Jeremy Hodges

February 03, 2010 | International Edition

White & Case has been hit by a 12-partner walkout to US rival Latham & Watkins. It was confirmed on 29 January that a four-partner banking team has quit the London office, with Chris Kandel, the co-head of London bank finance, leaving alongside partners Sam Hamilton, Brian Conway and Jayanthi Sadanandan.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 03, 2010 | International Edition

Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft's London head Bob Link is to step down from his post, with capital markets partner Angus Duncan set to take the helm. Former firmwide chair Link is expected to return to the US full time over the next few months, although it is unclear what his exact role with the firm will be.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 03, 2010 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is appointing two partners as mentors to each trainee intake, with the firm also moving to split the trainee function within its HR department into two separate roles. Trainee partner Simon Johnson has named intellectual property partner Chris Forsyth and corporate partner Farah Ispahani to mentor this February's intake throughout their training contracts, while tax partner Paul Davison and corporate partner Kathleen Healy will take on August's intake.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 03, 2010 | International Edition

Ashurst and Dickson Minto have advised on the share placing by FTSE 100 oil company Tullow Oil, which is expected to raise around £1bn. The company will issue 80.4 million new shares, representing roughly 10% of the group's existing shares.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 03, 2010 | International Edition

Field Fisher Waterhouse will move away from paying its associates based on post qualified experience (PQE) from the start of the new financial year. The top 30 law firm is set to consult with all qualified lawyers below partner level in March about moving to competency-based pay from 1 May.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 03, 2010 | International Edition

Lovells and Hogan & Hartson have finalised the leadership line-up for the merged firm's five core practice areas. Hogan Lovells will have two leaders - one in the US and one in Europe - for its corporate, finance and disputes practices, while the remaining two streams - government and regulation and intellectual property (IP) - will have a single chief.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

January 29, 2010 | International Edition

White & Case's London office has been hit by the departure of four banking and capital markets partners, including the co-head of its London bank finance practice Chris Kandel, to US rival Latham & Watkins, Legal Week can reveal. Kandel will join Latham alongside partners Sam Hamilton, Brian Conway and Jayanthi Sadanandan, in one of the most significant team hires by a US firm in London in recent years.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

January 29, 2010 | International Edition

Ropes & Gray is set to bring in Weil Gotshal & Manges restructuring partner Tony Horspool. Horspool is expected to join the Boston firm on 1 March, less than two years after joining Weil from Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft in April 2008.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

January 28, 2010 | International Edition

Weil Gotshal & Manges' London office has closed its third private equity deal this year, advising Advent International on its £190m acquisition of pension trust Xafinity from Duke Street Capital. The Weil team - headed up by private equity partner Marco Compagnoni alongside finance partner Michel Nicklin and private equity partner Jonathan Wood - advised long-term client Advent on the buyout of the group, which employs 1,400 staff and oversees the payment of £11bn a year to UK pensioners.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

January 28, 2010 | International Edition

Shearman & Sterling has promoted one lawyer to its partnership in London, with the firm making up seven lawyers worldwide. The annual promotions round has seen litigator Richard Kelly made up in the City, taking the number of partners in the office to 26.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read