Am Law 200 firm Clark Hill has this year made a strategic decision to grow through acquisition, rather than focusing on individual hires or small practice groups. The approach has seen the firm acquire five smaller firms, the latest of which is based in Dublin. This growth strategy is becoming increasingly popular among Am Law…
A significant appointment was recently carried out in the legal department of the world’s fourth-largest music company, BMG. A year after his relocation from Los Angeles to BMG’s Berlin headquarters, Tony Abner is now handling the legal reins of the company. This noteworthy development is indicative of the continued reshuffling occurring within several corporate legal…
Kent Howie, a former assistant deputy minister at Canada’s federal Department of Finance, is rejoining Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG), this time as senior counsel within its corporate and capital markets group. Howie was a partner at BLG, which is recognized as Canada’s largest law firm, prior to taking up his role within the government in…
Legal powerhouses Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling have found themselves losing their competitive edge over the past two decades. A recent analysis from industry observer Hugh A. Simons reveals that both firms have significantly dropped in rankings, with Allen & Overy falling from the 6th to 11th position, and Shearman & Sterling tumbling…
Recent reports indicate a downwards turn for DWF Group PLC. Despite a modest increase in the UK-listed law firm’s revenue, firm leaders have expressed the unprecedented decision not to engage in significant mergers and acquisitions in the foreseeable future. This stance has been attributed to current economic pressures. The report comes ahead of an anticipated…
Douglas Clark, the former head of global disputes practice at U.K. intellectual property firm Rouse, is slated to join Hong Kong’s independent law firm Tanner De Witt. Come September 1, he is set to commence his role as a partner, with plans to build its intellectual property practice whilst assisting in the expansion of its…
White & Case’s UK operation recently reported a significant increase in revenue for 2022, as depicted in its filings posted on Companies House. However, the surge in revenue was effectively cancelled out by mounting staff costs and other outgoings. Despite the firm’s revenue hitting £380.7 million, a rise of over £30 million – or 9.5%…
Expanding on their English law presence, Cravath Swaine & Moore has welcomed two new additions to their London-based team: London counsel, Chantelle Dovey and Helen Walsh. Both counsel members have made a transition to the firm from Shearman & Sterling, with their affiliations taking place in May and June respectively, according to details found on…
Australia’s top law firm, Gilbert and Tobin has strategically advised on a significant $3 billion sustainability-linked loan. This financing gained considerable traction in the legal community due to its sizable volume and unique targeting towards sustainability initiatives. The loan was granted to AirTrunk, a rapidly emerging data center company, marking it as the largest-ever loan…
The Asia Deal Digest has highlighted some significant M&A activity in the Asian market, with the spotlight on China and Japan. The report marks a shift in the Chinese M&A landscape which hit its lowest point since 2014, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. The downward trend seems to be changing, with noted global brands like Volkswagen Group…
McDermott Will & Emery, renowned for its comprehensive global services, has recently embraced Dechert M&A attorney Howard Kleinman into its transactions group. The firm disclosed this in a formal announcement made on Thursday. Mr. Kleinman brings rich expertise attained over 14½ years at Dechert. A significant portion of his practice is centered on Latin America,…
Board members at Hogan Lovells have reached a consensus regarding the continuation of CEO Miguel Zaldivar’s leadership. As the firm confirms, Zaldivar has been unanimously recommended to serve a second four-year term. Subject to a partnership vote expected to wrap up by the end of August, Zaldivar’s new term is to commence on July 1,…
A recent survey indicates that a majority of large law firms in the United Kingdom are anticipating a shift away from the traditional reliance on billable hours, brought about by the introduction of generative artificial intelligence, or GenAI. According to the figures, 14 out of the 26 firms surveyed expressed the belief that this new…
After a three-year stint at U.S. firm Latham & Watkins, and over a decade at Omers, a Canadian pensions fund, John Guccione returned to Linklaters earlier this year. While at Omers, he held the top legal role as managing director of legal for more than five years. With a career spanning in-house and private practice,…
Ransomware incidents have been making the headlines recently. One such instance involves the Cl0p ransomware gang who exploited a zero-day vulnerability in the MOVEit Transfer tool, impacting numerous organizations globally who count on this software. In light of such incidents, the onus of cybersecurity is increasingly falling on organizations to not merely stay ahead of…
A former visiting lawyer at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Romero Cabral Da Costa Neto, has been arrested and charged with insider trading. Costa Neto is affiliated with the prestigious Brazilian firm Mattos Filho. The charges allege that he used confidential law firm files to trade ahead of a high-profile merger and acquisition. Federal prosecutors in…
In response to the recent departure of a number of significant partners to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, globally prominent law firm, Kirkland & Ellis, is swiftly strengthening its private credit practice. As part of its strategic initiative, the firm is welcoming Adam Shapiro, who previously had a longstanding tenure with Simpson Thacher &…
In a recent move, Clifford Chance enriched their M&A practice in Hong Kong by securing Alex Bidlake from Linklaters. Hong Kong-based M&A lawyer, Bidlake was a critical orchestrator behind Cathay Pacific Airways’ $5.3 billion government bailout in 2020. [1] Bidlake boasts a legal career proliferating over 18 years inaugurated as an associate at Simmons &…
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has issued a ban on a former employee of multinational law firm, Ashurst. The ex-employee, Mark Sinclair, served as the firm’s learning and development manager at their London office from February 19, 2019, to October 11, 2021. Mr. Sinclair faced the ban after the authority discovered that he failed to…
The nominations for the British Legal Awards 2023 have been announced, with leading law firms Latham & Watkins and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer among the nominees. The highly regarded awards event, which has spent the past 14 years acknowledging exceptional achievements in the UK legal industry, is set to be held at the historic Honourable Artillery…
Recent trends suggest that a shake-up may be impending in the UK’s legal sector, with heavyweight firms modifying their business strategies to better compete on the global stage. This shift has led to the question: where have all the London rainmakers gone? One of the moves that has drawn attention is the proposed tie-up between…
Smart & Biggar, Canada’s largest intellectual property law boutique, is set to expand its operations through a merger with Ridout & Maybee, another reputable Canadian IP firm. Both firms come with a rich history that extends back to the 1890s. The merger will unfold under the well-established Smart & Biggar brand, which since a year…
The legal industry in the US is still grappling with economic uncertainty, according to a mid-year survey by the Wells Fargo Private Bank Legal Specialty Group. Many big law firms are finding themselves in a limbo, as various economic factors continue to disrupt large-scale transactions. Despite this, law firms have managed to grow their revenue…
Bennett Jones has recently welcomed Yannick Beaudoin, a project finance and infrastructure specialist, to its emerging Montreal office. This will mark a new chapter for Beaudoin, who has spent over 21 years contributing to the Blake Cassels & Graydon firm. Beaudoin’s extensive experience made him a known figure in the legal field, especially given his…
Clifford Chance, a global law firm, has expanded its team in Houston with the recruitment of energy partner David Stringer from Jones Day, furthering their concerted efforts to bolster their energy and infrastructure team in the area. This move is part of the firm’s strategic initiative following their launch in Houston last June, where they…