Sofia Lind

May 20, 2011 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and CMS Cameron McKenna have advised on the largest European private equity deal since before the global financial crisis, worth €9.6bn (£8.4bn). The two law firms have advised as Japanese pharma company Takeda makes a move into the European market with the debt-free purchase of Swiss-based drug-maker Nycomed from its private equity owners.

By Sofia Lind

3 minute read

May 20, 2011 | International Edition

Clydesdale Bank has consolidated its national legal panel, with firms including Norton Rose and Hogan Lovells winning spots on the new-look roster. The firm has named 14 firms on the panel, which also covers legal work for Yorkshire Bank, as both Yorkshire and Clydesdale are UK subsidiaries of parent National Australia Bank (NAB).

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

May 19, 2011 | International Edition

Dewey & LeBoeuf has made a double private equity partner hire from Taylor Wessing including private equity head Mark Davis. Davis is joining the US firm's City office alongside private equity partner Russell Van Praagh.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

May 18, 2011 | International Edition

SJ Berwin has joined a number of law firms advising on the private equity rescue of troubled London fashion chain AllSaints Spitalfields. The top-20 City law firm secured the mandate to advise the buyers – Lion Capital and Goode Partners – on their acquisition of the retailer from failed Icelandic banks Kaupthing and Glitnir, which had put their stakes up for sale.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

May 18, 2011 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) has lost its Americas head of litigation and dispute resolution, with Juan Morillo joining Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton in Washington DC. The departure will be seen as a blow to the magic circle law firm, which heavily restructured its US litigation practice two years ago.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

May 18, 2011 | International Edition

Nomura has hired UBS global co-general counsel David Graham to take up a new senior legal role in London. Graham will join Nomura this summer in the new role of head of legal and GC for the bank's global wholesale division.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

May 18, 2011 | International Edition

Norton Rose has taken a lead role on a multibillion-pound cross-border project finance deal to develop a new security headquarters for the government in Saudi Arabia. The City law firm has advised longstanding client Saudi Oger on the first stage of financing for a project to build new security headquarters for the Saudi Ministry of Interior across various parts of the country.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

May 18, 2011 | International Edition

Norton Rose has increased its newly-qualified (NQ) salaries to £60,000 from £59,000 and raised the lowest-level bonus rate from 2.5% to 5%. The top 10 City firm has opted to keep first-year trainee pay stable at £37,000 after reviewing salaries for this financial year, having increased trainee rates by 4% last year. Pay for the firm's more experienced associates is linked to the firm's merit-based model introduced three years ago.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

May 17, 2011 | International Edition

Covington & Burling has added four partners to its City life sciences practice with the hire of a team from Morrison & Foerster (MoFo). The team includes MoFo's City corporate head Paul Claydon as well as London partners Natalie Diep, James Gubbins and James Halstead. The team's start date is still being negotiated, but they are expected to join in the next couple of weeks.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

May 13, 2011 | International Edition

SJ Berwin is looking to rebuild in real estate finance ahead of the departure of City partner Nathan Briner, who is moving to an Australian corporate and private client firm. Briner, an Australian native who joined the UK top 20 firm in 1998 and made partner in 2005, is leaving in August to join Arnold Bloch Leibler's Sydney office after deciding to return to his home country.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read