.1bn) Vodafone-Verizon deal, which marked the largest US-based corporate deal on record since 2001, is largely responsible for making September the top month by deal values this year so far, pushing many of the law firms to take roles on the deal into the top 10 global advisers of the quarter by value, according to data from Mergermarket. The value of global M&A for Q1-3 this year totals $1,606.7bn (£989bn), a 5.5% increase on the same period in 2012, with 2013 on track to see the highest total since 2008. The recent stabilisation of the European economy is also reflected in M&A activity, with a 41.5% rise in deal values from Q3 2012 to Q3 2013.

By Anna Reynolds

3 minute read

October 03, 2013 | International Edition

Herbert Smith Freehills partners have voted to reject all four proposals for the firm's new unified remuneration system, potentially damaging plans to overhaul its rigid pre-merger structure. Partners will now be presented with a final alternative option, including elements of the four original proposals, which they will vote on in the coming weeks.

By Anna Reynolds

3 minute read

October 03, 2013 | International Edition

Devereux Chambers is considering its future management strategy following the resignation of its chief executive Beverly Landais. Landais - who had been at Devereux for four years - was brought in to lead a modernisation programme, which included rebranding of the set and overhauling its client services. She was also responsible for a staffing restructure at chambers and appointed Vince Plant as senior clerk.

By Anna Reynolds

1 minute read