Friederike Heine

March 16, 2011 | International Edition

Ashurst is set to restructure in the Middle East, with the firm refocusing its Abu Dhabi and Dubai offices around energy and infrastructure. The restructuring will see corporate partner and Middle East chief Nick Williamson, who splits his time between the two offices, and Abu Dhabi real estate partner Matthew Hooton, returning to London after several years in the region.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

March 16, 2011 | International Edition

Baker Botts and Covington & Burling have both recruited sizeable teams from Howrey in the wake of the firm's dissolution yesterday (15 March). A nine-partner team has joined Baker Botts' Washington DC office today (16 March) which includes Howrey's former vice chair Sean Boland - who also co-headed the antitrust practice at the firm. The team comprises a total of 32 lawyers, as well as economists, analysts and support staff. Additional lawyers and staff are expected to join Baker Botts in the coming weeks.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

March 16, 2011 | International Edition

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has boosted its City litigation practice with the hire of a new partner from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Patrick Doris will join the US firm's London office as a partner later this month from his current role as senior associate at Freshfields. Doris, whose practice focuses on commercial litigation, regulatory work and antitrust, joined the magic circle firm in 1998 after teaching EU law at the University of Warwick and a spell at the Law Commission of England & Wales.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

March 15, 2011 | International Edition

Baker & McKenzie has become the first firm outside of the magic circle to switch to a fast-track Legal Practice Course (LPC) with the College of Law. The international firm has announced that it is set to switch to the condensed course from next summer, with the first set of trainees due to start the seven-month course in July 2012. From then on, the course will run twice a year to accommodate both the March and the September intakes.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

March 15, 2011 | International Edition

French independent Lefevre Pelletier & Associes is set to launch its first German office later this month with the hire of a Frankfurt tax partner from Marccus Partners, the legal division of UK consultancy Mazars. Guillaume Rubechi, who will become the managing partner of the French firm's new Frankfurt office, specialises in Franco-German corporate transactions.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

March 15, 2011 | International Edition

Dawsons and Penningtons have confirmed that they are in advanced merger discussions with a view to creating a stronger and more profitable combined entity. Lincoln's Inn firm Dawsons is known to have been in the market for a potential merger partner since last year, with a potential tie-up with London firm Fladgate failing to materialise after discussions which began in late 2010.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

March 10, 2011 | International Edition

Nabarro and Field Fisher Waterhouse have been appointed to Sport England's first-ever legal panel following a competitive tender process involving 57 law firms. The body, which was previously known as the English Sports Council, is responsible for investing National Lottery and Government funding in organisations and projects that will increase participation in community sport.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

March 10, 2011 | International Edition

Greenberg Traurig Maher (GTM) is set to take on trainee lawyers in the City, with the US firm aiming to boost its profile among UK undergraduates. The firm, which launched in London in June 2009, will take on its first trainee intake in autumn 2011 and is intending to run annual intakes from then on. In the short term, GTM hopes to attract two trainees each year and will be targeting both law and non-law graduates.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

March 09, 2011 | International Edition

Linklaters has confirmed the final line-up for its new senior partner election process, with three candidates remaining in the running. Former corporate chief David Barnes and fellow London corporate partner Richard Godden have dropped out of the race, leaving global head of banking Robert Elliott, European managing partner Jean-Pierre Blumberg and global head of litigation John Turnbull in contention to take over from incumbent senior partner David Cheyne when he steps down in September.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

March 09, 2011 | International Edition

Hogan Lovells has strengthened its London asset finance practice with the hire of two partners from magic circle firm Linklaters. The transatlantic firm is set to bring in Linklaters' head of asset finance, Robert Fugard, and fellow asset finance partner Simon Gwynne on 1 May.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read