Sofia Lind

February 15, 2011 | International Edition

SJ Berwin has completed the next stage of its governance overhaul, finalising the line-up of its new management committee. The committee, which will oversee day-to-day management issues at the firm, comprises managing partner Rob Day, corporate head Steven Davis, finance head Jeremy Cross, litigation head Craig Pollack and real estate co-head Simon Ricketts as well as intellectual property partner David Rose and corporate partner Simon Witney.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

February 15, 2011 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) and Slaughter and May have scored roles on a multibillion-pound cross-border deal in the energy sector. The $2.8bn (£1.7bn) transaction will see the UK-based Wood Group sell off its well support division to US industrial giant General Electric (GE). The deal, announced yesterday (14 February), saw A&O win both the US and UK mandates for GE, while Texas energy specialist firm Baker Botts advised Wood Group in the US, with Slaughters advising in the UK.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

February 14, 2011 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) has appointed a new London head of tax, pensions and employment. Chris Davies will take over London management responsibilities from global practice group head David Harkness, who was first appointed to lead the group on a global basis in 2006 before taking on both London and global responsibilites in 2009. Harkness will continue as global head of the group, with Davies appointed for a four-year term.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

February 14, 2011 | International Edition

CMS has made a number of changes to its top-level structure as executive partner Dick Tyler prepares to return to practice at UK member firm CMS Cameron McKenna this summer. Among a series of appointments, the nine-member network of European firms has promoted operations director Matthew Gorman to the executive partner role, while Cornelius Brandi has been re-elected as the chairman of CMS's executive committee.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

February 11, 2011 | International Edition

Wragge & Co has won a first-time corporate instruction from Premier Foods, advising the UK's largest food producer on the £182m sale of its tinned grocery business to rival Princes. The sale sees Princes, which is owned by Japanese trading company Mitsubishi Corporation, take over Premier's 1,600-staff Canned Grocery Operations arm, which includes brands such as Crosse & Blackwell, Fray Bentos, Farrows and Smedley's.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

February 11, 2011 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) is set to strengthen its Australian banking practice with the hire of a partner from Freehills. Adam Stapledon is set to join the magic circle firm's Sydney office in April, after four years as a partner with Freehills in Australia. He previously worked as a lawyer with Shearman & Sterling in London.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

February 11, 2011 | International Edition

Denton Wilde Sapte saw partner headcount fall by 15% in the last full financial year before its US merger, the firm's limited liability partnership (LLP) filings have revealed. The accounts show that Dentons' partnership shrank by 21 during 2009-10, from 159 to 138, alongside an 11% decrease in total staff numbers. SNR Denton co-chairman Howard Morris said that some of the departures had come in light of partnership restructuring, but that natural attrition had also been a factor behind the decrease.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

February 09, 2011 | International Edition

Norton Rose has joined a local community initiative to help London school leavers find work as part of a government push to combat rising youth unemployment in the capital. The UK top 10 law firm is supporting a local Southwark initiative, working with the National Apprenticeship Service to take on an apprentice for the firm's in-house finance team.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

February 09, 2011 | International Edition

Norton Rose is set to make a lateral hire in London with the addition of a real estate finance partner from Nabarro. Duncan Hubbard will join Norton Rose's banking practice later this month (21 February). Formerly a lawyer at Ashurst, Hubbard has been a partner in the banking, finance and restructuring team at Nabarro since 2005.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

February 08, 2011 | International Edition

CMS Cameron McKenna is set to see at least four partner departures as a result of a restructuring which has also seen a small number of partners moved down the firm's equity ladder. The departures come as a result of an internal partner review that began at the end of last year and closed in January.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read