Pui Guan Man

October 24, 2013 | International Edition

The three candidates in the race to succeed Clifford Chance managing partner David Childs have begun canvassing the partnership ahead of a November vote. Global head of corporate Matthew Layton (pictured), Paris managing partner Yves Wehrli and real estate finance partner Andrew Carnegie have emerged as the only candidates to replace Childs after the nominations process concluded last week. Hustings are set to begin in early to mid-November, with the first round of voting scheduled towards the end of the month. Partners expect to receive manifestos from the candidates imminently.

By Pui-Guan Man

3 minute read

October 24, 2013 | International Edition

The Law Society has appointed Allen & Overy (A&O) global markets partner Stephen Denyer as its new head of City and international. Denyer, who is based in Frankfurt, oversees the firm's approach to markets where the firm has not established a presence and coordinates its ties with relationship firms. He represents A&O with regulatory and professional bodies including the International Bar Association.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 23, 2013 | International Edition

Eversheds and Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) are among five firms to have secured roles on a British-Chinese joint venture to develop the UK's first airport business district. Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has secured an £800m investment from China's Beijing Construction Engineering Group (BCEG) to build the 'Airport City' project.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 23, 2013 | International Edition

Weil Gotshal & Manges and Travers Smith have taken the leading roles on US buyout firm Providence Equity Partners' acquisition of Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG). Providence bought the stake in the live-theatre operator, which hosts West End musicals including The Lion King and Wicked, from a group of current investors led by Exponent. The deal is estimated to be worth around £450m.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 23, 2013 | International Edition

SJ Berwin, Kirkland & Ellis and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have won roles advising on buyout firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts' (KKR's) takeover of Serbia's largest cable company in a deal worth €1bn (£847m). The buyout firm has bought telecommunications company SBB/Telemach from private equity group Mid Europa Partners. The acquisition marks US-headquartered KKR's first investment in eastern Europe. It is expected to complete by the first quarter of 2014.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 22, 2013 | International Edition

Taylor Wessing has appointed Mark Fraser as its new Middle East managing partner to succeed Christopher Dixon when he steps down next month. Dubai-based construction partner Fraser joined Taylor Wessing in 2010 from Hammonds, a legacy firm of Squire Sanders.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 21, 2013 | International Edition

Eversheds has expanded its presence in Iraq with an office opening in Kurdistan. The firm merged with Middle Eastern law consortium KSLG in 2011, giving the firm an office in Baghdad through an association with local outfit Sanad Law Group.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 17, 2013 | International Edition

CMS Cameron McKenna has begun offering conditional fee arrangements (CFAs) to litigation clients more widely after the firm won its first case on a 'no win, no fee' basis early this year. CFAs are one of a range of alternative fee arrangement (AFA) options CMS has been increasingly making available to clients in the wake of Lord Justice Jackson's civil procedure reforms, which came into effect earlier this year. The options are likely to widen to include damages-based agreements (DBAs) or fixed fees for backed cases. Head of arbitration Guy Pendell said that the firm had also begun working with third-party litigation funders, including Calunius Capital, Burford Capital and Harbour Litigation Funding, on its package of AFAs.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 17, 2013 | International Edition

"I came out as a trainee in a tough environment – in the 1980s during the AIDS and HIV crises," reflects Field Fisher Waterhouse managing partner Michael Chissick. "It was a challenge when it came to telling clients as I was concerned some clients and partners would be prejudiced." Three decades on, he still represents a relatively rare breed of openly gay senior lawyers, with many still reticent to be open about their sexual orientation. Although there are increasing numbers of gay lawyers and barristers who are role models for those coming up through the ranks, it seems a large majority still feel that the legal profession lags others in terms of being accepting of people's sexual orientation.

By Pui-Guan Man

10 minute read

October 17, 2013 | International Edition

Allen & Overy and DLA Piper have won the advisory roles on UK engineering giant IMI on the proposed $1.1bn (£691m) sale of UK engineering giant IMI's drinks dispense and merchandising businesses to the Berkshire Hathaway-controlled Marmon Group.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read