British eyes have focused on the US for many years but it looks like recently, that focus has sharpened. Magic circle firms in particular appear to be shifting away from lockstep as the need for a revamped US strategy, and a corresponding greater flexibility in remuneration, moves higher up the agenda. See Linklaters, which has […]
James Batham, head of the retail sector at Eversheds, has commented on the importance of Black Friday to the Christmas retail period. Batham said that retailers will be hoping to end 2014 on a high with a strong Christmas trading period, which starts on Black Friday this week. He noted that while only recently introduced into […]
Christopher Rennie-Smith from Collyer Bristow gave a presentation entitled ‘Partial Priorities and Toxic Divisionals’ at the 15th open forum of FICPI (Fédération Internationale des Conseils en Propriété Intellectuelle), which was held in Barcelona from 5–8 November 2014. Rennie-Smith described the legislation and case law of the European Patent Convention on multiple and partial priority, with […]
Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co has advised real-estate investment trust (REIT) Empiric Student Property on a £65.6m secondary fundraising. The funds were raised through the placing and offer for subscription of shares at 101p each. The new shares were listed on 24 November 2014. John Reed, partner and investment funds specialist at Wragge Lawrence Graham […]
Shoosmiths has advised real-estate investment trust (REIT) McKay Securities on the acquisition of a £8.75m mixed-use leisure scheme in Woking. The Shoosmiths Thames Valley real-estate team, including partner Andrew Farmery, associate George Panteli and solicitor Nick Dalgleish, advised McKay on the off-market freehold acquisition of The Planets from St Modwen. The Planets occupies some 92,000ft² […]
Channel Islands firm Collas Crill and Cayman firm Charles Adams Ritchie & Duckworth (CARD) have announced they are merging in the New Year. The merger comes four years after the formation of Collas Crill through a tie-up between Guernsey firm Collas Day and Jersey’s Crill Canavan (2 December 2010). The move creates a firm with […]
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Stewarts Law are gearing up for a shareholder battle brought against Tesco following its first-half £250m profit overstatement in September this year. Led by Stewarts Law partner Sean Upson, the firm has secured third-party funding for a potential claim brought by shareholders in order to claim compensation against the supermarket giant. […]
Simmons & Simmons has boosted revenue by 8 per cent over the first half of the 2014/15 financial year compared to the same period in 2013/14, bringing in revenues of over £140m. The figure brings the firm in ahead of its targeted 4-5 per cent growth at the half-year point and was due to stronger […]
The magic circle has spent decades protecting its lockstep but firms seem to be accepting the time might be right to embrace flexibility. As our story today reveals a high-level source within Linklaters has given the strongest signal yet that the firm could be prepared to break its rigid lockstep ladder in the future for […]
A high-level source at Linklaters has said the firm could flex lockstep in the future as a way of building up its US practice, marking a key attitude shift within the firm. On the day of a firm-wide vote on issues including the firm’s US strategy and make-up of its international board, a senior partner […]
Carlyle and Cinven have returned to longstanding adviser Clifford Chance to sell 7.5m shares in European cable and telecoms company Altice in a deal valued at €337.5m. Private equity co-head Jonny Myers led the team advising the private equity houses along with capital markets partner Iain Hunter, in a deal marking the firm’s continued grip […]
20 Essex Street has hired Holman Fenwick Willan’s (HFW) commercial director James Huckle for a newly-created strategic development director post, marking a continued push towards business development at the bar. Huckle will join chambers in the New Year and work closely with co-head Duncan Matthews QC and the set’s management board to focus on growing […]