Friederike Heine

September 14, 2010 | International Edition

The battle to extend privilege for in-house lawyers in Europe has suffered a major blow after a ruling from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) today (14 September) stated that company legal teams are not protected in competition cases. The ECJ rejected arguments made by Dutch chemicals group Akzo Nobel that a lower court was wrong to find that communications involving in-house legal counsel are not covered by lawyer-client confidentiality.

By Friederike Heine

3 minute read

September 13, 2010 | International Edition

Linklaters has boosted its high yield capabilities with the hire of Cravath Swaine & Moore European counsel Mark Hageman as an equity partner in the City. Hageman, who will join the magic circle firm after serving his notice period at Cravath, specialises in advising on European leveraged financings, cross-border M&A and SEC reporting and compliance by non-US companies. Linklaters global head of banking Rob Elliott pointed to the increasingly important role of high yield as a motivating factor for the appointment.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

September 09, 2010 | International Edition

DLA Piper is taking legal action against Formula 1 team Hispania Racing for unpaid legal fees dating back to early 2009. Hispania, the first-ever Spanish F1 team, entered the competition this year following a deal that saw it taken over by Spanish financier Jose Ramon Carabante. The team, formerly known as Campos Meta, was founded by ex-F1 driver Adrian Campos and its current drivers include Bruno Senna, the nephew of former world champion Ayrton Senna.

By Friederike Heine

1 minute read

September 08, 2010 | International Edition

Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker has hired a former Goldman Sachs managing director as a partner in its Hong Kong office. Steve Winegar worked at the bulge bracket bank for 12 years, originally in New York, and since 2005 led the legal coverage team for investment banking, capital markets and principal investment in Asia ex-Japan.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

September 08, 2010 | International Edition

Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) has hired Mayer Brown structured finance and capital markets partner Elana Hahn to join the firm's finance department in its London office. Prior to joining Mayer Brown in 2007, Hahn was a finance and capital markets partner in the London office of Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy and before that an associate at magic circle firm Clifford Chance (CC). She resigned from Mayer Brown last week (1 September). Hahn is qualified in Canada as well as England and Wales. Her practice centres around the securitisation and structured finance market, including, in particular, fund financing.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

September 08, 2010 | International Edition

Ashurst has taken a lead role on the wind down of listed buyout group Candover, which announced plans to return cash to investors last week (31 August), having failed to conclude a deal to sell its assets to Alberta Investment Management six weeks ago. Candover Investments said in the announcement of its first half results last week that it was set to conduct a sale of its portfolio in order to distribute value to investors.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

September 08, 2010 | International Edition

Ropes & Gray has relocated one of its Boston-based high-yield partners to bolster the firm's fledgling London office. Jane Rogers, who joined the firm's City arm on Monday (7 September), has switched offices as part of the firm's strategy to build its City-based bank finance and bond team.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

September 08, 2010 | International Edition

With training contracts in scarce supply, the vacation scheme is gaining increasing importance. Friederike Heine talks to City law firms about how to get one - and make the most of it

By Friederike Heine

9 minute read

September 08, 2010 | International Edition

The UK's leading law firms are set to compete for a raft of coveted panel roles as adviser reviews at Rio Tinto, Nomura and Ireland's National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) reach the advanced stages. Mining giant Rio Tinto is set to launch a global review of its panel relationships - overseen by group executive of legal and external affairs Debra Valentine - aimed at streamlining the number of firms it instructs.

By Friederike Heine

3 minute read

September 01, 2010 | International Edition

White & Case CEE capital markets head Simon Morgan has left the firm to join US firm Chadbourne & Parke in Moscow. Morgan joins as partner, as the New York-based firm expands its capital markets practice in Russia and CEE.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read