Pui Guan Man

October 16, 2013 | International Edition

The London arms of US firms Sullivan & Cromwell and Kaye Scholer have scored the leading roles on Goldman Sachs' acquisition of a 50% stake in British motor insurer Hastings. The deal will see Goldman Sachs' merchant banking division acquire half of the voting share capital in the company for around £150m. The equity investment comes alongside a bond issue by the insurers that will raise around £420m, with the combined deals putting the company's value at around £700m.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 16, 2013 | International Edition

Watson Farley & Williams is considering opening in Dubai in what would be its first venture into the Middle East. A Dubai launch could come in the next 12 months after the firm began taking advice on legal and regulatory matters related to entering the market.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 16, 2013 | International Edition

Morgan Lewis & Bockius' Paris managing partner has led a 19-lawyer exodus from the firm's office in the French capital to Gide Loyrette Nouel. Anne Tolila, the office's managing partner is one of nine partners to defect to Gide.

By Pui-Guan Man

3 minute read

October 16, 2013 | International Edition

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Jones Day won the leading roles on the takeover of Inter Milan by a consortium of Indonesian investors. A trio of Indonesian businessmen, headed by media entrepreneur and billionaire Erick Thohir, bought a 70% stake in the Italian club in a deal announced yesterday (15 October).

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 15, 2013 | International Edition

Bird & Bird intellectual property (IP) partner Trevor Cook has resigned from the firm after 32 years to join US outfit WilmerHale's New York office. Cook was co-head of the Bird & Bird's international lifesciences group. He joined the top 20 firm as a trainee solicitor in 1974 and was made up as partner in 1981.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 15, 2013 | International Edition

Eversheds has scored the lead role advising the Ugandan government on securing a lead investor for the country's first oil refinery, estimated to be worth $2.5bn (£1.6bn). The government is seeking an investor or consortium to take a 60% stake in the facility, which is intended to improve energy security in Uganda and East Africa and proposed to have a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 14, 2013 | International Edition

Wragge & Co has made 26 redundancies following the transfer of part of its support function to business process outsourcing (BPO) company Intelligent Office. The firm launched a redundancy consultation in May this year after conducting a review of its back office operations, placing 180 jobs at risk with 30 full-time roles expected to be cut. The review closed in August, with 26 staff members opting for redundancy. The results of the consultation affected PA roles across the firm's four legal groups: corporate, commercial, finance and projects; real estate; human resources; and disputes.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

October 11, 2013 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) has grown its operating profit by 2%, as the firm became the first of the UK's magic circle elite to release its limited liability partnership (LLP) accounts.

By Pui-Guan Man

3 minute read

October 11, 2013 | International Edition

DWF has acquired a 50-strong team from Bristol-based insurance disputes specialist Greenwoods, as the firm continues its expansion drive.

By Pui-Guan Man

3 minute read

October 10, 2013 | International Edition

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and White & Case have landed leading roles on diamond miner Alrosa's billion-dollar public offering. Through the Moscow listing, Alrosa's owners will sell a collective 16% stake in the company, estimated to be worth around $1.5bn (£930m). The governments of Russia and the autonomous Sakha Republic, where Alrosa is based, will each sell off 7% of the company, while management will sell 2%.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read