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International Edition

Freshfields rolls out female mentoring scheme to international bases

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is rolling out a female associate mentoring scheme across its international offices as the firm continues its push to boost female partner numbers. The initiative, which is aimed at junior and mid-level female associates, initially launched in London in October last year and now has more than 60 associates signed up, equating to around one in three of the firm's junior to mid-level City ranks. More than 55 male and female partners, senior associates and counsel have signed up to act as mentors. Mentors and associates fill in a questionnaire to identify the areas they would like to discuss, with three suitable matches offered via an online platform. Associates can then choose which of the three individuals they would like to be mentored by over the next 12 months.
4 minute read

International Edition

Addleshaws to open new base in Qatar with double partner hire

Addleshaw Goddard has continued its recent flurry of international expansion with the hire of two partners to launch a Qatar offering for the firm. Patton Boggs corporate partner Hussein Damirji will lead the new Doha office and will be joined by Dentons banking and finance partner Martin Brown. The firm is currently in the process of recruiting a small team of associates to support the duo.
3 minute read

International Edition

Middle of the action – the rising influence of the Middle East's in-house lawyers

The noisy building site outside my hotel window last week gave me direct experience of Dubai's steady revival from the economic crash of 2009. The record attendance at Legal Week's Corporate Counsel Forum Middle East and a very lively awards ceremony the following day added to a picture of a legal market that may not be booming, but is certainly finding its feet again after the devastating collapse in confidence following Dubai World's debt restructuring...
3 minute read

International Edition

A&O, Al Tamimi, Emirates among winners at Middle East legal awards

Al Tamimi & Company and The Emirates Group were among the big winners at the Corporate Counsel Middle East (CCME) Awards last night (16 May). The awards saw Emirates secure the Large Team Legal Department of the Year...
3 minute read

International Edition

Hogan Lovells acts for Yves Saint Laurent on Middle East JV deal

Hogan Lovells has advised Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) on the acquisition of a stake in its Middle East business through a joint venture with Middle East holding company Al Tayer Group. The luxury fashion brand bought a 51% stake in the company, understood to be worth $15m (£10m), with Al Tayer holding the remaining 49%. The deal means YSL will get a share of overall profit and Al Tayer will no longer have exclusive rights to distribute the brand in the UAE.
2 minute read

International Edition

Twitter Haiti earthquake photo ruling opens up worldwide intellectual property debate

There was an interesting decision in the US recently about the intellectual property (IP) implications of posting a photo on Twitter. Professional photographer Daniel Morel – a man who has apparently spent more than 25 years in Haiti – posted dramatic photos of the earthquake that struck the country in January 2010. Morel had posted his shots on TwitPic – a Twitter-affiliated photo sharing site – saying he had "exclusive earthquake photos". Although no copyright notice appeared on the photos, the name Morel did appear on TwitPic.
5 minute read

International Edition

Transfer Window Asia: recent moves including Hogan Lovells and K&L Gates

Hong Kong law firm Deacons has added to its corporate team with the hire of private equity partner Robert Woll from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (WilmerHale). Woll, who headed the US firm's Beijing office for six years, is a specialist in M&A and private equity transactions, and deals involving venture capital and real estate investment funds.
6 minute read

International Edition

DLA and Amarchand advise Etihad on £248m Jet Airways deal

DLA Piper and Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co have advised Etihad Airways on its $379m (£248m) purchase of a 24% stake in India's Jet Airways. Abu Dhabi's flag carrier agreed to buy more than 27m shares in the Indian low cost airline yesterday, boosting its network of flights on the subcontinent.
2 minute read

International Edition

A&O and Latham lead on $2bn landmark Islamic bond

Allen & Overy (A&O) and Latham & Watkins have taken the lead roles on a landmark $2bn (£1.3bn) Islamic bond for the Saudi Electricity Company. The deal, reportedly the Middle East's largest Rule 144A sukuk to date, comprises both a 10-year and 30-year maturity term – the latter being the longest duration for any senior unsecured sukuk to date. A&O acted for the utilities company, a longstanding client of the firm, with a London-based team led by banking partner Atif Hanif and capital markets partners Sachin Dave and Jamie Durham.
2 minute read

International Edition

Pan-African harmonisation efforts will boost economic growth across sub-Saharan region

In recent years, the pan-African economic and political landscape has shifted dramatically: the focus of foreign direct investment has moved to a much greater extent to sub-Saharan Africa, particularly the west-to-east 'investment corridor' in Francophone and Anglophone sub-Saharan Africa, which is predicted to become the fastest-growing region on the continent. The Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (OHADA), a pan-African treaty-based organisation comprised of 17 member states, has facilitated substantial market entries and the influx of capital, largely due to harmonised and modernised business laws and stronger security interest arrangements.
5 minute read

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