Suzi Ring

October 18, 2011 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) have taken advisory roles on the merger of property websites Zoopla, FindaProperty.com and Primelocation.com. RPC advised longstanding client Daily Mail and General Trust (DGMT), which owns FindaProperty.com and Primelocation.com, with a team led by corporate head Tim Anderson.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 18, 2011 | International Edition

A former magistrates' court clerk has become the first person to be prosecuted and convicted under the UK Bribery Act, after he admitted accepting a £500 bribe to "get rid" of a speeding charge. Munir Patel pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court last Friday (14 October) to bribery and misconduct in public office during his employment as an administrative clerk at London's Redbridge Magistrates' Court.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 17, 2011 | International Edition

Beachcroft and Davies Arnold Cooper (DAC) have frozen their trainee recruitment processes indefinitely as the duo gear up to complete their merger later this month. The firms have decided to delay their usual trainee recruitment activities until a decision has been made about how recruitment will operate at the combined firm, which is set to go live on 31 October.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 17, 2011 | International Edition

News Corporation has parted ways with legal adviser Farrer & Co and appointed Olswang to advise it on all civil claims relating to phone-hacking at the News of the World (NoW). Farrers has been the primary adviser to the now-defunct tabloid throughout the phone-hacking scandal, and is understood to have advised on more than 60 cases taken out by alleged victims.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 14, 2011 | International Edition

K&L Gates has bulked up its Brussels arm with the hire of Taylor Wessing's regional corporate head Jeroen Smets. Smets has joined the US firm after five years at Taylor Wessing, where he launched the firm's Brussels corporate practice. Prior to Taylor Wessing he was a senior associate at Ashurst.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 12, 2011 | International Edition

Macfarlanes is set to continue diversifying its practice away from its traditional corporate focus, with the firm planning to launch a projects and infrastructure group in the coming months. The firm hopes to launch the practice in order to take advantage of increasing activity in the emerging markets at a time when corporate activity in London has been hit heavily by the global economic turmoil.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 12, 2011 | International Edition

Herbert Smith has appointed Moscow litigation chief Dmitry Kurochkin as its new head of dispute resolution for Continental Europe, the Middle East and Africa (CEMEA). The appointment, effective from the start of this month, makes Kurochkin the first partner to hold the role. The firm previously appointed Paris disputes head Denis Chemla to lead the CEMEA practice in May this year; however, he resigned days later to join Allen & Overy (A&O). Kurochkin will continue as head of the Moscow disputes practice alongside the new position. He has been at Herbert Smith since 2002, when he joined from Clifford Chance, and was made up to partner in 2004.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 12, 2011 | International Edition

Holman Fenwick Willan has grown its London corporate, projects and finance practice with the hire of Fulbright & Jaworski partner Susan Farmer. Farmer, who is US qualified, will join Holman Fenwick next week after four years in Fulbright's London office. She left Fulbright in August. Her practice focuses on the energy, natural resources and electric power sectors, with her hire taking the total number of partners in Holman Fenwick's London corporate, projects and finance practice to 12.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 12, 2011 | International Edition

Brown Rudnick has bulked up its London arm with the hire of LG intellectual property (IP) and media head Georgie Collins. Collins joined the firm last week after three years with LG, where she has been a partner since 2010 and practice head since 2008. Her practice focuses on both contentious and non-contentious IP matters with particular experience in international and cross-border disputes. Her departure leaves LG with no partners in its IP 
and media group.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 12, 2011 | International Edition

Holman Fenwick Willan has launched in Brazil with the acquisition of Barlow Lyde & Gilbert's local arm. The two firms signed an agreement on Tuesday (11 October) that will see Holman take on Barlows' existing branch in Sao Paulo, following the earlier hire of Barlows' sole partner in the country, aviation partner Jeremy Shebson.

By Suzi Ring

3 minute read