Pui Guan Man

April 23, 2013 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) has raised its trainee pay levels for 2012-13, breaking a three-year freeze on trainee wages. First-year trainees at the magic circle firm will receive £39,000, up £1,000 from £38,000, while second-year trainees will now take home £44,000, a rise of £800 from £43,200. The changes will take effect from 1 September this year.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

April 22, 2013 | International Edition

Olswang has shaken up its governance structure to include a second management body to oversee the firm's operations. The new eight-person executive committee, which will come into effect from 1 May, will handle firm strategy, sitting alongside an elected board that manages the firm's partnership. The structure replaces the firm's previous system of a single management board.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

April 19, 2013 | International Edition

SJ Berwin has made up five lawyers in its annual partnership round, with the firm's City headquarters gaining two of the new promotions. The five partners are spread across the firm's London, Frankfurt and Brussels bases, with Frankfurt receiving two new partners and Brussels one.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

April 18, 2013 | International Edition

Simmons & Simmons is reviewing its use of flexible working after consulting with its associates on how to address issues such as the firm's gender balance. The firm's board is currently looking at flexi-working issues including how to staff and manage large projects, following an informal consultation led by senior partner Colin Passmore. The consultation also addressed issues such as whether lawyers were sufficiently equipped to work from home. Passmore said the consultation was part of a push to "provide associates with a forum in which they would feel confident in raising issues about the way they work".

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

April 18, 2013 | International Edition

Linklaters, Allen & Overy and Wragge & Co are among a line-up of nine law firms to have signed up to a Government gender reporting initiative that aims to boost equality in the workplace. The trio joined the voluntary 'Think, Act, Report' initiative earlier this year, which encourages companies to share best practice and improve transparency on gender equality issues in business. Six other law firms have already signed up to the scheme: Eversheds was the first firm to sign up in 2011, followed by DWF the same year. Hogan Lovells, DAC Beachcroft, Pinsent Masons and Berwin Leighton Paisner all joined last year.

By Pui-Guan Man

3 minute read

April 18, 2013 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O), Stibbe and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom are among a line-up of law firms acting on the potential €7.5bn (£6.4bn) takeover of coffee brand Douwe Egberts' Dutch parent company DE Master Blenders (DEMB) 1753. JAB group, led by German investor Joh A Benckiser, plans to acquire DEMB to add to its existing coffee and tea brand portfolio, which includes Caribou Coffee and Peet's Coffee & Tea. JAB previously owned a majority 15% stake in the company. Benelux firm Stibbe is advising JAB on local law with a team under head of corporate Derk Lemstra and private equity chief Bjorn van der Klip.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

April 18, 2013 | International Edition

Armed with an intimate knowledge of the inner workings of their company, in-house lawyers are well-placed to make valuable contributions to business strategy – so why are so few involved in key decisions? Pui-Guan Man finds out how GCs can become more influential in the boardroom.

By Pui-Guan Man

6 minute read

April 18, 2013 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) and Latham & Watkins have taken the lead roles on a landmark $2bn (£1.3bn) Islamic bond for the Saudi Electricity Company. The deal, reportedly the Middle East's largest Rule 144A sukuk to date, comprises both a 10-year and 30-year maturity term – the latter being the longest duration for any senior unsecured sukuk to date. A&O acted for the utilities company, a longstanding client of the firm, with a London-based team led by banking partner Atif Hanif and capital markets partners Sachin Dave and Jamie Durham.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

April 18, 2013 | International Edition

Norton Rose has posted a sharp increase in its trainee retention rate by keeping on 89% of its May 2013 intake of qualifiers. The top 10 firm offered newly qualified (NQ) solicitor roles to 18 of its 19-strong trainee intake, with 17 acceptances.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

April 17, 2013 | International Edition

Long-serving Clifford Chance (CC) corporate partner Daniela Weber-Rey has taken a new role as chief governance officer and deputy global head of compliance at Deutsche Bank. Weber-Rey, who has been a partner at CC and legacy Punder Volhard Weber & Axster since 1989, will join the bank's Frankfurt arm from CC's local office on 1 June.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read