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Dealwatch: Big-ticket M&A back on track as Cleary and NRF lead on Alstom’s €6.2bn rail acquisition

Amid a relative dearth of substantial European buyouts recently, the proposed €6.2bn acquisition by France’s Alstom of the rail business of Canadian counterpart Bombardier will come as a boon for the international offices of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Norton Rose Fulbright.

Alstom said on Monday (17 February) it had signed an agreement with Bombardier and its shareholder the Canadian pension fund Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) to acquire 100% of the shares in Bombardier Transportation for between €5.8bn and €6.2bn.

As part of the deal, CDPQ will convert its current €2bn investment in Bombardier Transportation into shares in Alstom and will also invest another €700m in the French rail company, making it Alstom’s largest shareholder with 18%.

The extensive Cleary team advising Alstom was led by M&A partner Pierre-Yves Chabert with London partner Nallini Puri advised on UK corporate matters. Richard Sultman advised on tax from London.

Norton Rose advised Bombardier while Jones Day advised on the antitrust and competition aspects of the deal. Jones Day partner and co-head of antitrust and competition Bernard Amory led from the US. Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP advised Bombardier’s financial advisor Citigroup.

Last year Alstom attempted a merger with German company Siemens with plans to create a European rail champion. The merger failed following a block from EU antitrust regulators. Bombardier has been disposing of several parts of its business recently and last year sold its regional jet business to Japanese engineering company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Meanwhile, Travers Smith advised TA Associates on the proposed sale of Merian Global Investors Limited to UK fund management group Jupiter Fund Management for £390m, paid through the issue of new Jupiter shares to Merian shareholders. The deal will create a combined portfolio of £65bn assets under management.

Merian provides investment expertise across major asset classes in fixed income, global emerging market equities, alternatives and global asset allocation. Jupiter Fund Management mainly manages investment trusts and private client portfolios as well as mutual funds, segregated mandates and investment trusts with investments worth £44.1bn for individuals and institutions across the UK and internationally. Jupiter’s fund covers equities, fixed income, multi-asset, multi-manager and alternatives asset classes.

The Travers team was led by head of private equity and financial sponsors and co-head of corporate Paul Dolman. Partner Tim Lewis provided financial regulatory advice, partner Simon Skinner advised on tax, Partner Philip Cheveley advised on equity capital markets and Partner Mahesh Varia advised on incentives and remuneration.

A Macfarlanes team led by M&A partner Luke Powell also advised Merian. Jupiter Fund was advised by Fenchurch Advisory Partners.

Speaking to Legal Business Dolman said that the deal brought together two market-leading asset managers and required a sizable Travers team, covering regulatory, public company, employment benefits and private equity specialisms.

‘We are seeing more and more trade buyers. Jupiter is a trade buyer, but quite unusual because it’s listed. The synergies that a trade buyer can bring gives them an advantage compared to a financial sponsor. It is consistent with what we are seeing in the market,’ said Dolman.

Finally, Travers also advised its long-term client Silverfleet Capital Partners on the acquisition of Danish-based credit management service provider Collectia.

The Travers team was led by private equity and financial sponsors partner Will Yates and worked alongside Danish firm Bruun & Hjejle on the cross-border transaction. Collectia was advised by Macfarlanes with a team led by partner Kirstie Hutchinson.

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This article first appeared on Legal Business.

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Cooley’s City base passes $70m revenue mark as global growth slows

Cooley’s London outpost has outpaced the West Coast firm’s global revenue growth for the third consecutive year, rising 9% to $72.9m five years after its launch.

The results disclosed today (13 February) show a global revenue increase of 8% to $1.33bn while profits per equity partner (PEP) rose 6% to $2.54m in 2019.

The pace of growth slowed somewhat on last year, when both global and City turnover were up by double digit figures, 16% to $66.7m and 14% to $1.23bn respectively. Revenue per lawyer at the 1,000-strong firm grew by just 2% in 2019 to $1.32m compared to an 8% rise in 2018.

But overall the results signal another solid year for the Palo Alto-bred firm, fuelled by an ever busy Silicon Valley tech scene and faster-than-usual international expansion, with new offices launched in Brussels and Hong Kong in 2019, followed by Singapore this year. Cooley has grown its global turnover 157% since 2010.

The firm also continued growing its City base, which passed the 100-lawyer mark and is about to move into new premises at 22 Bishopsgate. The firm brought across capital markets partners Claire Keast-Butler and David Boles from US rival Latham & Watkins.

UK deals included advising biotech company Therachon on its $810m sale to Pfizer and manufacturer Bavarian Nordic on its €955m acquisition of manufacturing rights for two vaccines from GlaxoSmithKline.

Cooley was also active on the City contentious side, advising Allergy Therapeutics on a breach of contract claim against Canadian company Inflamax, and biopharma company IQVIA in a dispute with Swiss pharma company Cardiorentis.

In other financial results announced this week, revenue at the London base of US disputes heavyweight Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan rose 20% to £100.6m, while King & Spalding increased its UK turnover 15% to $55.7m. Wall Street firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, however, saw its London revenue drop for the second year in a row, falling 4% to $41.3 in 2019.

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This article first appeared on Legal Business.

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Ropes ups the ante in the City talent war with £130k NQ pay package

In a bold play for the Boston-bred firm, Ropes & Gray has increased its London NQ salary by 8% to £130k plus bonus.

The move means a notable uptick on the previous City NQ rate of £120k and present a boon for Ropes’ appeal to young lawyers at a time of internal transition and increasing competition in the market.

The firm also said it would be retaining two out of three of its London trainees who are due to qualify into its litigation and enforcement and data privacy practices in March 2020.

Ropes’ hike gives the firm a competitive edge with peers, with the US competition last year upping the stakes considerably. Skadden gave its London NQs an extra £15k to £133k, Milbank paid £132k, Sidley Austin £130k, Weil Gotshal & Manges £130k and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton £120k.

Ropes’ training programme, which includes an international seat, has been running since 2011 and now hosts 14 trainees.

Mike Goetz, Ropes’ venerable London co-managing partner, retired at the end of last year, leaving corporate partner Will Rosen solely at the helm.

Since its London launch in 2010 the firm has promoted 15 lawyers to partner and 19 to counsel. Of its 124 London fee-earners, 46% are female and of its 23 partners, 48% are female.

Goetz had been a pivotal player in the establishment of the London office, along with the storied finance veteran Maurice Allen, with the pair defecting from White & Case in 2008 to spearhead the launch.

Last year Ropes promoted only one to partner in the form of private equity lawyer Elizabeth Todd, after a turbulent 2018 that saw four of its London real estate and restructuring partners axed in a refocus on its prized funds business.

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This article first appeared on Legal Business.

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From Silk to Rope: Linklaters signs lease for Ropemaker Street move in 2026

Linklaters is moving its 1,200-lawyer City headquarters out of Silk Street after 30 years to take up 14 floors at 20 Ropemaker in Moorgate from 2026.

The firm’s move to new 300,000sq ft premises in the 27-storey building will reduce its floor space by about 25%, but managing partner Gideon Moore said Linklaters will be able to use the space more efficiently.

‘The building will provide us with the flexibility to accommodate any changes,’ Moore told Legal Business just after signing the lease this morning (13 February). ‘I’m not making the assumption that we’ll have fewer lawyers in London. We have enough space to accommodate not just what we think we’ll be in six but in 16 years’ time.’

The building is due for completion in the last quarter of 2022, and Linklaters will be running a series of pilots to ‘work out what working environment will be more suitable’ for its staff at the time of the move, ‘whether it’s the single office approach, open plan or a combination of the two’, said Moore.

One of the key items on Moore’s agenda since his appointment as managing partner in January 2016, Linklaters started searching for new premises around two years ago.

‘We had a wish list which included location, the developer and landlord, the quality of the product, most importantly the working environment that it would provide for our people and clients,’ said Moore. ‘As with all properties, you try to get as close to your wish list as you can anticipating that you will have to make some compromises. I can honestly say we didn’t have to make a single compromise.’

‘What’s really pleasing is the uniform support we have received from the firm, not just in London but around the network.’

Office moves have been high on the agenda of other City firms too in recent years. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer will this year bid farewell to Fleet Street after three decades and move to 100 Bishopsgate, while Ashurst relocated its London operations to Brushfield Street last year.

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This article first appeared on Legal Business.

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HSF’s accounts show revenue hit £447m amid a 23% profit hike and a sharp fall in debt

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has increased profit and turnover, its latest LLP accounts reveal, while also bolstering its borrowing capacity and significantly reducing debt.

HSF increased revenue 6% to £447m in 2018/19 as operating profit at the Anglo-Australian giant increased 23% to £127.5m. The firm has also bolstered its borrowing capacity following the implementation of a new Revolving Credit Facility put in place in April 2019.

The new facility – which is funded by a syndicate of eight banks – allows HSF to borrow a maximum of £300m, an increase of £25m on the previous facility. Its implementation coincided with debt falling 55% at the firm from £146m to £65m.

The accounts also revealed partners were required to provide extra capital, with overall partner capital increasing by £13.4m over the last financial year. The LLPs state the firm has ‘historically operated with lower levels of direct partner capital than our competitors’ with the increase intending to place HSF more in line with its peers.

Revenue growth in its non-Australian business surpasses the firm’s global performance of a 4% increase to £966m. Moreover, the profit growth comes as the firm reported an 11% increase in profits globally to £307m in July 2019, while profit per equity partner likewise grew 11%.

In a change to it LLP structure, in January HSF finalised its plans to bring its German offices into the UK LLP as a means of mitigating Brexit concerns. The move was implemented last December as City firms in Germany faced a complex regulatory environment in light of the UK’s imminent departure from the European Union.

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This article first appeared on Legal Business.

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Keeping pace with change: A&O becomes latest City firm to usher in parental leave reforms

Allen & Overy (A&O) has become the latest City firm to update its policies for working families, ushering in extensions to parental leave allowances.

The move will be a fillip for an industry still beset by out-dated policies and the ongoing battle to retain women into senior partnership.

The new policies include increased paternity leave from two to 12 weeks’ paid leave and new provisions for maternity and shared parental leave (SPL), including a phased return from maternity leave and SPL using accrued annual leave over an 8-week period.

They will take effect on 1 March 2020 and will initially be rolled out in the UK and UAE region, after the Magic Circle firm undertook a review and consultations.

The policies also allow for additional time off work for families whose baby is born prematurely or requires neonatal unit care, as well as a fertility treatment leave policy which provides five days’ paid leave over a 12-month rolling period for fertility treatment.

In addition, the firm has rebooted its adoption leave policies for both prospective parents to attend meetings and appointments in addition to eligibility for all parental leave entitlements.

After the rollout in the UK and UAE, other regions of the A&O network are expected to follow suit.

Sasha Hardman, A&O’s global HR director, said: ‘The face of family life is changing so we have listened to what’s important to our people to make sure we’re keeping pace with change. We want to make it clear that you can have a family and build a successful career at A&O.  There is more support, flexibility and encouragement to do this than ever.’

Ashurst last November took steps to modernise its parental leave models and the following month Linklaters announced that parental leave extended to 12 months would come into play in January.

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This article first appeared on Legal Business.

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LGBT+ Inclusion in Law with Travers Smith

Travers Smith and myGwork are delighted to invite you to a graduate networking event and panel discussion to explore LGBT+ Inclusion in Law.

This evening session is an opportunity for aspiring solicitors to listen to the experiences of LGBT+ leaders and role-models, and explore what more can be done to create fully inclusive workplaces where people can be their authentic selves, comfortable in their own identity.

The session will be followed by drinks and canapés where you will be able to meet members of our LGBT+ Group, straight ally colleagues as well as many current trainees.

Everyone is welcome!

To register, click here.

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Revolving doors: Swings and roundabouts for Squires and Addleshaws as 2Birds fills real estate gap

City hires picked up pace again last week after a fallow patch as leading firms made prominent additions to a number of key practice areas. Squire Patton Boggs hired to its private equity practice while Bird & Bird and Addleshaw Goddard strengthened their real estate benches.

Squires added to its global corporate practice in London with the hire of Stephen Ball. He joined the firm’s international private equity team as a partner from KPMG where he served as chief executive and vice chairman. Ball advises on financial services, risk, strategy and corporate governance for global banks, companies, private equity firms, hedge funds and governments.

Squires’ European managing partner Jonathan Jones commented: ‘Stephen’s reputation precedes him, as a widely respected, highly trusted advisor on business strategy and decision-making at the highest level. He brings with him years of experience, in terms of personally leading global teams and firms and of advising international businesses – global private equity houses, major corporates, banks and financial institutions – on the most complex of matters.’

Bird & Bird meanwhile added Addleshaws partner James Salford to its real estate finance practice in London. Salford advises lenders and borrowers on debt and also reviews and negotiates hotel operating agreements.

Co-head of the retail & consumer sector group at Bird & Bird Mark Abell told Legal Business: ‘We decided to go the market and bring someone with the right seniority and right level of skills into the team and I think we’ve made an exceptionally strong recruitment. It’s not one of those roulette hires- there’s a real need and real opportunities. In the hotel sector we are growing at a pretty phenomenal pace and the main strategic goal is to fulfil that potential. There’s plenty of opportunities that are there for the taking.’

To mitigate the loss, Addleshaws hired Squires partner Rachel Orton to its real estate team in London. Orton acts for investors, developers and finance clients on transactions in the healthcare, retirement living and build-to-rent sectors.

Head of Addleshaws real estate division Adrian Collins commented: ‘Senior living and healthcare within the BTR sector is expanding rapidly, with an ageing population and longer life expectancy driving the requirement. Rachel is a fantastic addition to the team not only as her clients provide existing synergies with our real estate offering, but she can draw on strong support from our market leading construction and infrastructure teams.’

Orton told Legal Business: ‘I am excited to be joining a firm with such a high calibre real estate team as Addleshaw Goddard. In light of their existing impressive credentials in the build-to-rent sector and enthusiasm for and willingness to invest in the senior living and extra care sector, Addleshaw Goddard was an obvious choice for me.’

Orton’s hire follows the recent addition of former Linklaters real estate disputes head Frances Richardson to Addleshaws’ real estate team.

Elsewhere, Dentons recruited partner Shane O’Donnell to its corporate team in Dublin. O’Donnell joined the firm from William Fry where he has been head of corporate for the last five years. He advises leading domestic and international corporations, financial institutions and government organisations on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, fundraisings and take-private transactions.

Dentons managing partner in Ireland Eavan Saunders said: ‘Attracting such a high calibre partner demonstrates the ambitions we have for the Dublin office. Shane is an acknowledged leader in his field and will be a tremendous addition to the Dentons offering in Ireland.’

Finally, in Los Angeles, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett made a rare lateral play with the additions of Gregory Klein and Michael Kaplan from Irell & Manella to its M&A practice.

Klein and Kaplan are experienced in private equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings and related corporate matters, as well as advising venture investors, hedge funds and other institutional money managers, founders, startups and early-stage companies on investments, debt and equity financings and governance issues.

Chairman of Simpson Thacher’s executive committee Bill Dougherty commented: ‘Their addition will further enhance our ability to meet our clients’ needs both in California and beyond. Their experience advising on mergers and acquisitions, particularly in the middle-market, as well as on growth equity investments, is an ideal complement to our strength in private equity across the board.’

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This article first appeared on Legal Business.

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University of South Wales partners with Capital Law to deliver pro bono legal advice

The University of South Wales’ (USW) School of Law has partnered with leading Welsh law firm, Capital Law, to develop its Legal Advice Clinic’s pro bono initiative. The new scheme will see junior lawyers from Capital Law collaborate with Student Clinic Volunteers, to provide pro bono legal advice to the community.

The School of Law set up the Clinic to increase its students’ opportunities for legal pro bono work. The Clinic is a free community-based face-to-face advice service staffed by trained Student Clinic Volunteers, who work under the supervision of practising solicitors and barristers.

Managed remotely from Capital Law’s offices by Richard Thomas, who heads up the firm’s Employment and Immigration team, and Nicola Mead-Batten, who leads its Public Law & Regulatory services, the junior lawyers will work on a rota-based system. Each week, two of the trainee solicitors will be ‘on-call’, supporting the students who interview clients, assess them and draw legal advice.

The junior lawyers help the students with a variety of legal queries, including pre-interview preparations, legal research and drafting letters of advice.

The issues they advise on relate to:

  • Employment
  • Debt recovery
  • Company Start Ups
  • Partnership Agreements
  • Commercial Property
  • Commercial Disputes
  • Public law/Judicial Review

As well as offering valuable community service, this collaborative programme provides training ground for both the students and the trainees, who can develop many legal and transferable skills while learning the art of pro bono.

While at the Clinic, students also participate in the Employment Tribunal Litigant in Person Support Scheme (ELIPS). Helped by solicitors from Capital Law’s Employment team, they offer support to those who are pursuing an employment claim with no legal representation.

Dr Dom Page, Head of the South Wales Business School, Faculty of Business and Society:

“As a University that leads the way by engaging with industry; this is a fantastic opportunity for our students to engage with both the community and the legal profession as part of their study with us. We are looking forward to officially launching this initiative and to working alongside Capital Law to make it a success for all involved.”

Richard Thomas, Partner at Capital Law, said:

“We already partner with USW on several exciting projects – such as assisting unrepresented litigants in tribunal, or supporting student entrepreneurship. This new collaboration is a natural next step, that we’re delighted to be taking. The Legal Advice Clinic will give access to a broader range of legal services to those who need it, and without doubt, will be very formative for students and trainees alike. It’s a precious resource, for the community and for everyone involved.”

Nina Holmes, Trainee Solicitor at Capital Law, said:

“While studying at USW, I had the opportunity to take part in the Legal Advice Clinic and there’s no mistaking the benefits that the first hand, practical experience gave me. It enhanced my commercial awareness, while giving me a practical understanding of areas of law that I had not previously considered or been exposed to. I am now really looking forward to return as a trainee: it’s a unique opportunity for us to use the skills we’ve acquired since joining Capital, and to develop relationships in the pro bono community.”

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‘Deeply upset’: Law Society’s historic HQ suffers damage after outbreak of major fire

Firefighters were called out to The Law Society’s headquarters over the weekend after a major fire broke out, damaging the historic building late on Saturday, 1 February.

The fire was brought under control early on Sunday, with no injuries sustained as a result. The alarm was sounded on Saturday night after the annual Junior Society dinner was held at the premises, 113 and 114 Chancery Lane in central London.

The fire is understood to have started in 114 Chancery Lane before spreading to 113, with 114 bearing the brunt of the damage. The Society is hoping staff can return to the premises tomorrow working out of 113.

Law Society chief executive Paul Tennant said in a statement: ‘First of all I wanted to express my gratitude to the fire service and my relief that nobody has been hurt. I also want to express my sympathy to the residents in the Chancery Lane area whom I understand may have had to evacuate their homes.’

Around 28 people had left the building before the fire brigade arrived, while 11 people were evacuated from nearby flats as a precaution. The Law Society Gazette, which is also based in the building, has sustained damage to its office while the Society’s extensive library has been unharmed. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) stated that much of the roof and part of the fifth, fourth and third floors were alight and that roughly 150 firefighters were deployed to tackle the fire. Crew have remained at the scene to minimise damage to the building.

Assistant Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, Dom Ellis, said in a statement: ‘This was a very complex fire due to the age and layout of the building. Firefighters worked throughout the night in very challenging and arduous conditions to prevent the fire from spreading to key areas of the historic building, while also trying to prevent water damage.’

Few other details have been disclosed regarding the cause of the fire or the extent of the damage caused. However, Tennant added: ‘Clearly we are extremely upset that this has happened to this wonderful and historic building. When the fire alarm sounded on Saturday night an event had been taking place. An evacuation ensued and I’d like to praise our on-site staff and others for their calm response. We will release more information as it emerges in due course.’

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This article first appeared on Legal Business.