Pui Guan Man

June 03, 2013 | International Edition

Osborne Clarke (OC) has launched an office in Brussels with the hire of two partners from Belgian firm De Wolf & Partners, the firm's former local ally. The base, which will be staffed by a team of seven lawyers and three support staff, will be led by employment partner Thierry Vierin and commercial partner Stefan Deswert.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

May 30, 2013 | International Edition

UAE firm Habib Al Mulla is set to align its career framework and development systems with merger partner Baker & McKenzie's as the firms gear up for their combination this July. The Dubai-based firm will adopt Bakers' more stringent training and development programme, bringing in a more rigorous career path for its lawyers, who will follow Bakers' structure. This will include Bakers' partnership structure. The model will be introduced in stages after the tie-up goes live, with a six-month bedding-down period in which Habib's current ratings system will continue to run internally. Appraisals for all of the firm's lawyers – including partners – have already been tightened in the run-up to the union.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

May 30, 2013 | International Edition

If any doubts remained about the size of the challenge facing aspiring lawyers in today's market, then it was starkly illustrated by the news that the number of training contracts on offer at law firms across England and Wales has fallen to the lowest level for well over a decade. The Law Society's annual statistics report for 2012, released earlier this month, revealed that the number of training contracts registered in the 12-month period to July 2012 dropped to 4,869, down 10.5% from the previous year's equivalent total of 5,441. The figures are now at their lowest since training contract details were first recorded in 1998-99, when 4,827 were logged, with numbers almost 25% down on the pre-recession high of 6,303 in 2007-08.

By Pui-Guan Man

5 minute read

May 30, 2013 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) and Hogan Lovells are advising on the high-profile initial public offering (IPO) of New York's iconic Empire State Building, which has this week received shareholder approval to proceed. The IPO, which is expected to raise at least $1bn (£660m), has received backing from more than 80% of investors in Malkin Holdings, the owner of the Manhattan skyscraper.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

May 28, 2013 | International Edition

Norton Rose has appointed the global heads of its three core practice groups ahead of its merger with Texan firm Fulbright & Jaworski next month. London-based European corporate head Martin Scott will now oversee the firm's global corporate, M&A and securities group, taking over from Hong Kong-based David Stannard.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

May 27, 2013 | International Edition

Addleshaw Goddard has continued its recent flurry of international expansion with the hire of two partners to launch a Qatar offering for the firm. Patton Boggs corporate partner Hussein Damirji will lead the new Doha office and will be joined by Dentons banking and finance partner Martin Brown. The firm is currently in the process of recruiting a small team of associates to support the duo.

By Pui-Guan Man

3 minute read

May 24, 2013 | International Edition

CMS saw revenues across the group rise 5.1% during 2012, with net profit also climbing across the network of 10 law firms. The network, which includes CMS Cameron McKenna in the UK, CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre in France and CMS Hasche Sigle in Germany, saw total revenues climb to €837.7m (£679.3m) for the financial reporting period ending 31 December, up from €797.3m (£646.5m) in 2011.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

May 23, 2013 | International Edition

The Middle East legal community came out in force in Dubai last week to celebrate the achievements of lawyers, law firms and in-house legal teams at the Corporate Counsel Middle East (CCME) Awards. On 16 May, 300 lawyers attended the event at the Westin Mina Seyahi hotel, collectively reinforcing the impression that the legal sector is growing in self-confidence in line with the region's steady recovery from the financial crisis of 2009.

By Pui-Guan Man

4 minute read

May 22, 2013 | International Edition

Bonelli Erede Pappalardo has appointed a new management team as part of a wider governance overhaul which has seen the top Italian law firm split its managing partner role into two. Head of international tax Stefano Simontacchi and employment specialist Marcello Giustiniani were voted as the firm's new managing partners at a partnership meeting last weekend, succeeding outgoing firm president Alberto Saravalle with immediate effect.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

May 21, 2013 | International Edition

The number of training contracts offered at law firms in England and Wales fell 10% in 2011-12 to the lowest level since 1999, according to new research by the Law Society. The society's annual report shows that the number of training contracts registered in the 12 months leading to 31 July 2012 dropped to 4,869, down 10.5% from the previous year's equivalent total of 5,411.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read