Interview
-
Dealmaker: Helen Burton
By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | January 14, 2009
Ashurst finance partner Helen Burton on role models, almost marrying colleagues and the honour of being asked to 'action' Dealmaker
-
Employment, benefits and pensions team of the year
By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | December 11, 2008
It is sometimes assumed that it is impossible to win the same award for two years' running. Sacker & Partners obviously does not subscribe to this view. Nor does the judging panel, which once again gave the nod to the pensions boutique, which was also successful in 2007. In doing so the judges were keen to stress that Sackers had provided ample evidence that this is a firm that is not content to rest on its laurels. New clients in 2008 include pension schemes at Whitbread, Siemens, BSI Group and Northrop Grumman.
-
Private client and family team of the year
By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | December 11, 2008
Both Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and LG are unusual among City firms in that they house substantial private client practices. The BLP team now counts 15 billionaires among its individual client base, while commercial trusts, hedge fund investors, banks and insurance companies are among its corporate clients. Revenues leapt by 24% in 2007-08 and profitability by 124%. The establishment of an integrated tax department is seen as an important move.
-
Europe, Middle East and Africa firm of the year
By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | December 11, 2008
This is a new category for 2008 and the judges were delighted to see the shortlist contain firms from outside Europe. Two practices from the Middle East - Galadari & Associates and Al Tamimi & Company - recorded excellent financial results, despite the influx of some of the world's largest firms into the region. Based in the United Arab Emirates, Galadari saw turnover rise by 30% on the back of high-quality work for clients such as the Government of Dubai, the royal family and Fortune 500 companies. The the firm's commitment to education through its recently launched students programme and other community initiatives made them worthy finalists.
-
London office of the year
By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | December 11, 2008
There are more than 200 international firms with London offices and this award - a new category - demonstrates the myriad of strategies being employed. Bingham McCutchen has had a London base since 1973, but has resisted the temptation to stray beyond its core areas. Its powerful financial restructuring group has been heavily involved in many of Europe's largest workouts and restructurings, acting for bondholders and other creditors. A sign of the US firm's confidence in its City outpost is shown by the fact that London managing partner James Roome oversees its Hong Kong office, which was launched in 2007.
-
Offshore firm of the year
By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | December 11, 2008
The last year has seen many of the leading offshore firms plough ahead with their rapid international expansion. Conyers Dill & Pearman, for example, became the first such practice to open in Moscow. It has also opened in Mauritius and has advanced plans to launch in Sao Paolo. This expansion has been married with steady growth across the rest of its network. Conyers has added a net 35 lawyers since April 2007, including the notable hire of Nigel Meeson QC, the only English QC resident in the Cayman Islands.
-
Legal department of the year
By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | December 11, 2008
The legal team at AXA - this year's winner - broke away from the pack thanks to the sheer breadth of its achievements over the last 12 months. These include providing support for an extraordinary 28 acquisitions that the company has made since October 2006. Group general counsel Edward Davis has also overseen the absorption of the Winterthur legal team, the realignment of the department into teams supporting the company's five business lines, and the development of a 'strength in depth' strategy.
-
M&A team of the year
By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | December 11, 2008
The finalists in this category have all - to varying degrees - seen their efforts to focus on key sectors pay off in a major way. The winner, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, has targeted sectors such as financial institutions, energy, healthcare, private equity and technology, media and telecoms. The 55-partner UK team may have received most publicity for its work for Northern Rock, but it also notched up a string of multi-billion pound deals such as EMI's takeover by Terra Firma, the acquisition of rolling stock provider Angel Trains, and Reed Elsevier's offer for CashPoint. The judges admired the depth of specialist support in areas such as tax, employee benefits, intellectual property and antitrust.
-
Capital markets team of the year
By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | December 11, 2008
To say there has been turmoil in capital markets would perhaps win an award for understatement of the year. These extraordinary times have placed new demands on lawyers, and the finalists demonstrated that they have what it takes to help clients through the turbulence. The judges hailed the way Allen & Overy's (A&O's) capital markets team has adapted to the downturn. Much of A&O's recent work has involved crisis management, whether restructuring transactions, making existing structures more resilient or advising on derivatives and structured finance. A&O has been particularly active in the structured investment vehicles field and the covered bond market, while its equity capital markets work includes advising Imperial Tobacco on a £4.9bn rights issue, the second largest underwritten issue in the UK ever.
-
Banking and restructuring team of the year
By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | December 11, 2008
This award is a showcase for the outstanding work being handled by leading banking and restructuring practices, as clients seek to steer a way through choppy waters. Allen & Overy (A&O), Clifford Chance and, in particular, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer impressed with the strength of their restructuring teams. A&O's work advising on the cross-border Schefenacker restructuring, which saw a Germany-based company take advantage of the more creditor-friendly insolvency regime in the UK, demonstrated its ability to handle the most demanding work. Its restructuring group has been involved heavily in the structured product market and the fallout from the sub-prime market collapse. The panel also praised A&O's bank lending and acquisition finance teams.
More From ALM
View Now
View Now
View Now
New York, NY
Recognizing innovation in the legal technology sector for working on precedent-setting, game-changing projects and initiatives.
Learn More
New York, NY
Legalweek New York explores Business and Regulatory Trends, Technology and Talent drivers impacting law firms.
Learn More
Las Vegas, NV
This event shines a spotlight on how individuals and firms are changing the investment advisory industry where it matters most.
Learn More
McCarter & English, LLP is actively seeking a litigation associate for its office located in Hartford, CT. One to three years of experie...
Apply Now ›
Borteck & Czapek, P.C., based in Florham Park, is a boutique estates and trusts law firm specializing in estate planning and administrat...
Apply Now ›
Gwinnett County State Court is seeking an attorney to assist the Judge by conducting a variety of legal research, analysis, and document pre...
Apply Now ›