Jeremy Hodges

May 12, 2008 | Law.com

Clifford Chance has beefed up its corporate offering in Prague with the hire of a partner from White & Case. David Kolacek joined Clifford Chance May 5 from the U.S. firm's Prague office, where he focused on M&A, privatizations, joint ventures and private equity. Kolacek spent a total of 16 years at White & Case, including a one-year stint at the firm's New York headquarters. The hire represents the second partner-level appointment made by Clifford Chance in a week.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

November 30, 2009 | Law.com

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Sullivan & Cromwell have taken lead roles on the 1 billion euro ($1.5 billion) French initial public offering of a subsidiary of luxury goods company PPR, the holding company of brands such as Gucci and Puma. PPR is set to list its African distribution unit CFAO, marking the first significant IPO in the French market since 2007.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

July 15, 2009 | Law.com

Baker & McKenzie has promoted only one lawyer to its London partnership, compared with six in last year's promotion round. Restructuring and insolvency lawyer Louise Webb boosts the international firm's London partnership total to 85. Baker's decision to scale back partner promotions this year comes after similar moves by many of the U.K.'s top law firms, with the prolonged economic turmoil reducing the business case for new partners.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

May 10, 2010 | The Legal Intelligencer

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has decided to increase the levels of its lockstep pay bands after restarting its associate track earlier this year.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

September 16, 2009 | Law.com

Linklaters has secured a significant boost to its Spanish offering with the hire of Cuatrecasas partner Francisco Malaga to head up the firm's litigation practice in Madrid. Malaga will be the firm's first litigation partner in the region, although the Magic Circle firm already has five associates in the practice. Malaga, who was a partner with Cuatrecasas, previously served as an alternate judge at the Audiencia Provincial court of Barcelona.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

August 27, 2008 | Law.com

Ashurst and Linklaters have landed lead roles on the proposed $2.5 billion takeover of Russian oil exploration giant Imperial Energy. The deal sees Linklaters score a role for Indian corporation ONGC Videsh, whose offer for the oil company has now been recommended and is subject to approval from the Russian government. London-based corporate partner Michael Sullivan is heading up the team. Imperial turned to regular adviser Ashurst for the takeover bid.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

December 11, 2009 | Law.com

Lovells and Hogan & Hartson partners have begun voting on their transatlantic merger, which is due to take effect in May 2010. The vote will pave the way for partners at both firms to see a number of changes to their terms, with Lovells partners set to benefit from the removal of a mandatory retirement age, while Hogan partners in the U.S. are expected to formally gain set holiday entitlement. Partners kicked off the merger vote last week and it will close on Dec. 15.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

January 11, 2010 | Law.com

Herbert Smith is to launch a finance practice in Saudi Arabia with the relocation of Dubai-based senior associate Adil Hussain to Riyadh. Hussain joined the U.K. top 10 firm in November from Sharia-compliant London investment bank Gatehouse Bank, where he was general counsel. He will be Herbert Smith's first full-time lawyer based with its Saudi alliance firm Al-Ghazzawi Professional Association, with which the firm entered into an exclusive relationship last year.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

March 20, 2009 | Law.com

Mayer Brown is restructuring its London office, with up to 23 associates and 32 support staff expected to lose their jobs. On top of the cuts, the firm is also instituting a pay freeze for London staff and associates and is asking for trainees due to start at the firm in September 2009 to volunteer to defer until 2010. The firm said the restructuring was part of its strategy moving into 2009 and 2010 in response to the global recession.

By Emma Sadowski and Jeremy Hodges

3 minute read

July 07, 2009 | Law.com

Weil, Gotshal & Manges has dropped the starting salary of newly qualified lawyers in its London arm by 5.5 percent to 85,000 pounds ($137,500). Despite the drop, Weil remains one of the most generous firms in the London market, offering its newly qualified lawyers 25,000 pounds ($40,400) more than the current benchmark rate for top London firms of around 60,000 pounds ($97,000). Salaries for all associates will be frozen.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read