Claire Ruckin

October 18, 2010 | International Edition

Speechly Bircham has bolstered its City corporate practice with the hire of a former Mayer Brown partner. Jonathan Crawford joins the firm's London office as a partner in the financial services team and will focus on large, cross-border transactional work, working closely with financial services sector group head Nick Janmohamed. At Mayer Brown his practice focused on M&A, restructurings and joint venture transactions. He left at the end of last year after 11 years at the firm, prior to which he was a lawyer at DLA Piper - joining legacy firm Alsop Wilkinson in Liverpool in 1995.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

October 14, 2010 | International Edition

Halliwells' now infamous Spinningfields property deal is being investigated as the administration of the now-defunct law firm enters its next phase, it has emerged. The Spinningfields landlord, Credit Suisse Asset Management (CSAM), is seeking advice from Eversheds real estate litigation partner Will Densham to see if any money can be recovered from Halliwells. This includes looking over the controversial multimillion-pound payout received by Halliwells' equity partners in 2007.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

October 14, 2010 | International Edition

Liverpool Football Club's board have succeeded in their bid to push forward with the club's takeover after the High Court dismissed a temporary restraining order granted by a Texas court to US owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. The club's board, represented by One Essex Court's Lord Grabiner QC (pictured), returned to court today to apply for an anti-suit injunction to prevent Hicks and Gillett from continuing their legal action in the US.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read

October 13, 2010 | International Edition

Slaughter and May has won a role advising a coalition of media organisations opposed to NewsCorp chief Rupert Murdoch's bid to secure a full takeover of BSkyB. Slaughters' competition team is advising eight media rivals - which include the BBC, Channel 4, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph - on NewsCorp's bid to acquire the remaining 60.1% of shares in satellite broadcaster BSkyB, a deal which values the company at more than £12bn.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

October 13, 2010 | International Edition

TLT has bolstered its private equity practice with the hire of former Mayer Brown partner Alistair Bird. Bird joined the firm's new City premises on Gresham Street earlier this month (4 October) as a partner in the corporate group. He will work alongside corporate partners Ian Taylorson and Richard Tall, who has just relocated to the City from Bristol.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

October 13, 2010 | International Edition

Lord Grabiner QC and Erskine Chambers' Richard Snowden QC have secured a High Court victory in the Liverpool takeover battle after the presiding judge ruled that the club's £300m sale to New England Sport Ventures (NESV) can proceed. Mr Justice Floyd handed down his judgment this morning in favour of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Liverpool's main creditor, which is owed around £280m by the club's US owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

October 12, 2010 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Erskine Chambers' Richard Snowden QC have taken centre stage alongside Lord Grabiner QC in today's high-profile Liverpool court battle. Freshfields instructed Erskine's Snowden after being appointed to advise the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) on the dispute, which is being heard today in the Chancery Division of the High Court by Mr Justice Floyd.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read

October 11, 2010 | International Edition

Macfarlanes has become the latest law firm to take a role on the protracted Liverpool takeover saga, representing a Singapore billionaire who has lodged an improved bid for the Premier League club. The City law firm is advising Peter Lim, who has made an increased £360m offer after last week losing out to US sports group New England Sport Ventures (NESV), whose £300m bid was accepted by the club's board. The new bid values the club at £320m, with a further £40m made available to purchase new players.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read

October 11, 2010 | International Edition

Eversheds has overhauled the structure of its volume business to bring the standalone division into its core legal practice. The firm's eight-partner, 550-fee earner commoditised arm, which currently operates as the Legal Systems Group (LSG), is set to be split up and integrated within Eversheds' dispute resolution and real estate groups.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

October 11, 2010 | International Edition

One Essex Court heavyweight Lord Grabiner QC is set to represent Liverpool Football Club as the boardroom wrangle over the club's future moves into the courts tomorrow morning (12 October). Grabiner has been instructed to advise Liverpool FC's board alongside magic circle firm Slaughter and May on the proposed £300m sale of the club to Boston Red Sox owners New England Sport Ventures (NESV). One Essex Court's Jamie Goldsmith, son of former attorney general Peter Goldsmith, has also been instructed to provide advice.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read