Pui Guan Man

August 08, 2012 | International Edition

South African law firm ENS is set to open offices in Rwanda and Burundi, with the firm stating that the East African launches will make it the first integrated pan-African law firm. The firm has hired Desire Kamanzi, managing partner of Kamanzi, Ntaganira & Associates to lead ENS Africa - Rwanda, which will include the rest of his firm.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

August 07, 2012 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Bird & Bird, SJ Berwin and Field Fisher Waterhouse have all confirmed trainee retention rates for their September 2012 qualifiers, with all bar SJ Berwin keeping on more than 80% of their intake.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

August 06, 2012 | International Edition

Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has overhauled its sector groups, with the firm no longer listing public sector work among its core areas of focus. The firm has cut back its sectors from eleven to five, with public sector sitting alongside sport and transport as one of three core sectors removed from the list. Meanwhile media and entertainment have been merged with technology and communications to form a TMT group and real estate now sits within a combined hotel, retail and leisure sector.

By Pui-Guan Man

3 minute read

August 02, 2012 | International Edition

CMS Cameron McKenna has become the latest UK firm to set its sights on Dubai, with the firm applying for a licence to open in the region. London energy partner Matthew Culver is expected to relocate to Dubai to lead the office, which is set to open as soon as the firm has received regulatory approval.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

August 02, 2012 | International Edition

Baker & McKenzie, DLA Piper and CMS have all scored roles on information technology company Atos' first-ever global legal panel. The French IT services provider, which is the worldwide IT partner for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, confirmed the three-firm line-up late last month following a tender process led by Atos senior vice-president and group general counsel Alexandre Menais.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

August 02, 2012 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Clifford Chance (CC) have emerged as the top UK law firms with the most generous maternity packages, according to Legal Week research into the benefits on offer at the UK's 15 largest firms by revenue. Data provided by the firms about the packages offered to fee earners below partner level and support staff shows Freshfields has the best package, with the firm giving all staff employed for at least 18 months the equivalent of 29 weeks on full pay. This breaks down as 26 weeks full pay, followed by six weeks at 50%, with an additional seven weeks on statutory maternity pay (SMP) and 13 weeks unpaid.

By Pui-Guan Man

4 minute read

August 02, 2012 | International Edition

Virgin Media general counsel Scott Dresser has resigned from the company "for personal reasons", just over 18 months after his promotion to the top legal role. The media and telecoms giant announced that Dresser's resignation would be effective immediately, and that he would return to the US in October after assisting with the handover.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

August 01, 2012 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) and Linklaters have taken the lead roles on the sale of Broadgate West in London's EC2, in deal valued at around £300m. The development, which counts Ashurst and US firm Shearman & Sterling among its tenants, has been sold to a joint venture between HSBC Alternative Investments Limited and US developer Hines. The property comprises 42,000 square metres of office space.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

July 31, 2012 | International Edition

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), Mishcon de Reya, Burges Salmon and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe have all confirmed their retention figures for this September's trainee intakes. BLP is keeping on 80% of its 20 trainees after 16 newly qualified (NQ) lawyers accepted positions at the firm. The percentage is slightly down from last September's figure, when the firm retained 95% (19) of its 20 trainees.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

July 31, 2012 | International Edition

Nabarro has won a lead advisory role on a £1.3bn Olympic legacy development project in Stratford City. The International Quarter project - a joint venture between property group Lend Lease and rail company London & Continental Railways - will see a new commercial district built in space currently occupied by the Olympic Park, including four million sq ft of office space, a new hotel and 350 homes.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read