Latham & Watkins, originally founded in Los Angeles, has transformed significantly since opening its New York office in 1993. At that time, the office was modest, with under 100 lawyers focusing on niche areas like auto dealership litigation and junk bond work. Fast forward to 2025, and the New York office is now one of…
The legal industry continues to see significant financial success, even as the path to become an equity partner grows more challenging. The distribution of profits and growth in the Am Law 100 firms highlights a decrease in equity partner numbers, while nonequity tiers expand. Factors contributing to this trend may include retirements, lateral moves, and…
Latham & Watkins has made a strategic move to enhance its U.K. technology offerings by recruiting Sophie Goossens from Reed Smith. Goossens, who is qualified in both the U.K. and France, will bolster Latham & Watkins’ expertise in its artificial intelligence, communications, copyright practices, and technology sector. This move aligns with Latham & Watkins’ global…
The eagerly anticipated shortlist for the Middle East Legal Awards 2025 has been announced, following another record year of submissions. The awards, which recognize excellence across the legal industry, feature categories for both private practice and in-house teams. The ceremony will be held on April 30 at The Conrad in Dubai. Legal professionals interested in…
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison continues its expansion in London with the recruitment of a tax partner, Kyle O’Sullivan, from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. O’Sullivan joined BCLP in April last year from Slaughter and May, where he spent eight years as a tax associate. This move underscores Paul Weiss’s strategy to grow its presence…
Morgan Lewis and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom are advising on the sale of National Grid’s U.S. onshore renewables business. This significant $1.7 billion transaction involves National Grid selling its assets to Brookfield Asset Management. The deal was recently announced on the London Stock Exchange. This move occurs against the backdrop of a U.S….
Bird & Bird, a prominent law firm, has reached a significant milestone by securing a deal with the AI platform Legora (formerly known as Leya). This collaboration will grant all of Bird & Bird’s lawyers access to cutting-edge technology, following the success of a six-month trial. The AI platform, developed in Sweden, is slated for…
A&O Shearman is actively engaged in significant legal proceedings within the Middle East, focusing on major sectors like energy, transport, and data. The firm’s portfolio in the region includes advising on key liquefied natural gas (LNG) contracts, data center collaborations, Shariah-compliant financing, and various cross-border transactions spanning energy, aviation, and real estate. Notable partnerships involve…
In the 2024 Italy M&A rankings released by MergerLinks, lawyers from Italian law firms have made a significant impact by securing seven out of the top ten positions. This marks a strong showing for domestic firms, while notable U.S. firms like Cleary Gottlieb, Latham & Watkins, and White & Case were positioned in the latter…
Jones Day has expanded its financial markets practice in Hong Kong with the recruitment of two experienced lawyers. Ming Kong has joined as a partner from Kirkland & Ellis, while Dominic Sze has come on board as counsel from Hong Kong boutique YTL. This strategic move reflects the firm’s commitment to strengthening its presence in…
White & Case, along with Singapore’s WongPartnership, are providing advisory services in the transaction involving Olam Group’s sale of a significant 65% stake in its agribusiness unit to Saudi Agriculture & Livestock Investment Company (SALIC). The deal, valued at $2.58 billion, is expected to proceed in two tranches. Notably, this move marks Olam’s second stake…
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) has reported a modest growth in revenue for 2024, with an overall increase of 2.3% following a period of decline in the previous two years. This growth comes amidst a reduction in the firm’s head count. The firm’s litigation and investigations practice notably contributed to this upturn, reporting an 11%…
Publix Super Markets Inc., widely recognized for its Southern U.S. presence, is currently embroiled in a class action lawsuit following allegations of misleading pricing strategies. The federal lawsuit, initiated by The Russo Firm, accuses Publix of a systematic practice of overstating the weight of food items such as meats, cheeses, and deli products, thereby inflating…
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has officially entered the Boston market with the recruitment of Matthew Goulding as a partner focusing on private capital mergers and acquisitions. Goulding transitions from Latham & Watkins, where he previously held the position of Boston corporate practice chair. This strategic move is part of Freshfields’ broader effort to establish a strong…
“`html Friedrich Merz, a former counsel at Mayer Brown and an advisor at Blackrock, is on the brink of taking office as Germany’s next Chancellor. Leading the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Merz’s party garnered 28.5% of the vote, short of the 30% target but ahead of rival parties. With this electoral mandate, Merz aims to…
In a notable development for the legal community, Ashurst is enhancing its global markets practice with the senior lateral recruitment of Tauhid Ijaz. Ijaz, who previously served over 26 years at Hogan Lovells, brings extensive expertise in the securitisation sector. His experience includes consulting major banks, private equity firms, and insurers, marking a significant addition…
European private equity firm CVC is poised to restructure its legal engagements, contemplating the creation of an informal legal panel comprising select law firms. This move comes one year after appointing a new head of legal, as part of a broader re-evaluation of its legal service procurement practices. Prominent firms like Freshfields, Clifford Chance, Kirkland,…
King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has made a strategic hire by bringing in Yuting Wu, a partner from Skadden, based initially in the firm’s Shanghai office. Wu is set to join KWM in its Hong Kong operations. This move signifies KWM’s continued commitment to strengthening its presence in the region, particularly as Wu is expected…
Baker McKenzie has welcomed back Dixon Hearder as a partner in its tax practice in Australia. Prior to his return, Hearder held the role of Senior Director of Tax at Expedia Group. His re-joining marks a return to familiar territory, as he had previously been a partner at Baker McKenzie for nearly ten years in…
King & Wood Mallesons and New Zealand’s Chapman Tripp are providing legal guidance on a significant transaction involving a $1.05 billion acquisition stake in CDC Data Centres, an Australian data centre developer and operator. This deal is particularly noteworthy as it places the total value of CDC Data Centres at approximately $11 billion. The firms…
Slater and Gordon, a leading Australian class action law firm, has reported a hoax email to the police. The email, which was dispatched to numerous employees, criticized the firm’s management and supposedly disclosed details of staff pay. The firm indicated that the email was falsely sent under the name of their outgoing chief people officer,…
In recent developments within the legal community, Kirkland & Ellis has seen the departure of two of its partners from the Hong Kong office. Raymond Wong, who specialized in mergers and acquisitions as well as private equity, has transitioned to the Singapore office of EQT Group, a Swedish investment giant, taking up the role of…
The Indian government has introduced proposed amendments aimed at liberalizing the country’s legal market, as part of broader changes to the Advocates Act. These draft regulations were released for public consultation earlier this month by the law ministry. This development follows extensive discussions held in the United Kingdom last year. Despite the initial momentum, the…
Global companies are increasingly tasked with navigating the complex landscape of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations in their strategic decision-making. This arena presents a unique challenge as it juxtaposes the stringent regulatory requirements of the EU, which impose significant compliance and reporting obligations, against the backdrop of a political pushback in parts of the…
The legal industry’s focus on gender diversity and inclusion continues to highlight exceptional female talent. Recently, a ranking of prominent female M&A partners across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) recognized lawyers from leading law firms, including Kirkland & Ellis, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters, and Garrigues. These rankings are calculated by the cumulative value…