Sofia Lind

November 10, 2011 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) has announced an 11% revenue hike at the half-year point, citing recent investment in key international markets as the principal driver of the double-digit growth. The firm brought in revenues of £582m for the period from 1 May to 31 October, up from the figure of £526m the firm took in during the equivalent period last year.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

November 09, 2011 | International Edition

Norton Rose and Baker Botts have taken lead roles on a major finance transaction which has seen Siberian Coal Energy Company (SUEK) secure a five-year loan facility worth $1.3bn (£813m). Baker Botts' London office acted for SUEK, Russia's largest coal producer and a regular client of the Texas-based law firm, while Norton Rose advised a 16-bank syndicate led by UniCredit and ING.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

November 01, 2011 | International Edition

SNR Denton has made its second London energy partner hire in recent weeks, with the addition of Humphrey Douglas from legacy Barlow Lyde & Gilbert. Douglas, who was Barlows' only non-contentious energy partner, joined SNR Denton today (1 November) - the same day that Barlows formally merged into Clyde & Co.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

October 20, 2011 | International Edition

QualitySolicitors has become one of the first legal organisations to secure private equity backing, with Palamon Capital Partners becoming the majority shareholder in the high street law franchise. The size of the investment - which has seen Palamon take a majority stake in QualitySolicitors' holding company - is undisclosed, but it is thought to be as much as £100m. The money will be principally used for marketing purposes in the short term and operational purposes in the medium term.

By Sofia Lind

3 minute read

October 19, 2011 | International Edition

Norton Rose has lost another Middle East partner, with Abu Dhabi corporate finance specialist Patrick Watson-Thorp leaving the firm to take a senior in-house role at Standard Chartered. Watson-Thorp is joining the financial services company as co-head of lending and finance for wholesale banking legal across the Middle East, Africa and Pakistan.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

October 19, 2011 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) has drafted in McKinsey & Company to train its partners to build stronger client relationships by providing 'off-deal' strategic advice, after a client survey found the firm's lawyers were too focused on technical aspects. The programme, which has been rolled out to 100 partners holding the firm's most important client relationships, will focus on encouraging them to assist clients on strategic issues unrelated to deals.

By Sofia Lind

3 minute read

October 19, 2011 | International Edition

CMS Cameron McKenna has followed Linklaters' lead and published staff diversity statistics ahead of a controversial new requirement from the Legal Services Board (LSB) that will make such reporting compulsory from December 2012. Results from the voluntary survey, which saw 50% of all UK lawyers and staff participating, indicate the firm needs to make ground with improving both racial and gender diversity in its partnership.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

October 19, 2011 | International Edition

With tuition fees on the rise in the UK and student debt increasing, part-time study is becoming an increasingly attractive option for law students who need to work to finance their degree. The introduction of £9,000 annual tuition fees may not happen until 2012, but law course providers say interest in studying part time has been on the rise for some time. According to Sarah Hutchinson, the board member for business development at the College of Law (CoL), the tough financial climate is likely to have had both a positive and negative impact on the number of applications to law courses, including part-time programmes.

By Sofia Lind

8 minute read

October 19, 2011 | International Edition

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) and media boutique Russells Solicitors are advising on the a dispute between former Smiths frontman Morrissey and music magazine NME which could see one of the first UK libel cases heard before a jury in recent years. NME has requested to strike out the libel lawsuit, which was brought against the magazine's former editor Conor McNicholas and its publisher IPC Media by Morrissey four years ago.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

October 18, 2011 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) has added another O'Melveny & Myers partner to its recently-launched Washington DC base, as the firm moves to beef up its banking regulatory capabilities in the office. The magic circle firm has recruited US financial services regulatory partner Bill Satchell for the new DC base, where he will join his former O'Melveny colleagues Barbara Stettner, Chris Salter and Charles Borden.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read