Friederike Heine

July 02, 2012 | International Edition

SJ Berwin has opted against plans to impose a merit-based system for partner pay, with the firm instead set to incorporate softer criteria such as cross-selling into its current system. The changes to the firm's remuneration system, which will go to a partner vote later this month, were presented at a May partnership conference by new management duo Stephen Kon and Rob Day - senior and managing partner respectively.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

July 02, 2012 | International Edition

Jones Day has strengthened its London litigation practice with the hire of Christopher Braithwaite and Baiju Vasani from Simmons & Simmons and US firm Crowell & Moring respectively. Braithwaite, who is joining Jones Day's City arm later this month (16 July), advises banks and financial institutions on financial litigation and arbitration, regulatory investigations and enforcement proceedings, as well as insurance coverage issues and associated litigation.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

June 29, 2012 | International Edition

SJ Berwin has expanded its finance practice in London with the hire of former Herbert Smith partner Chris Fanner.Fanner left Herbert Smith earlier this year and will join SJ Berwin on Monday (2 July). He has a practice focusing on leveraged finance, structured emerging markets and infrastructure finance and his clients include banks, financial institutions, funds, as well as corporate borrowers.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

June 29, 2012 | International Edition

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan is set to pick up several lucrative instructions from insurance companies and other financial institutions looking to sue Barclays Bank in relation to its LIBOR interest rate manipulation. Finance litigator Robert Hickmott, who joined the firm in 2010 from CMS Cameron McKenna, is leading London and New York-based teams currently advising "a handful" of potential claimants across the financial sector.

By Friederike Heine

3 minute read

June 28, 2012 | International Edition

Bain Capital's credit affiliate Sankaty Advisors is set to create an informal panel of law firms in Europe, with Kirkland & Ellis (pictured), Ropes & Gray and Ashurst among those hoping to benefit from the move.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

June 28, 2012 | International Edition

These things are never simple. Dewey & LeBoeuf's bankruptcy filing on 28 May leaves its wind-down committee with the challenge of managing a hugely complex insolvency while attempting to avoid the drawn-out, expensive proceedings that have bedevilled previous law firm insolvencies such as Brobeck Phleger & Harrison and Coudert Brothers.

By Friederike Heine

7 minute read

June 28, 2012 | International Edition

Hogan Lovells, Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer are leading their UK peers when it comes to lawyers' satisfaction with their work and choice of firm, according to a major research project from Legal Week. The 2012 Employee Satisfaction Report (ESR) from Legal Week Intelligence, which grades leading law firms according to the estimation of their lawyers across five 'core' areas (professional, personal, management, career & development, and salary & benefits) found Hogan Lovells had the most satisfied lawyers of the top 20 UK firms.

By Friederike Heine

4 minute read

June 28, 2012 | International Edition

Field Fisher Waterhouse and LG have called off merger talks that could have created a firm just outside the UK top 20 with combined revenues of £150m. The talks, which started in October last year and were confirmed in May, ended earlier this month before anything was formally taken to partners.

By Friederike Heine

3 minute read

June 27, 2012 | International Edition

Mayer Brown has added two partners to its London office with the hires of Travers Smith pensions partner Andrew Block and Apollo Global Real Estate GC Jeremy Kenley. Block, who made partner at Travers in 2009, joined the firm in 2008 after nine years at Linklaters, where he trained.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

June 27, 2012 | International Edition

Baker & McKenzie has announced its 2012 promotions round, with three London lawyers making the cut out of a global total of 63. The promotions, which bring the total number of partners in the firm to 1,400, will take effect next month (1 July).

By Friederike Heine

3 minute read