Claire Ruckin

February 17, 2010 | International Edition

Eversheds and Hammonds have won prime roles on the Northwest Regional Development Agency's (NWDA) new-look panel. The NWDA has overhauled its panel, moving away from a single roster comprising six law firms to four separate rosters covering corporate, real estate, litigation and state aid work.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

February 17, 2010 | International Edition

Hammonds has struck a groundbreaking deal with Lloyds Banking Group that will see the firm take on the majority of the retail bank's professional negligence work. The national firm has been instructed to advise the bank as it brings increasing numbers of claims, including cases against solicitors and surveyors over alleged over-valuation of property.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

February 17, 2010 | International Edition

Criminal set Argent Chambers is to become the first UK set to launch a separate business unit intended to compete with solicitors firms to win work direct from clients. Argent Law - due to launch in April - looks likely to be the first UK 'procureco', a groundbreaking initiative encouraged by Bar Council chairman Nicholas Green QC that will see chambers forming separate businesses as a means of winning work directly from companies and public bodies - cutting out solicitors.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

February 17, 2010 | International Edition

With even the notoriously conservative Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton making a senior disputes appointment in the Square Mile, it appears that the much-touted banking litigation market really does have legs. The US firm made a big splash last week with the news that it was making a rare lateral hire in the shape of Jonathan Kelly from Simmons & Simmons, one of the best-known banking litigators in the City.

By Claire Ruckin

4 minute read

February 17, 2010 | International Edition

Clifford Chance's (CC's) UK litigation head Nicholas Munday has been seconded to the firm's Moscow office in a bid to strengthen and expand the disputes team in the region. Munday, who is responsible for overseeing the firm's Moscow and UK litigation practice, has been charged with expanding the two-partner, eight associate team in the country through a mixture of lateral hiring and organic growth.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

February 15, 2010 | International Edition

Eversheds chairman Alan Jenkins is facing a challenge to retain his role after three candidates put themselves forward for his position in a contested election. The election process to appoint the firm's chairman kicked off last week, with transport chief and former London head Cornelius Medvei, international disputes head John Heaps and Cardiff head Alan Meredith all putting themselves forward for the role.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

February 10, 2010 | International Edition

Halliwells has renegotiated nearly £20m of bank finance facilities in a move that frees the firm from previous terms requiring it to maintain a minimum number of equity partners and secures its finances for the next three years. The refinancing, which was agreed last week, will strengthen the national firm's position after a difficult few years that have seen it lose a large number of partners, including equity partners.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read

February 10, 2010 | International Edition

Eversheds has appointed a new corporate head in Newcastle with the hire of former Scottish Power legal director Charles Reynard. Reynard joined the firm last month (18 January), taking over the corporate head position from Alan Fletcher, who has relocated to Eversheds' Edinburgh office in response to an increase in financial services work in the region. Fletcher spent six months on secondment to Bank of Scotland last year.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

February 10, 2010 | International Edition

Cobbetts has negotiated loan facilities of £10.5m in an effort to avoid a partner cash call The firm renegotiated a bank loan facility with RBS in Janaury, which comprises a £2.5m overdraft and a £6.5m term loan secured by a debenture over the assets of debt recovery business Incasso - a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cobbetts.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

February 10, 2010 | International Edition

Hammonds took a leading role advising on the sale of survival equipment maker Survitec Group to US private equity firm Warburg Pincus for nearly £280m. The national firm advised longstanding private equity client Montagu on its £274m disposal of the company, which focuses on serving the marine, military, aerospace and homeland security markets, to buyout house Warburg Pincus.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read