Suzi Ring

October 11, 2011 | International Edition

Watson Farley & Williams has launched a local law practice in Singapore via a joint venture with regional firm Asia Practice. The Singapore firm, a five-partner practice specialising in banking, corporate and litigation law, was set up in November last year by banking partner Leon Low from local outfit Shook Lin & Bok.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 11, 2011 | International Edition

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has added a partner to its Moscow dispute resolution practice with the hire of Hannes Snellman's Russia disputes head Oleg Arkhipov. The hire comes after last month's departure of Russia disputes chief Maxim Kulkov, who left to head up the Moscow litigation practice at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 10, 2011 | International Edition

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Stibbe, Linklaters, Clifford Chance (CC) and Belgian firm Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck & Kirkpatrick are among a raft of firms to have picked up roles on the state rescue of Dexia bank in Belgium. Cleary is advising Dexia, which today (10 October) confirmed that its Belgian operations would be bought by the Belgian government for €4bn (£3.5bn), while the Belgian, Luxembourg and French states will guarantee a further €90bn (£78.4bn) to secure borrowing over the next 10 years. The bank also intends to sell its Luxembourg operations to investors.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 10, 2011 | International Edition

Slaughter and May and Allen & Overy (A&O) are leading a four-firm line-up advising on the £472m private equity sale of credit card provider SAV Credit to investment manager Vaerde Partners. Slaughters advised SAV owner Palamon Capital Partners on the sale, with London corporate partner David Wittmann leading a team that also included tax partner Graham Iversen.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 10, 2011 | International Edition

Linklaters has moved to bulk up its partner ranks in Asia with corporate heavyweight Matthew Middleditch among a senior trio set to relocate to the region. Middleditch will join the firm's Hong Kong office in January next year, while Amsterdam partner Peter Goes is set to join the Beijing office in early 2012 and Madrid partner Miles Curley will transfer to Singapore next summer.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 05, 2011 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has pushed back the launch of an initiative that will see the magic circle law firm use its alumni network to provide additional staffing on deals during busy periods. The scheme, known as Freshworker, was intended to launch in autumn 2010; however, a full-scale pilot now looks likely to be delayed until early 2012.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 05, 2011 | International Edition

Olswang has seen a brace of departures in London with two partners exiting the firm to join Italy's Chiomenti and BSkyB. Former international finance head Michael Benster has left to join Chiomenti in London, taking partner headcount in the Italian leader's London office to three. He joined Chiomenti last month, becoming the firm's second English law partner in London. He had been at Olswang since 2004, prior to which he worked in the New York office of US firm Vinson & Elkins, and is qualified in both English and US law.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 05, 2011 | International Edition

"It's a bit like being a cox in a rowing boat. If everyone is rowing in sync, the boat is going to move much better. My role is part helping set the direction and part getting everyone pointing the same way and oiling the machinery to achieve this," says Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's Mark Rawlinson of his new role as London head. Freshfields born and raised, the role is not Rawlinson's first management position at the firm he joined in 1982, following a three-year stint as London corporate head that ended this summer. However, in taking over from his predecessor Tim Jones, Rawlinson, who to date has been better 
known for his transactional 
work than management 
matters, has set himself a bigger 
challenge: transforming the 
office's working culture.

By Suzi Ring

6 minute read

October 05, 2011 | International Edition

Watson Farley & Williams has bulked up its London asset finance practice with a team hire from Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) led by City partner Nicola Davies. Davies is set to join the firm along with associate director Samantha Yardley, who will join Watson Farley as a partner.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 05, 2011 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed Dubai corporate partner Pervez Akhtar as regional managing partner for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Akhtar took up a three-year term in the role with effect from 1 October, replacing M&A partner Bertrand Pellet.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read