Friederike Heine

September 01, 2010 | International Edition

The majority of senior lawyers are anxious about their future career prospects, with many doubting the value of their business contacts outside of the support structure of their law firm, according to Legal Week's latest Big Question survey. In a legal landscape where regular lateral moves throughout a partner's career are now commonplace, many feel uncertain about their future career path. Seventy-four percent of respondents expressed some level of anxiety about their professional future - including 30% who said they were 'quite' or 'very' anxious - while only 26% felt completely confident.

By Friederike Heine

4 minute read

September 01, 2010 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) and Ashurst have won lead roles on Intermediate Capital Group's (ICG) €1.4bn (£902m) acquisition of a large leveraged loan portfolio from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). Ashurst advised private equity debt manager ICG on the deal, which is thought to be the first-ever acquisition of a leveraged loan portfolio from a bank without vendor financing.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

September 01, 2010 | International Edition

Linklaters is set to appoint two new group leaders as longstanding heads Michael Voisin and Richard Godden prepare to stand down later this month. Voisin is stepping down from the role of global head of derivatives and structured products (DSP) to return to full-time fee earning after more than eight years in the role.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

September 01, 2010 | International Edition

Nixon Peabody has promoted four lawyers to its partnership, with one made up in the US firm's London office. The promotions, which take effect today (1 September), are spread across three practice areas - finance, employment and restructuring. London finance counsel Roland Diniz, who joins the Nixon partnership in the firm's City base, specialises in advising US domestic and cross-border transactions across Europe and Asia. He represents debt and equity investors, borrowers and lessees on a variety of asset-based and secured finance matters.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

August 31, 2010 | International Edition

Boodle Hatfield has strengthened its corporate practice with the hire of Nabarro partner Richard Beavan. Beavan, who will join the West End firm tomorrow (1 September), focuses on fundraisings, takeovers, acquisitions and disposals, venture capital, restructuring and corporate governance.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

August 31, 2010 | International Edition

Kirkland & Ellis has made up nine lawyers to partner in the US firm's London office. The promotions, which are effective as of 1 October, are spread across several practice areas, including corporate, tax, funds, restructuring and arbitration. Kirkland London office head Jim Learner (pictured) commented: "This reflects the fact that we continue to grow in London, and a number of people who have worked up the ranks here have now had the opportunity to be admitted. The nine lawyers who were promoted are all terrific candidates."

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

August 31, 2010 | International Edition

Weil Gotshal & Manges is advising Sanofi-Aventis on its $18.5bn (£12bn) takeover bid for US biopharmaceutical company Genzyme, reports The Am Law Daily. The French pharma giant approached Genzyme earlier this summer for talks about a possible merger, before making an offer in late July, the value of which was revealed this Sunday (29 August).

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

August 26, 2010 | International Edition

Norton Rose and Ashurst have won lead roles on the largest-ever sports facilities public private partnership (PPP) - the S$1.4bn (£664m) development of a major sports complex in Singapore. Singapore Sports Hub Consortium, which was appointed by the Singapore Government as the preferred bidder in 2008, has instructed Norton Rose as primary legal adviser.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

August 26, 2010 | International Edition

The Leeds headquarters of national firm Walker Morris has been sold to a Swiss private trust in a multimillion-pound real estate investment deal. Kings Court in Leeds city centre has been sold by a local investment team from property consultancy King Sturge, acting on behalf of Alliance Trust Real Estate Partnership, an investment company based in Dundee.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read

August 26, 2010 | International Edition

White & Case's Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) capital markets head Simon Morgan has left the firm to join US firm Chadbourne & Parke in Moscow. Morgan joins Chadbourne's Moscow office as partner, as the New York-based firm moves to expand its capital markets practice in Russia and CEE.

By Friederike Heine

2 minute read