Australian firms steadfast in face of consolidation Consolidation is coming to Australia's legal market. The professional services firms are eyeing up targets and London and New York firms are on their way. But Australia’s lawyers are not cowering in the corner. They are just getting on with innovative deals. Ralph Cunningham reports
Allen & Overy leads the way as adviser on French issues of oligations foncieres François Poudelet has led a team from Allen & Overy Paris advising CDC Marchés on the first issues of obligations foncières, the French equivalent of German Pfandbriefe.
Bankers overcome legal hitch on $700 million bond and share issue by Adecco Credit Suisse First Boston and Goldman Sachs developed an innovative solution to a legal hitch that threatened the $700 million bond and share offering by Adecco.
Israelis target Swiss exchange The SWX New Market in Zurich has launched its sixth IPO since it was set up in July.
PKN offering leads central, eastern Europe equity deals Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Allen & Overy are advising on the largest equity offering in central and eastern Europe of the year.
i-Cable IPO first to HKSE and Nasdaq i-Cable has completed the first dual listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. The cable television and broadband internet service provider raised HK$4.3 billion ($560 million). The deal is also the first global offering by an Asian cable televison operator.
Davis Polk advises AstraZeneca on $15b spin-off and merger Pharmaceuticals business AstraZeneca has chosen the same lawyers that worked on its recent merger to advise on the company's next step, a deal valued at $15 billion.
Universal Studios in largest Japanese project financing US and Japanese firms have helped to complete the largest project financing in Japan.
Insuring political risk in the emerging markets Emerging markets projects can suffer as much from the machinations of politicians as from everyday commercial pressures.
Dateline 2000: the world's biggest firms Ten years ago IFLR was the first to compare the sizes of international law firms.
The emergence of project-backed securitization Project-backed securitization emerged as a useful financing tool at the end of the nineties
Can OSLA ensure effective insolvency close-out? The OSLA is the agreement of choice for documenting stock lending transactions in the London-based Euro markets
More haste, less speed: the secret to investing in China Foreign investors in China are increasingly getting embroiled in disputes with Chinese companies
Is India being fair to foreign investment? India's attempts over the last decade to emulate its neighbours' success have reaped few dividends
Comment Michael Alcamo of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, New York, examines public response to an ambitious securities law proposal
The effect of hedging contracts on the calculation of derivatives losses Jonathan Pickworth of Dibb Lupton Alsop, London, considers a recent decision of the Commercial Court which limits the circumstances in which a market counter-party can recover losses incurred on a hedging contract.
Supreme Court of Canada overturns Shell decision n a 1998 decision of the Canadian Federal Court of Appeal, Shell was denied a portion of the tax benefit gained from a currency derivative structure. Ron Schlumpf of CIBC World Markets, Toronto, reviews the Supreme Court of Canada’s reversal of that decision
Repayments on demand Borrowers should be extremely cautious of taking loans which are repayable on demand. Alexander Janes of Coudert Brothers, London, reviews the process of calling in an overdraft in various courts in the Commonwealth
Aisa's first US-style LBO As Asia recovers from its deep economic crisis, private equity investors have become increasingly active around Asia.
Eversheds to merge with Dutch firm UK firm Eversheds is to merge with Dutch firm Boekel De Nerée in a move that will create a firm with almost 1,200 lawyers.
In brief German firm Haarmann Hemmelrath has announced that it will open an office in London during the first quarter of 2000.
Perkins Coie raids Baker & McKenzie's China practice US firm Perkins Coie has expanded its China practice group by poaching a group of partners from Baker & McKenzie.
Faugerolas leaves Jones Day for Willkie Farr US firm Jones Day Reavis & Pogue has lost Paris partner Laurent Faugérolas and four associates to the Paris office of rival US firm, Willkie Farr & Gallagher. Faugérolas is a corporate lawyer and had been at Jones Day Paris for five years.
First Thai partner joins Herbert Smith Herbert Smith has hired its first Thai partner to help staff the firm's Bangkok office. Kowit Somwaiya joined the UK firm on November 23 from local firm George & Kowit, where he was one of the name partners.
Winston & Strawn hires two new partners Winston & Strawn has hired two new partners for its New York office.
Correction Asia Law & Practice, the publishers of AsiaLaw Profiles 2000, would like to point out the following errata:
Singapore lawyers bracing for competition Time is running out for Singapore lawyers. When the legal reform bill becomes law, expected this month, the attorney general will be able to approve up to five joint ventures and five formal alliances between foreign and local law firms.
Cameron' alliance loses second member firm The euro-network of UK firm Cameron McKenna has lost its second member in seven months. The departure of Swedish firm Tisell means that the alliance now has only three members.
Landwell adds South African law firm Landwell, the network of PricewaterhouseCoopers law firms, has gained a South African member. Bell Dewar & Hall, based in Johannesburg, has become part of the Landwell network with effect from January 1 2000.
Linklaters expands Madrid office As reported in IFLR last month, Linklaters has announced an expansion of its office in Madrid with two Spanish partners joining the firm in January.
