Suzi Ring

March 05, 2012 | International Edition

Salans has unveiled its financial results for 2011, posting a 5% increase in turnover to €206.3m (£169.7m). The firm saw revenue rise 5% on the figure of €196.5m (£163.8m) posted at this time last year, while net profit fell marginally to €41.9m (£34.9m), down from the 2010 figure of €42.1m (£35.1m).

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

March 01, 2012 | International Edition

Slaughter and May has taken the lead role on the $2.5bn (£1.6bn) privatisation of Chinese online shopping giant Alibaba.com. The magic circle firm is advising Alibaba on its withdrawal from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, fielding a team led by Hong Kong capital markets partner Benita Yu (pictured). The privatisation, announced on 21 February this year, has seen Alibaba Group offer HK$13.50 (£1.10) per share, a 60% premium on the 60-day average closing price.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

March 01, 2012 | International Edition

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) managing partner Neville Eisenberg is set to take up his fifth term at the helm of the top 20 City law firm, with integrating the 25 lateral partner hires the firm has made during the current financial year top of his list of priorities. The haul includes the high-profile recruitment of former Linklaters corporate chief David Barnes earlier this week (27 February), whose hire was announced only days after BLP partners elected Eisenberg to take up his next three-year term on 1 May. Barnes is the latest of a number of ex-magic circle partner hires for BLP in recent years, with some brought in on special deals above the firm's core modified lockstep. It is understood that Barnes – who joins BLP's corporate group after retiring from Linklaters last summer following a 36-year career with the City giant, during which he worked with key clients including Sainsbury's, BT and HSBC – has been recruited within the firm's normal equity ladder.

By Suzi Ring

3 minute read

March 01, 2012 | International Edition

Herbert Smith, Pinsent Masons, Eversheds and Farrer & Co have won places on the Southbank Centre's first legal panels, which cover property and planning work; employment and pensions; and commercial and other legal services.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

March 01, 2012 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed corporate partners Simon Marchant and Ben Spiers to co-head its London M&A practice in a first time role for the magic circle firm.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

March 01, 2012 | International Edition

Ince & Co has announced its 2012 partner promotions, with the shipping specialist adding five lawyers to its partnership. The round sees the firm focusing on its international network, with no promotions in London, two in Hamburg and one apiece in Paris, Shanghai and Singapore.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 29, 2012 | International Edition

Kirkland & Ellis and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer are advising on CVC Capital Partners' €1.8bn (£1.5bn) acquisition of Nordic tool distributor Ahlsell. Kirkland is advising the sellers, Cinven and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, fielding a team led by City private equity partners Gavin Gordon and David Arnold, who joined the firm from Ashurst in 2010.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 29, 2012 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) has elected two new partners to its partnership council, with Italy banking head Giuseppe De Palma and Dubai banking partner Robin Abraham set to take up their new posts next month. De Palma and Abraham will begin their three-year terms on the council as of 19 March this year, replacing New York banking partner Thomas Schulte and Amsterdam corporate partner Jeroen Koster.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 28, 2012 | International Edition

The annual round of QC appointments has been announced today (29 February), with Clyde & Co senior partner Michael Payton awarded honorary QC status. Payton, who has been senior partner of Clydes since 1984, has taken the firm through a number of major changes including its merger with legacy Barlow Lyde & Gilbert in November last year. Blackstone Chambers, 7 King's Bench Walk and Doughty Street Chambers are among this year's most successful chambers, with all three housing a trio of newly appointed silks.

By Suzi Ring

7 minute read

February 28, 2012 | International Edition

Northwest law firm Keoghs is in talks to take external investment from private equity house Bowmark Capital, according to press reports. The firm is understood to be talking to Bowmark about a deal that could see the private equity firm take a stake in Keoghs, with the Manchester Evening News reporting that an agreement could be in place by the summer.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read