Suzi Ring

October 29, 2010 | International Edition

Portuguese independent Morais Leitao Galvao Teles Soares da Silva & Asociados has strengthened its position in Asia with an alliance in mainland China. The firm has joined forces with Macau law firm MdME in a formal alliance, in a bid to capitalise on outbound investments in Portuguese-speaking countries by Chinese investors. The move marks the third formal international alliance for Morais Leitao, coming on the back of an alliance formed in Brazil in 2006, and another in Angola earlier this year.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 28, 2010 | International Edition

Bird & Bird has made two further additions to its partnership in the firm's Paris and Helsinki offices. Maisa Nikkola, who joins the partnership in Finland, is head of the local employment group and specialises in employment contractual issues, trade union matters and discrimination. Meanwhile, Gildas Louvel has joined the partnership in the corporate practice of Bird & Bird's French office. He focuses on private and public M&A, financial services and life sciences.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 28, 2010 | International Edition

Salans has re-elected Dariusz Oleszczuk as global managing partner for his third consecutive term in the role. Oleszczuk, who was voted in yesterday (27 October) after a contested election, has held the role since 2004 and has been a partner at Salans for almost 20 years.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 27, 2010 | International Edition

France's Gide Loyrette Nouel is to close five of its international offices following a review of its global operations. The firm has decided to close its Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh offices with immediate effect, while its Prague arm will be shut down by the end of the year. Gide's Belgrade office will gradually be restructured over the next 12 months and it is understood that it will eventually be merged with the firm's operations in Budapest.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 27, 2010 | International Edition

Belgian independent Lydian has bulked up its Brussels practice with the hire of a four-strong corporate team and an alliance with the Belgian arm of an international tax firm. Corporate partner Patrick della Faille and a team of three associates joined Lydian this month from Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck & Kirkpatrick, with della Faille becoming the third partner in the corporate department at Lydian.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 26, 2010 | International Edition

Garrigues has posted an increase in turnover for the third consecutive year alongside 19 promotions to the firm's partnership. The 2009-10 results, which were announced at a partner meeting today (26 October), saw the Iberian firm increase turnover by 5.5% to €353m (£309m) from the figure of €334m (£293m) taken in during 2008-09. Garrigues also today announced the appointment of 19 lawyers to the firm's partnership, all of who are based its Spanish offices. The total number of new partners is less than the firm made up last year when 32 lawyers joined the partnership.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 26, 2010 | International Edition

DLA Piper has hired a team of IT lawyers from Bird & Bird's Paris base led by office co-head Stephane Lemarchand. Lemarchand, Bird & Bird's international IT co-head and Paris practice chief, has been a partner at the firm for 10 years. He will join DLA on 2 November along with a team of four associates.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 26, 2010 | International Edition

Norton Rose has expanded its Australian arm with the hire of Jones Day Singapore banking and finance partner Herman Yip. Yip has rejoined the firm in Perth, after leaving Norton Rose's Singapore arm in 2006 to move to Jones Day. He was previously with Norton Rose between 1999 and 2006.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

October 26, 2010 | International Edition

The Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (QLTT) has paved the way for numerous overseas solicitors to practise law in England and Wales since it was created in 1990, but after setting the standard for 20 years, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) recently decided that the time had come to reform the system. With the new Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS) now in play as of 1 September 2010, new applicants face a number of hurdles.

By Suzi Ring

8 minute read

October 26, 2010 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC), Allen & Overy (A&O) and Allen & Gledhill have lined up on Singapore's largest initial public offering (IPO) in 17 years, worth S$3.9bn (£1.9bn). Logistics company Global Logistic Properties (GLP) launched on the Singapore stock exchange earlier this month, with the flotation marking the largest IPO in the region since telecommunications company SingTel went public in 1993 for a reported S$4bn (£2bn).

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read