Jeremy Hodges

March 17, 2010 | International Edition

US law firms O'Melveny & Myers and Squire Sanders & Dempsey have overhauled their London management. O'Melveny has named investment funds partner Solomon Wifa as the new head of its City office, with Wifa replacing funds partner John Daghlian, who is stepping down to focus on full-time fee earning.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

March 16, 2010 | International Edition

Dewey & LeBoeuf has named litigator Peter Sharp as the head of its London office. Sharp's appointment marks the first time the firm has had a office head in the City since the 2007 merger of Dewey Ballantine and LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

March 12, 2010 | International Edition

Linklaters has been embroiled in a fresh controversy over the collapse of Lehman Brothers after a new report revealed that the bank relied on an opinion letter from the firm for a transaction that flattered its financial strength. A report published on Thursday (11 March) by US law firm Jenner & Block on the Chapter 11 proceedings of Lehman Brothers accuses the bank of using aggressive accounting practices to mask the true state of its finances ahead of its collapse in 2008.

By Jeremy Hodges

3 minute read

March 11, 2010 | International Edition

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has secured its most significant conviction to date with former Cazenove partner Malcolm Calvert this week being convicted on five counts of insider dealing. The verdict yesterday (10 March) represented the FSA's most high-profile conviction and the third successful prosecution for insider dealing by the City regulator, which hailed the result as a "milestone".

By Jeremy Hodges

3 minute read

March 11, 2010 | International Edition

Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft has made its first lateral partner hire in the City since losing a seven-partner team to Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker in January 2009. Simmons & Simmons insurance and reinsurance head Jennifer Donohue is set to join the US law firm in April after three years with Simmons, becoming the fifth partner in Cadwalader's London office.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

March 11, 2010 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has significantly bolstered its US litigation capability with a triple partner hire. The magic circle firm has hired three partners focusing on financial institution litigation from three different firms.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

March 11, 2010 | International Edition

Hogan & Hartson and Lovells have finalised the line-up of the implementation committee that will guide the two firms through their forthcoming merger. The 18-member committee is chaired by Lovells financial services partner Emily Reid (pictured) and Houston-based Hogan commercial disputes partner Thad Dameris, who will report directly into the merged firm's international management committee.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

March 10, 2010 | International Edition

Slaughter and May, Eversheds and Wragge & Co have been appointed to Premier Foods' first formal roster of external legal advisers. The trio are the only firms to have been appointed to the panel, with the news likely to be seen as a blow to longstanding adviser Weil Gotshal & Manges, which has been the most visible transactional adviser to Premier in recent years.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

March 10, 2010 | International Edition

Howrey is set to cut up to 10% of its partnership over the coming months in the wake of a 35% drop in profits per equity partner (PEP) during 2009. Between 25 and 30 partners are expected to leave Howrey over the next few months as part of the restructuring, with the majority of the cuts set to fall in the US. Up to three partners are expected to leave across the firm's European offices.

By Jeremy Hodges

3 minute read

March 10, 2010 | International Edition

Former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Weil Gotshal & Manges finance partners Perry Noble and Stuart Hills have joined the partnership at DMH Stallard. Noble has become a partner in the corporate team, having initially joined the London and southeast outfit as a consultant in September 2009.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read