Suzi Ring

July 13, 2011 | International Edition

Doubts remain about verein-backed mergers but partners believe such unions can deliver a strong service for bluechip clients; Hogan Lovells and Bakers viewed as the most effective platforms. Suzi Ring reports

By Suzi Ring

5 minute read

July 13, 2011 | International Edition

Legal wrangling over News Corporation's controversial bid to take over BSkyB stepped up a gear this week as the proposed deal was referred to the Competition Commission. The referral by culture secretary Jeremy Hunt on Monday afternoon (11 July) was made in response to News Corp withdrawing from a proposed undertaking to spin off Sky News and came amid mounting public pressure for the tie-up to be halted as allegations continued to emerge in the ongoing phone-hacking scandal.

By Suzi Ring

5 minute read

July 12, 2011 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is currently investigating one of its business support functions in relation to discrepancies over supplier arrangements. The support group in question is understood to be part of the firm's IT function, with around six employees asked to leave work while the investigation is ongoing.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 08, 2011 | International Edition

Travers Smith has announced its 2010-11 financial results with turnover remaining static at £72m, against an 8% drop in profits per equity partner (PEP).The firm has seen PEP fall to £650,000 down from £705,000 in 2009-10, with management attributing the dip to increases in salaries and staff numbers.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 08, 2011 | International Edition

Macfarlanes has posted its 2010-11 financial results, with both revenue and profits per equity partner (PEP) increasing at the firm after a slight dip last year. The firm has seen turnover grow 2.5% to £94.7m, up from £92.4m last year, while PEP rose to £752,000, 4.6% up on the 2009-10 figure of £719,000. The results are also ahead of the firm's 2008-09 financial performance, when revenue stood at £94.3m with PEP at £744,000.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 07, 2011 | International Edition

A raft of law firms have been handed roles acting for News International and other affected parties as the publisher yesterday (7 July) announced the shock closure of Sunday newspaper, the News of the World (NoW). The NoW will publish its final issue this Sunday (10 July) after 168 years, following allegations of phone-hacking and police bribery, with Olswang, Carter-Ruck, Collyer Bristow and Matrix Chambers among a number of other firms acting for parties involved in the ongoing scandal.

By Suzi Ring

5 minute read

July 06, 2011 | International Edition

Watson Farley & Williams has bulked up its New York arm with the hire of energy partner Grace Kurdian from US law firm McCarter & English. Kurdian joined the firm this week after seven years at McCarter in its real estate, construction and environmental group, having joined the firm's partnership in 2008.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 06, 2011 | International Edition

The proposed merger between Clyde & Co and Barlow Lyde & Gilbert is set to go to a vote by the end of July after Clydes' partnership indicated broad support 
for a tie-up. Clydes' partnership conference in June saw partners given the chance to air their views about the potential tie-up as well as any concerns, with the majority coming out in favour of a deal.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 06, 2011 | International Edition

Olswang has launched an office in Munich at the request of technology giant Microsoft. The office, which opened earlier this week (4 July), will focus on intellectual property (IP) work including patent filing, prosecution and enforcement for a range of clients as well as Microsoft.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 06, 2011 | International Edition

Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have topped Mergermarket's European deal rankings for the first half of 2011 – a six-month period in which deal volumes fell across every geographic region compared with the same period in 2010. Linklaters heads the value rankings in Europe with roles on 106 deals worth $141bn (£87.6bn), while Freshfields ranks first by volume in Europe, working on 108 deals worth $124.8bn (£77.7bn).

By Suzi Ring

4 minute read