Friederike Heine

June 26, 2012 | International Edition

Pinsent Masons is set to open its first continentual European office in Munich after recruiting seven partners from three German firms. The new office, which will be headed by von Boetticher Hasse Lohmann founding partner Ulrich Lohmann, will focus on corporate, information technology and dispute resolution.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

June 26, 2012 | International Edition

Dewey & LeBoeuf's former finance chief Bruce Johnston has called on former members of the defunct firm's UK partnership to group together and instruct US bankruptcy counsel to assess their personal liability in the firmwide bankruptcy. Johnston, who was part of the City crisis committee charged with winding down the UK limited liability partnership (LLP) in early May, has urged 22 former Dewey London partners to jointly instruct US bankruptcy counsel to establish whether they should take part in the firmwide bankruptcy settlement put forward last week (19 June).

By Friederike Heine

3 minute read

June 26, 2012 | International Edition

Field Fisher Waterhouse has posted a 20% drop in profits per equity partner (PEP) for 2011-12, alongside a 4% increase in revenues. The top 50 firm's PEP has significantly dropped from the 2010-11 figure of £510,000 to £410,000 for the most recent financial year, while revenues rose 4% from last year's figure of £94m to £97.5m.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

June 25, 2012 | International Edition

Mayer Brown's London senior partner Sean Connolly is to serve another five-year term in the management role after being re-elected by the firm's London equity partners. Connolly, who was first appointed in 2007, will also continue as a member of the global management of the firm, serving on the partnership board. He secured the role after seeing off a challenge from London finance partner Dominic Griffiths.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

June 25, 2012 | International Edition

Former partners of bankrupt firm Dewey & LeBoeuf are being pursued by banks trying to reclaim money they lent through professional practice loans. Citi is among the lenders attempting to claw back loans made to both lateral hires and internal partner promotions at Dewey to fund their capital contributions to the firm, according to ex-partners.

By Friederike Heine

3 minute read

June 21, 2012 | International Edition

Russian investment bank Renaissance Capital has kicked off a review of its law firm roster after group head of compliance Mark Harris took up an expanded role as head of legal earlier this year.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

June 21, 2012 | International Edition

Shearman & Sterling has overhauled its leadership structure, introducing three regional managing partner positions for EMEA, the Americas and Asia.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

June 21, 2012 | International Edition

Within weeks, Dewey & LeBoeuf went from proud US giant to the largest ever legal failure. In the first of a ­two-part focus, Friederike Heine and Alex Novarese chart the collapse that mesmerised the profession

By Friederike Heine

21 minute read

June 19, 2012 | International Edition

Herbert Smith, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Clifford Chance (CC) and Nabarro have all taken roles on Hammerson's £518m sale of its London commercial property portfolio to Canadian investor Brookfield. The FTSE 100 property company, which announced its intention to sell its London office buildings in February to focus exclusively on retail assets, has handed roles to Herbert Smith, CC and Nabarro – all of which are on its property panel - on the individual sales.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

June 19, 2012 | International Edition

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has notified property investor Vincent Tchenguiz that he is no longer a suspect in relation to the 2008 collapse of Icelandic bank Kaupthing, bringing to an end a long-running investigation that has threatened the reputation of the UK fraud agency. The news, which was delivered to Tchenguiz yesterday (18 June) by post, comes after Tchenguiz and his brother Robert became the centre of an investigation into the collapse of Kaupthing over two years ago.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read