Suzi Ring

February 14, 2012 | International Edition

Howard Kennedy has launched a redundancy consultation with six non-equity partners and one senior associate in its property department in a bid to maintain profitability at the firm. The consultation could lead to the firm's property practice shrinking from 26 partners to 20, with a statement from Howard Kennedy issued earlier today (14 February) concluding that the top heavy practice, which also comprises 19 solicitors, had limited opportunities for growth and succession planning.

By Suzi Ring

3 minute read

February 13, 2012 | International Edition

Herbert Smith and Linklaters are in line to advise on the proposed takeover of Cable & Wireless Worldwide (CWW) by Vodafone. Herbert Smith is acting for CWW with a team led by London corporate partner Christopher Haynes, while Linklaters is understood to be advising Vodafone on its potential bid.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 13, 2012 | International Edition

News Corporation has paid out nearly $200m (£126m) in legal costs over the phone-hacking scandal to date, with the majority spent on external advice, according to the company's latest financial results. The figures, contained within the company's results for the last three months of 2011, show the media giant paid out $87m (£55m) in legal fees and investigations into phone-hacking at its now defunct newspaper News of the World (NoW) during the period up to 31 December last year.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 10, 2012 | International Edition

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe has announced its 2012 partner promotions with two made up in the City. The US firm has promoted 16 lawyers to the partnership effective 1 January 2012, doubling the eight it made up last year.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 09, 2012 | International Edition

Herbert Smith has set out details of its international expansion plans, with the City law firm hoping to open three offices in Germany in addition to a base in New York in the wake of its failed merger bid with former European alliance partners Gleiss Lutz and Stibbe in November last year. The firm has appointed London corporate managing partner Patrick Mitchell and City corporate partner Alan Montgomery to head a committee dealing with its launch in Germany, where it hopes to open in Frankfurt, Duesseldorf and Munich.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 09, 2012 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is gearing up for a relaunch in Singapore, almost five years after the firm shut down its former office in the region. The magic circle firm is planning to open the new arm this autumn, with the move expected to be discussed at a meeting of the firm's partnership council this week. The new office will focus on arbitration, corporate, projects and energy work, with the firm also looking to use the base as a strategic access point for India.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 09, 2012 | International Edition

Herbert Smith has taken a lead role opposite potential merger partner Freehills on the A$375m (£254m) sale of Australian pharma company Ascent Pharmahealth to US company Watson Pharmaceuticals. Herbert Smith advised the majority seller, Indian pharma company Strides Arcolab, a new client for the firm, with a team led by City corporate partner Alan Montgomery (pictured) alongside tax partner Isaac Zailer and intellectual property partner Joel Smith.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 09, 2012 | International Edition

The Government has dropped plans to extend incoming access to justice provisions beyond personal injury (PI) as the debate over the implementation of the Jackson reforms to civil litigation costs continues. The Government earlier this month confirmed that it had rejected proposals to usher in so-called 'qualified one-way costs-shifting' (QOCS) beyond PI claims during a Parliamentary debate on the new civil justice bill.

By Suzi Ring

3 minute read

February 08, 2012 | International Edition

Ashurst saw a £5m increase in staff costs during 2010-11 against a 2% drop in staff count, according to the firm's limited liability partnership (LLP) accounts. The accounts, recently filed on Companies House, show staff costs rose to £127.8m last year, up from £122.3m in 2009-10. Over the same period, total legal and support staff headcount fell from 1,634 to 1,602. The firm attributed the increase in staff costs to a rise in the number of partners outside the UK treated as salaried partners under the LLP for accountancy reasons.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 08, 2012 | International Edition

FTSE 250 technology company Misys has handed general counsel Tom Kilroy a role on the company's board as acting CEO amid £2bn merger negotiations with Swiss rival Temenos. Misys announced the appointment on 8 February after former chief executive Mike Lawrie's resignation from the company. Kilroy (pictured) has taken over the CEO role with immediate effect, although Lawrie will remain at Misys until 31 March this year.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read