Legal Week

June 25, 2009 | International Edition

It's not often you see magic circle firms turn to national players for lateral partner hires, but Allen & Overy (A&O) recently made an exception with the hire of intellectual property (IP) litigators Neville Cordell and Huw Evans from DLA Piper and Wragge & Co respectively. The most interesting thing about the pairing is not where the hires came from, but that a firm like A&O made them at all. Coming after a prolonged boom that saw many of the larger City firms' commitment to IP questioned while more lucrative corporate and finance work was on offer, the latest additions take A&O to six IP partners in London, three of whom will primarily focus on disputes.

By Legal Week

3 minute read

June 25, 2009 | Legal Week

It's not often you see magic circle firms turn to national players for lateral partner hires, but Allen & Overy (A&O) recently made an exception with the hire of intellectual property (IP) litigators Neville Cordell and Huw Evans from DLA Piper and Wragge & Co respectively. The most interesting thing about the pairing is not where the hires came from, but that a firm like A&O made them at all. Coming after a prolonged boom that saw many of the larger City firms' commitment to IP questioned while more lucrative corporate and finance work was on offer, the latest additions take A&O to six IP partners in London, three of whom will primarily focus on disputes.

By Legal Week

16 minute read

June 25, 2009 | International Edition

Nabarro has been reappointed by two County Councils to advise on a £2bn waste management private finance initiative (PFI) project. The firm beat rivals including Walker Morris, Trowers & Hamlins, Bevan Brittan and Mills & Reeve to win the mandate from Essex County Council and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. Details of the project's lenders are still to be confirmed.

By Legal Week

2 minute read

June 25, 2009 | International Edition

BLP's unfailingly upbeat head of corporate on hiring Neville, selling Tottenham Hotspur and 'circling back'

By Legal Week

3 minute read

June 25, 2009 | International Edition

Travers Smith is advising Pinewood Studios on planning matters as it creates a working community in Buckinghamshire. The City firm has been advising Pinewood on real estate, planning, environment and real estate management issues connected with the studio's plans to build a living and working community for the creative industry.

By Legal Week

2 minute read

June 25, 2009 | International Edition

The credit crunch is no longer breaking news, but the headlines have not lost their force and executives at many of the world's top companies continue to feel pressure. The recession is likely to overshadow Europe's economies for another nine months, public opprobrium remains high and governmental interference looms. Scrutiny of executive remuneration packages has never been more intense. From the G20 and its endorsement of the Financial Stability Forum's principles for "sound compensation practices" to the worker who fears redundancy, everyone has an opinion.

By Legal Week

4 minute read

June 25, 2009 | International Edition

Last week Rio Tinto announced a tie-up with legal outsourcing provider CPA Global, which will see it send out legal work to a 12-strong team of lawyers based in India – an arrangement which the mining giant claims will reduce its approximately £60m annual legal bill by 20%. The Indian lawyers, who have been operating in a separate 'Rio-Tinto room' in CPA's Delhi offices since last month, are handling tasks including legal research, document review and contract drafting.

By Legal Week

6 minute read

June 25, 2009 | International Edition

International arbitration has, for many years, experienced extraordinary growth. A greater range of parties use arbitration for a wider range of disputes. Arbitration faces a number of challenges, however, not least from the fact that at a time of recession resources are stretched and businesses want to focus their resources on the productive parts of their business rather than on fighting disputes. Moreover, they want value for money, which translates into a desire for greater efficiency and effectiveness across a broad array of disputes.

By Legal Week

8 minute read

June 25, 2009 | International Edition

The possibility of partners and members incurring personal liability is not a new concept. However, while liability arising from the provision of services to clients is a subject we are all familiar with, far less has been said about individuals incurring personal liability as a consequence of their internal management of the firm's affairs. In times of economic difficulty, when managing partners and management committees are forced to take tough decisions, the judgment of Bernard Livesey QC in Philip Tann v Clive James Herrington is a timely reminder of the personal liability that can result an internal management function.

By Legal Week

5 minute read

June 25, 2009 | International Edition

Germany's capital may not double as its business centre, but it is certainly one of country's major cultural hubs. Whether you want to spend your time wandering around one of the city's impressive art collections or the castles in the region, or sample some of the famous nightlife and excellent local beers, Berlin has something to offer everyone. In spite of its scarred past – or perhaps because of it – Berlin holds claim as one of the most diverse European cities.

By Legal Week

4 minute read