Simon Petersen

September 05, 2011 | International Edition

Mayer Brown has strengthened its London corporate and securities practice with a hire from Debevoise & Plimpton. Colin Scagell joined the international firm today (5 September) as the newest partner in its London-based insurance industry group. He joins from the City office of Debevoise, where he was an associate.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

September 05, 2011 | International Edition

Linklaters, DLA Piper and Allen & Overy are among a raft of major law firms to have signed up to a public commitment to cut their carbon emissions. The firms are among 20 'executive' members of the Legal Sector Alliance - a group of law firms and organisations working to reduce Co2 emissions in the legal industry - to agree public targets from the next financial year.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

September 01, 2011 | International Edition

Irish firm Dillon Eustace has bolstered its Asian practice with an office launch in Hong Kong. Corporate and M&A partner Paul Moloney will head the office, which opened today (1 September) and will provide European financial and regulatory advice to the firm's existing Asian clients.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

September 01, 2011 | International Edition

The Halliwells partners facing a £21m High Court claim by the firm's administrators are set to enter mediation in an effort to avoid a lengthy court battle. BDO launched the claim in July against a group of 32 ex-partners - including former chairman Ian Austin - in a bid to reclaim more than £21m gained through a controversial 'reverse premium' property payout.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

August 31, 2011 | International Edition

The Arab Spring has become a summer. More than six months since a solitary act of protest in Tunisia became the catalyst for widespread political unrest that swept throughout much of the Arab world, the swelling tide of uprisings in the Middle East continues. As the Muslim month of fasting comes to an end, the region is radically different to how it was one year ago. A violent transformation has taken place: dictators have fallen, dynamics have shifted and the institutional setup of the region has been radically altered. Most pressingly for the legal sector, markets in places such as Bahrain, Egypt and Libya have been hit hard.

By Simon Petersen

11 minute read

August 26, 2011 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) has named Andrew Whan as the firm's new Tokyo corporate head, following the departure of partner Alan Kitchin.Corporate finance partner Whan has relocated to Tokyo from Hong Kong to take up the new post.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

August 26, 2011 | International Edition

Norton Rose has added a quartet of partners to its Sydney office, including a trio of hires from Australia rival Clayton Utz. Funds partner John Moutsopoulos, banking partner Zein El Hassan and tax partner Paul Humphreys are all joining from 'big six' Aussie firm Clayton Utz, while Tessa Hoser, the general counsel of the Australian Government's export credit agency, is also joining as a partner.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

August 25, 2011 | International Edition

Linklaters, Eversheds and DLA Piper are among a list of leading UK law firms to have offered pro bono legal support to victims of the London riots. Legal charity LawWorks has launched a dedicated helpline to offer free legal advice and support to those affected by the recent riots, in particular owners of small independent businesses to have suffered as a result of the unrest.

By Simon Petersen

3 minute read

August 24, 2011 | International Edition

Weightmans has won The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust as a new client for its healthcare and corporate practices. The firm won the Trust as a new client through a competitive tender process carried out under a new framework agreement.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

August 23, 2011 | International Edition

DWF has posted a 100% retention rate for its autumn 2011 intake of newly-qualified lawyers (NQs). The northwest firm, which runs one trainee intake each year, is set to keep on all 16 of its trainee solicitors. The figure marks an increase on last year's retention rate of 89%, when 16 of the 18 lawyers in the intake were offered roles with the firm.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read