Friederike Heine

January 26, 2011 | International Edition

Eversheds, HBJ Gateley Wareing and Trowers & Hamlins have picked up lead roles as Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham bid to take over the 2012 Olympic stadium in London. Eversheds is advising the Olympic Park Legacy Company, which recently pushed back a decision on the winning bid, originally scheduled for Friday 28 January, after both clubs issued their final submissions earlier this month. The firm is fielding a team led by London development and regeneration senior partner Stephen Sorrell.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

January 26, 2011 | International Edition

Howrey and Winston & Strawn are currently in talks about a potential merger deal, it has emerged today (26 January). Winston, which is based in Chicago and has 13 offices around the world, is understood to have approached Howrey a number of weeks ago with a view to either merging or taking on a significant number of partners from the intellectual property (IP) specialist firm.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

January 26, 2011 | International Edition

Weil Gotshal & Manges has made its second London hire in a month with the addition of Jones Day restructuring head Adam Plainer. Plainer is joining Weil as practice head of the US firm's UK business finance and restructuring practice, which currently comprises just one partner, Dominic McCahill. Plainer, who has been handed a remit to build up the practice, advises on a wide range of matters from debtors counsel to insolvency, financial restructurings and distressed M&A. His clients include Honda and Ennstone.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

January 26, 2011 | International Edition

Ashurst is to retain 95% of its March trainee intake - significantly more than the firm kept on last year. The top 10 City firm has offered 21 of the 22 trainees due to qualify in March positions on qualification, with all of these accepting the offer. The 95% retention rate marks a significant improvement on the March 2010 round, when Ashurst only made offers to 14 of the 22-strong intake (64%). This figure increased to 84% in September 2010 when the firm kept on 26 of its 31 qualifiers.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

January 25, 2011 | International Edition

Sidley Austin has announced the details of its latest global partnership promotions, with four appointments in the US firm's 120-lawyer London office. The City promotions, which came into effect on 1 January, comprise finance lawyer John McGrath, restructuring specialist Phillip Taylor, employment lawyer Nicholas Turner, as well as barrister and competition counsel David Went.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

January 25, 2011 | International Edition

Linklaters has appointed Brussels partner Henk Vanhulle as its new global head of tax, with Yash Rupal stepping down from the role after completing a three-year term. Vanhulle, who has been a partner with the magic circle firm since 1995 and Brussels tax chief since 2007, has significant experience in corporate tax, with particular emphasis on international tax planning, corporate finance, capital market transactions and corporate M&A.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

January 24, 2011 | International Edition

Hogan Lovells' international partnership is anticipating an increase in revenues of up to £40m a year from legacy Hogan & Hartson's operations outside of the US, according to the firm's limited liability partnership (LLP) accounts. The 2009-10 accounts, recently filed with Companies House, cover the activities of legacy Lovells outside of the US - now Hogan Lovells International LLP. Hogan Lovells maintains two separate profit pools and accounting years, with most operations outside North and South America housed within Hogan Lovells International.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

January 24, 2011 | International Edition

The College of Law is to enter the undergraduate degree market with the launch of a two-year undergraduate law degree. The LLB degree, which will run initially in the College's London, Birmingham and Chester offices from September 2012, will see the College compete with mainstream universities for school-leavers.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

January 24, 2011 | International Edition

K&L Gates, Dewey & LeBoeuf and Bingham McCutchen have announced the details of their latest partner promotions rounds, with just three London lawyers made up across the three US firms. K&L Gates has made one partner appointment in its London office as a part of a 44-strong global promotions round, with corporate lawyer Thomas Sibert joining the UK partnership.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

January 21, 2011 | International Edition

Weil Gotshal & Manges is to strengthen its City finance practice with the hire of former Ashurst banking partner James Hogben. Hogben, who stepped down from Ashurst's partnership in March 2010, is set to join Weil next week (23 January). He specialises in general banking law and has particular expertise in cross-border leveraged finance and acquisition finance transactions. At Weil, Hogben will work alongside London finance head Jacky Kelly and structured finance partner Steven Ong.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read