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☆ US law firms ramp up London talent war with huge junior lawyer salaries and high-profile hires
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

US law firms are increasingly poaching top UK lawyers. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementUS law firms are pushing ahead with their bid to dominate the City of London's legal scene. Latham & Watkins, the world's second-largest law firm by revenue, is just one such firm targeting the UK market. Last year, Latham poached top capital markets lawyer Mark Austin from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, a member of the "magic circle" — a term used to describe five elite UK law firms.

Persons: Watkins, —, Latham, Mark Austin, Bruckhaus Organizations: Latham, London, Service, Business

☆ A Berkeley law professor is telling law firms not to hire his antisemitic students
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Berkeley law professor wrote in a WSJ op-ed that law firms shouldn't hire his antisemitic students. AdvertisementAdvertisementA law professor from the University of California Berkeley is telling law firms not to hire his antisemitic students. "Legal employers in the recruiting process should do what Winston & Strawn did: treat these law students like the adults they are. If a student endorses hate, dehumanization or anti-Semitism, don't hire him," Solomon wrote in the op-ed, published on Sunday. Solomon is a corporate law professor who specializes in business law as well as law and economics.

Persons: Steven Davidoff Solomon, —, Winston, Strawn, Solomon, Bill Ackman, wouldn't, Israel, Shearman, Sterling, Deringer Organizations: Service, University of California, New York University, Hamas, Harvard University, Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups, Harvard, Justice, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University Locations: Berkeley, Israel, Palestine, Palestinian, Gaza

Law Firms Michael R. Becker FollowNEW YORK, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried will likely defend himself at his fraud trial, due to begin on Tuesday, by arguing he did not think the use by his FTX cryptocurrency exchange of customer funds was improper and by challenging the credibility of those who say otherwise. He has long acknowledged failing to manage risk at FTX, but denied prosecutors' claims he stole billions of dollars in FTX customer deposits to plug Alameda's losses. In September court papers, Bankman-Fried's lawyers said he had a "good faith belief" that the manner in which FTX and Alameda handled customer funds was permissible. Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, arrives at court as lawyers push to persuade the judge overseeing his fraud case not to jail him ahead of trial, at a courthouse in New York, U.S., August 11, 2023. Prosecutors are seeking to play jurors a recording of an Alameda meeting in which Ellison told colleagues that Bankman-Fried approved the use of customer funds.

Persons: Michael R, Becker, Sam Bankman, Fried, FTX, Alameda, Jordan Estes, Estes, Kramer Levin, Eduardo Munoz, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Nishad Singh, Tim Howard, Freshfields, Ellison, Wang, Kaplan, Luc Cohen, Amy Stevens, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Alameda Research, New York Times, REUTERS, U.S, Attorney's, District, Alameda, Prosecutors, Thomson Locations: Brooklyn, Bankman, FTX, Alameda, New York, U.S, Manhattan

☆ FTC court ruling shows why vertical deals are hard to challenge: fmr. DOJ official Jamillia Ferris
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailFTC court ruling shows why vertical deals are hard to challenge: fmr. DOJ official Jamillia FerrisJamillia Ferris, former DOJ & FCC antitrust official and partner at Freshfields' antitrust, competition and trade group, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the state of the Microsoft-Activision deal, after a federal judge rejected the FTC's bid to block the $69 billion merger.

Persons: fmr, Ferris Organizations: FTC, DOJ, FCC, Microsoft, Activision

☆ Autos, health care and pharma among sectors to watch for IPOs: Freshfields
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailAutos, health care and pharma among sectors to watch for IPOs: FreshfieldsChristoph Gleske, partner at Freshfields, discusses his outlook for capital markets in Germany as the DAX index turns 35.

Persons: Freshfields Christoph Gleske, DAX Organizations: pharma Locations: Germany

NEW YORK/LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) - Global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity fell 36% year-on-year in the second quarter, but investment bankers and lawyers expressed optimism that the stock market's recovery will gradually restore chief executives' dealmaking confidence. "Global uncertainty is what is impacting M&A most - it just makes people uncomfortable. It's easier to say, I'll pass on a deal - nobody gets fired for passing on a deal. M&A volumes in the United States declined by 30% to $318.4 billion, while Europe and Asia Pacific volumes shrank 49% and 24% respectively. Not a single so-called mega-deal, which typically refers to transactions worth over $25 billion, was signed during the quarter.

Persons: Michael Aiello, Weil, Raymond McGuire, Steve Baronoff, Bunge, John Collins, Morgan Stanley, there’ll, Ethan Klingsberg, Deringer, Manolo Falco, Scott Miller, Sullivan, Cromwell, Howard Ellin, Flom, Dwayne Lysaght, Eric Schiele, Kirkland, Ellis, Anirban Sen, Andres Gonzalez, Stephen Coates Organizations: Manges LLP, Lazard Ltd, Bank of America, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Magellan Midstream Partners, Viterra Ltd, Carrier Global, Investment, Citigroup Inc, JPMorgan Chase, Antitrust, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Horizon Therapeutics, Thomson Locations: United, Europe, Asia, Skadden, Slate, New York, London

☆ Bankman-Fried faces long odds of tossing charges despite Supreme Court decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

But legal experts said Bankman-Fried's odds of getting the charges dismissed remain slim. Days later, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated that theory known as "right to control" when it overturned the conviction of a Buffalo construction executive accused of bid-rigging. The Court said the theory is "inconsistent with the structure and history of the federal fraud statutes." Officials say Bankman-Fried portrayed FTX as a safe, responsible platform in the volatile sector, even as he was diverting customer funds. Even if the bank fraud count is dismissed, Bankman-Fried would still face 12 other counts at his Oct. 2 trial.

☆ Cross-border remote working could boost London financial centre, says report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Britain's leading role in financial services investment faces challenges from three continents, as Singapore, France and Germany also quickly catch up. "Britain attracted just three more financial services projects than France in 2021, 63 vs 60," the report, compiled with law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, said. While some recommendations refer to existing reforms, such as tweaking insurance rules to encourage green investments, the report also wants cross-border remote working made easier. Business visa rules should be amended to allow staff based overseas to work remotely for financial firms in Britain, and vice-versa, the report said. "Adopting an innovative cross-border remote working system would ...also support manufacturing businesses across the UK," the report said.

☆ Big Tech employees are getting culled. Their European colleagues get stronger labor laws and softer landings.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

European Big Tech employees have better labor protections"There are regulations in Europe that apply to collective situations, based on European law: the so-called Mass Dismissal Directive," said Dr. Jordan. But in January, Twitter employees were reported to have been paid just one month's severance, according to CNN. Twitter employees in other European hubs such as Germany, Spain, Ireland, and the UK are also pushing back, with the help of the countries' labor laws and unions. Twitter employees in Germany have also worked with the Verdi union to push Twitter into making a better severance offer, Fortune reported. The process could take months instead of weeks, Brittin added — another testament to Europe's stronger labor protections for its employees.

NEW YORK, April 11 (Reuters) - Bain Capital Tech Opportunities, the tech-focused investment arm of Bain Capital, has agreed to buy a stake in iManage, the enterprise software firm said on Tuesday. The terms of the deal, including the purchase price and size of the stake, were not disclosed. Founded in 1995, Chicago, Illinois-based iManage provides document management software and tools primarily to law firms, accounting firms, and companies in the financial services industry. In 2003, iManage merged with rival content management firm Interwoven. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for software tools built by companies such as iManage has boomed as companies have accelerated the shift to remote working and increased spending on content management software.

And that has the impact of postponing some announcements," said Anu Aiyengar, global head of M&A at JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N). M&A volumes dropped 44% to $282.7 billion in the U.S. and 70% to $81.87 billion in Europe. Reuters Graphics"Having a well-functioning financing market is a critical ingredient for M&A. Global M&A volumes in Q1 2023LACK OF CONFIDENCEThe depressed market valuations also presented an opportunity for prominent activist investors to launch new proxy fights, with dealmakers anticipating a boost to M&A volumes from activist campaigns in the coming quarters. "Inflationary pressures aren't subsiding as fast as people expected; there's still a lot of geopolitical tensions, and in a lot of ways, the disruption in the financing market is intensifying," Langston said.

☆ Google stacks its legal team with former DOJ employees as it faces antitrust cases
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

Former DOJ employees make up both its in-house team and members of outside counsel firms it employs. Google also uses four different outside counsel firms loaded with nearly 20 former DOJ officials, many of whom worked in the Antitrust Division at various times. The DOJ made the accusation in a legal filing after Epic Games raised the concern in its own antitrust litigation against Google. Those firms collectively have around 20 former DOJ employees on their staff, many of them working in antitrust. For example, DOJ antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter previously worked for clients including Microsoft and Yelp which have complained of Google's allegedly anticompetitive behavior.

☆ As Big Tech employees get culled, their European colleagues get stronger labor laws and softer landings
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Big Tech layoffs at Meta, Twitter, Amazon and Snap have laid off thousands of workers globally. Until recently, tech employees haven't had to think too seriously about mass layoffs. European Big Tech employees have better labor protections"There are regulations in Europe that apply to collective situations, based on European law: the so-called Mass Dismissal Directive," said Dr. Jordan. But in January, Twitter employees were reported to have been paid just one month's severance, according to CNN. Twitter employees in Germany have also worked with the Verdi union to push Twitter into making a better severance offer, Fortune reported.

☆ U.S. Justice Dept opposes Google bid to move advertising antitrust case to New York
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Mike Scarcella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The case, alleging anticompetitive abuses of advertising technology, was filed in January in Alexandria, Virginia, federal court and threatens to break up a key part of Google's business. But moving the case to the Southern District of New York won't eliminate the chance of divergent trial judgments or appellate decisions, the DOJ's lawyers said. The cases consolidated in New York can return to their originating district courts for trial, the government told Brinkema. In its bid seeking to get the DOJ case to New York, Google's lawyers said the government's "case lags far behind other pending ad tech antitrust cases" and "adds nothing of substance to those earlier-filed cases." The case is United States et al v. Google LLC, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, 1:23-cv-00108-LMB-IDD.

Google said the new DOJ case, filed jointly with eight states last month, which also alleges advertising-related abuses, overlaps with multidistrict litigation in New York that formed in 2021. Google has disputed the claims in the new lawsuit, saying it "duplicates an unfounded" one that Texas filed and now is part of the New York litigation. "They just want DOJ versus Google, nobody else," Vladeck said. Fox also said there is a new federal law that gives state plaintiffs their preference for venue in antitrust litigation. The case is In re Google Digital Advertising Antitrust Litigation, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 1:21-md-03010-PKC.

Companies are increasingly working together to cut greenhouse-gas emissions but such collaboration faces the threat of antitrust action demanded by politicians who say it violates competition rules. There are now more than 150 business climate collaborations, according to research by Harvard Business Review. “There are a lot of ways to stay on the right side of antitrust laws,” says Justin Stewart-Teitelbaum, antitrust partner at Freshfields. Traditionally, in most jurisdictions, antitrust officials weigh whether the benefits of cooperation outweigh any economic harm caused by it. The anti-ESG movement in the U.S. bases its antitrust threats partly on an assertion that climate action provides little societal benefit to outweigh any economic harm of cooperation.

☆ Thoma Bravo to buy Coupa Software for $6.15 billion amid tech slump
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Coupa Software said on Monday it will sell itself to private-equity major Thoma Bravo for $6.15 billion in cash, calling the deal the "optimal path forward" as broader economic uncertainty hammers technology stocks. "The transaction provides superior risk-adjusted value relative to the company's (Coupa's) standalone prospects," said Roger Siboni, an independent director at the software firm. Coupa Software, which went public in 2016, provides business-spend management software, which helps companies manage the purchase of goods and services. Qatalyst Partners and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised Coupa, while Goldman Sachs & Co, Piper Sandler, and Kirkland & Ellis were advisors to Thoma Bravo. Separately, Coupa reported a 17% rise in total revenue for the quarter ended Oct. 31 and a net loss of $84.1 million.

☆ Thoma Bravo to buy Coupa Software for $6.15 bln amid tech slump
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 12 (Reuters) - Coupa Software Inc (COUP.O) said on Monday it will sell itself to private equity major Thoma Bravo for $6.15 billion in cash, calling the deal the "optimal path forward" as broader economic uncertainty hammers technology stocks. Over the last two years, Thoma Bravo has acquired Ping Identity, Sophos, Proofpoint and Sailpoint Technologies. Coupa Software, which went public in 2016, provides business-spend management software, which helps companies manage the purchase of goods and services. Qatalyst Partners and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised Coupa, while Goldman Sachs & Co, Piper Sandler, and Kirkland & Ellis were advisors to Thoma Bravo. Separately, Coupa reported a 17% rise in total revenue for the quarter ended Oct. 31 and a net loss of $84.1 million.

Nov 14 (Reuters) - UK-founded law firm Linklaters on Monday said it has hired a finance-focused partner from Sidley Austin in New York to head its energy and infrastructure practice in the Americas. Ron Erlichman specializes in the financing and development of infrastructure projects, particularly renewable energy and carbon neutral projects, according to an archived profile on Sidley Austin’s website. Prior to Sidley, Erlichman co-chaired the project finance group at Houston-headquartered law firm Bracewell. Erlichman’s experience in the renewable energy and project finance practices “will be invaluable as we guide domestic and international clients through the rapidly changing and complex U.S. energy and infrastructure market,” Linklaters global energy and infrastructure group leader Daniel Tryer said in a statement. A Sidley Austin spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Erlichman’s departure.

☆ Ex-special master in Giuliani case named watchdog of Trump Organization
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

New York state Attorney General Letitia James on Nov. 3 won a court order to appoint an independent monitor for the Trump Organization as part of her $250 million civil fraud lawsuit accusing Trump and the Trump Organization of overvaluing assets and Trump's net worth. Arthur Engoron, the Manhattan-based New York state supreme court judge overseeing the case, wrote in a court filing on Monday that Jones had confirmed in a telephone call that she will accept the appointment. In June 2021, Jones was selected as a court-appointed "special master" to review evidence seized from Giuliani as part of a probe into his business dealings in Ukraine. Trump and the Trump Organization had also recommended Kelly Donovan, a managing director at accounting firm KPMG and former lawyer with the New York state attorney general's office, as a possible candidate. Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Hong Kong hopes China Congress could revive economy, reverse IPO slump
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Scott Murdoch | Thomson Reuters | Scott Murdoch Has Been A Journalist For More Than Two Decades Working For Thomson Reuters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Hong Kong dealmakers expect China's 20th Party Congress next week to herald a shift in focus in Beijing back towards business and economic issues that could help revive the city's IPO issuance from nine-year lows. Hong Kong only recently began its own reopening, relaxing its tough virus policies which have tarnished its credentials as a global financial centre. There has been just $9.28 billion worth of IPOs in Hong Kong this year, down from $37.1 billion in the same period in 2021, according to Refinitiv figures. Moreover, more than 80% of the IPOs in Hong Kong this year are trading under water since their debut, according to Dealogic data. Mainland Chinese IPOs have raised $54.12 billion, down 33% from $80.89 billion in the first three quarters of 2022, according to Refinitiv data.

☆ I quit my high-pressure job at a top law firm and became a lifeguard after I had a heart attack. I'm paid less, but I'm happier than ever.
▼ + stars: | 2022-03-10 | by ( Daniel Shailer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

After 13 years of hard work and partying, he experienced a heart attack at 38 years old and quit. Hard work and hard partying were my daily routine, all powered by Freshfields' paychecks and London's buzz. Until one Saturday in 2009 while I was partying hard in Notting Hill. Three days after my heart attack, despite his warnings, I went back to work. I decided to quit my job at Freshfields and set out on a year of rehabilitation to get better properly.

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