Sofia Lind

June 09, 2010 | International Edition

Denton Wilde Sapte's merger with Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal has been rubber-stamped after partners at both firms approved the merger today (9 June) in two firmwide votes. Both law firms needed 75% of their partnerships to support the proposed union, which was worked out between the management of the two firms with discussions held since last summer and the proposals announced last month (26 May).

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

June 09, 2010 | International Edition

Norton Rose is set to pilot a global partner development programme after entering an agreement with Cass Business School in London. Partners at the City law firm will be trained in areas including efficiency and management under a new scheme to be rolled out later this month.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

June 09, 2010 | International Edition

Lloyds Banking Group has embarked upon a full UK panel review, creating a combined roster for Lloyds TSB and HBOS for the first time. The banking giant has invited a large number of UK law firms to pitch for the review, with a view to creating a new panel with firms appointed along practice lines.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

June 04, 2010 | International Edition

SJ Berwin has advised on a £450m private equity deal that has seen Phoenix Equity Partners defy market conditions to close an oversubscribed buyout fund. Phoenix is a longstanding client of SJ Berwin and the firm also advised on its last buyout fund formation in 2006. Phoenix targets the UK mid-market with a varied portfolio of investment in brands including Britain's largest branded handbag supplier Radley + Co, Thai restaurant chain Busaba Eathai and automotive supplier Andrew Page.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

June 02, 2010 | International Edition

The Red Knights - the group of City financiers which includes Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer London corporate head Mark Rawlinson - have put their billion-pound bid for Manchester United on hold. In a statement, the group said that it was only interested in purchasing the Premiership club at a "sensible" price after news recently emerged that the club's current owners had rejected a £1.5bn offer from a Middle Eastern investor last year.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

June 02, 2010 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) has elected tax heavyweight Gottfried Breuninger as the firm's new German managing partner. Breuninger launched the magic circle firm's Munich office in 2008 when he joined from Shearman & Sterling, where he headed up the Munich base as well as the German tax practice. He was also the co-head of the US firm's international tax practice.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

June 02, 2010 | International Edition

A number of high-flying public sector lawyers have seen their pay packages disclosed this week (31 May) after the Cabinet Office issued a list of civil servants earning more than £150,000. First parliamentary counsel Stephen Laws is among those with the highest public income, falling into the pay bracket £225,000-£229,999. Laws, a qualified barrister, joined the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in 1976.

By Sofia Lind

3 minute read

June 01, 2010 | International Edition

Taylor Wessing is set to add a new partner to its private equity practice with a Clifford Chance (CC) hire. Emma Danks will join the Anglo-German firm's London office on 1 September, becoming the 10th partner in the City private equity team. Danks is currently a senior associate at CC after joining the firm as a trainee in 1999. She qualified in 2001, after also spending time in the magic circle law firm's Hong Kong office.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

June 01, 2010 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) has highlighted growth in emerging markets as a key strand among a number of strategy updates, outlined at the firm's partnership conference last week. The conference, which took on the tag-line 'Connect', was the firm's first meeting of its entire partnership since 2008. Partners discussed strategy under three broad topics: clients, practice groups and geography.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

June 01, 2010 | International Edition

Denton Wilde Sapte is to merge with US firm Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, creating SNR Denton, a 1,250-lawyer firm with offices spreading across four continents. The tie-up is set to be rubber-stamped by a partner vote next week (9 June) and will go live on 30 September, with Dentons chief executive Howard Morris named co-chief executive alongside Sonnenschein chairman Elliott Portnoy.

By Sofia Lind

3 minute read