Simon Petersen

April 21, 2011 | International Edition

The burden of regulatory compliance is causing "misery" for private equity houses, with associated legal and compliance costs eating into returns, according to Better Capital managing director Jon Moulton. Speaking at Legal Week's Private Equity Forum last week (13 April), Moulton said regulation such as the European Commission's Directive for Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFM), the forthcoming UK Bribery Act, the US' Dodd-Frank Act and carbon reporting requirements were causing undue problems for buyout houses.

By Simon Petersen

3 minute read

April 21, 2011 | International Edition

Charles Russell and Slaughter and May have taken lead roles on the $210m (£128.5m) privatisation of the Bahamas' national telecommunications operator. The deal, completed on 6 April, will see the Bahamas Government sell a 51% interest in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC).

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

April 21, 2011 | International Edition

Pinsent Masons has boosted its Middle East projects and construction team with two new partners, with one more set to relocate to the region later this year. Projects and finance specialist Simon Harvey will join Pinsents' Dubai office from Baker & McKenzie this June, while international arbitration specialist Bjorn Gehle will join in July from Clayton Utz's Sydney base. Gehle, a special counsel at the Australian firm, advises on infrastructure and construction projects, international trade, energy and resources as well as corporate disputes.

By Simon Petersen

1 minute read

April 19, 2011 | International Edition

Bird & Bird is set to launch a six-lawyer office in Hamburg next month. The office, which will open on 1 May, will be the firm's fourth in Germany and its first new base in Europe since September 2008, when the firm launched in four Central and Eastern Europe countries. Joining the office will be a six-strong team from local boutique Recore Business Lawyers which specialises in real estate, corporate, M&A and restructuring work.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

April 18, 2011 | International Edition

Hill Dickinson has announced its partner promotions, with the firm adding nine lawyers to its partnership. The firm's Liverpool gains four new partners, with three in London and two in Chester. Broken down by practice area, property, regulatory and professional risk all gain two partners each, while the insurance, private client and commercial teams gain one apiece. The firm has also promoted one legal director, Philippa Hipwel, in its Liverpool office.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

April 18, 2011 | International Edition

Germany's Noerr is set to launch an office in Alicante with a double hire from Hogan Lovells. The office, which will open in the middle of this year, will focus on intellectual property (IP) litigation, strategic trademark management and the management of international trademark and design portfolios.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

April 18, 2011 | International Edition

DLA Piper has made up 53 lawyers to the firm's partnership around the world. The firm's London base sees five lawyers join the partnership across the restructuring, litigation & regulation and finance & projects practices, while two additional promotions see Amber Mathews join the partnership in a corporate management role and Zelinda Bennett promoted to a partner-equivalent role in marketing.

By Simon Petersen

4 minute read

April 18, 2011 | International Edition

Pinsent Masons has boosted its property practice with the hire of DLA Piper's former global head of real estate team David Taylor. Taylor, currently a senior consultant at DLA, will join Pinsents on 1 May. Prior to joining DLA in 2004, he headed up Berwin Leighton Paisner's real estate practice before joining Herbert Smith as a senior consultant in 2000.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

April 14, 2011 | International Edition

Lawrence Graham (LG) has become the latest City firm to announce its 2011 promotions, with two London lawyers made up to the firm's partnership. The promotions, which take effect on 1 May, see James Sidwell made up in commercial litigation and David Ponsford in corporate. Sidwell specialises in advising on disputes in the banking and financial services sectors, as well as risk management, contentious regulatory and investigatory work.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read

April 14, 2011 | International Edition

Ashurst is set to launch a Hong Kong dispute resolution practice with the hire of Simmons & Simmons China disputes head Gareth Hughes. Hughes, who specialises in disputes relating to banking and financial services, will become the eighth partner in Ashurst's Hong Kong base.

By Simon Petersen

2 minute read