Newshttp://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/newsNewsen© Copyright Linklaters LLP Linklaters LLP https://lpscdn.linklaters.com/-/media/images/linklaters/logo/linklaters_plum.ashx?rev=739df63b-a0f1-480f-8ba7-3b13c8d68e7fNewshttp://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news{45ADE002-25F3-4629-BE02-9BA17634BBEF}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/march/linklaters-announces-new-managing-partner-for-chinaLinklaters announces new Managing Partner for China<p><span>Linklaters is pleased to announce the appointment of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/andrew-chung" target="_blank" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Andrew Chung</a> as its new Managing Partner for China. In this role, Andrew will contribute towards key management decisions that help shape the firm’s strategy.</span></p> <p><span>Andrew joined the firm in August 2018 as a Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations partner in Hong Kong SAR and supports some of our key clients on matters related to investigations, regulatory issues, disputes and white-collar crime in Greater China and beyond. Andrew brings with him significant experience in the financial services sector, having held a senior position with a major U.S. investment bank with broad responsibilities for investigations, disputes and other areas.</span></p> <p><span>Andrew takes over from William Liu who will continue in his role as Asia Regional Managing Partner. </span></p> <p><span>Linklaters' Firmwide Managing Partner, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/paul-lewis" target="_blank">Paul Lewis</a>, commented:</span></p> <blockquote><span>“China continues to be an important market for Linklaters and a key part of our global network. I thank William for his strong leadership of the China market over the past six years and the ongoing role he will play in Asia as Regional Managing Partner.”</span></blockquote> <p><span>Linklaters' Asia Managing Partner, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/william-liu" target="_blank">William Liu</a>, commented:</span></p> <blockquote><span>“Andrew has significant leadership experience at global, regional and local levels across the firm. We are grateful to him for taking on this senior management role and sharing the China leadership responsibilities with me. We are confident that with his strong business and commercial understanding, the firm’s relationships with our key clients and stakeholders will continue to thrive.”</span></blockquote> <p><span>Linklaters' China Managing Partner, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/andrew-chung" target="_blank">Andrew Chung</a> added:</span></p> <blockquote><span>“I look forward to working with all of the partners in our incredible, market leading practices, together with the regional and firm-wide leadership to drive forward the continued success of our Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing offices.”</span></blockquote>Mon, 18 Mar 2024 06:51:00 Z{B00F189A-592E-46B7-8046-46EADC17F46A}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/march/female-rising-star-awards-2024Linklaters’ Lisa Chang and Clare Baker feature in Law.com’s Female Rising Stars 2024 <p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm;"><span class="normaltextrun">Linklaters is thrilled to share that <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/lisa-chang">Lisa Chang</a>, Corporate Partner, and<a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/clare-baker"> Clare Baker</a>, Investment Funds Partner, have been listed in Law.com’s Female Rising Stars 2024. </span><span class="eop"></span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm;"><span> </span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm;"><span class="normaltextrun">Lisa is an outstanding corporate lawyer who has a track record in advising some of the firm’s key clients. Lisa has a deal-making track record which resonates in the market and has seen her instructed on some of the most complex and high-profile transactions in recent years, including the proposed sale of The Telegraph and The Spectator. Her practice is multi-faceted, advising across the full spectrum of corporate work including M&A, private capital fundraisings for high growth tech companies, complex reorganisations, carve-outs and joint venture transactions.</span><span class="eop"></span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm;"><span> </span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm;"><span class="normaltextrun">Lisa has a passion for technology and plays an active role on Linklaters’ GenAI Steering Committee and as a UK Technology Sector Leader. She helped partner with Softbank Vision Fund on their Emerge initiative, a pioneering tech accelerator programme with a focus on amplifying investment channels for female and other underrepresented tech entrepreneurs.</span><span class="eop"></span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm;"><span> </span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm;"><span class="normaltextrun">Clare leads Linklaters’ Global Investor Practice, which grew to representing the largest and most sophisticated investors in their investments totalling over US$30bn across 165+ fund investments, co-investments, SMAs and secondary transactions in 2023. Clare’s stellar market reputation is underpinned by her work on ultra-high-net-worth and complex deals. </span><span class="eop"></span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm;"><span> </span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm;"><span class="normaltextrun">Clare’s passion for supporting working parents stems from the challenges faced having two young children while on the partnership track. She spearheaded the introduction of Linklaters’ 12 weeks paid parental leave, which now exists alongside the firm’s existing six month shared parental leave policy to allow working fathers better access to paid parental leave, and led the introduction of Linklaters’ UK Adjustment Days policy which was rolled out in 2022. </span><span class="eop"></span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm;"><span> </span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm;"><span class="normaltextrun">Lisa is a mentor for Linklaters’ “Stepping Forward” programme to support young female lawyers, while Clare is a sponsor partner on Linklaters’ Women’s Leadership Programme to support senior female lawyers and a sponsor partner for Linklaters’ Race Action Plan, to support black and minority ethnic lawyers at Linklaters.  </span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm;"><span> </span></p> <p><span class="normaltextrun">See the full list on Law.com’s website here:<a href="https://www.law.com/international-edition/2024/03/07/rising-stars-the-uk-legal-industrys-best-up-and-coming-women-2024/"></a></span><span class="normaltextrun" style="color: #0563c1;"><a href="https://www.law.com/international-edition/2024/03/07/rising-stars-the-uk-legal-industrys-best-up-and-coming-women-2024/">Rising Stars: The UK Legal Industry's Best Up-And-Coming Women, 2024 | Law.com International</a></span></p>Fri, 08 Mar 2024 12:36:00 Z{47CDC178-673E-4DF4-A59B-8DC2BE53AF2E}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/march/ij-global-awards-2023Linklaters awarded 9 Deals of the Year by IJ GlobalLinklaters is delighted to have been awarded Nine Deals of the Year at the IJGlobal Awards 2023. We are proud to support our clients on transformational and market-leading deals of this kind across multiple key sectors and jurisdictions. The awards demonstrate our extraordinary ability to execute multiple high-value and complex deals, underlining how important energy and infrastructure is to clients.Thu, 07 Mar 2024 16:46:00 Z{432704CF-4FE1-428A-9697-CD5F2D03DA8E}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/february/14-top-dealmakers-recognised-by-mergerlinks-in-202314 top dealmakers recognised by Mergerlinks in 2023<p><em>Mergerlinks </em>have recognised 14 of Linklaters lawyers in their 2023 rankings across multiple categories including complex M&A, Tax, Employment, Antitrust, IP and Finance. The rankings underline the strength of the firm’s offering across the platform. </p> <p><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/simon-branigan" target="_blank">Simon Branigan</a>, Global Head of Linklaters Corporate Division: </p> <blockquote><em>"This impressive showing is testament to the incredible talent at the firm and to the commitment in delivering excellent client service. Working alongside the world’s leading corporates, financial institutions, and sponsors, advising them on all aspects of big-ticket M&A and complex work is what we do best. Congratulations to these individuals and their teams on these listings."</em> </blockquote> <p>The rankings are: </p> <ul> <li><strong>2023 Top Intellectual Property Lawyers in EMEA</strong> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/marly-didizian">Marly Didizian</a> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/tanguy-van-overstraeten">Tanguy Van Overstraeten</a> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/yohan-liyanage">Yohan Liyanage</a> </li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>2023 Top M&A Lawyers in EMEA</strong> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/robert-cleaver">Robert Cleaver</a> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/derek-tong">Derek Tong</a> </li> <li><strong>2023 Top Tax Lawyers in EMEA</strong> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/chris-smale">Chris Smale</a> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/christian-hundeshagen">Christian Hundeshagen</a> </li> <li><strong>2023 Top Employment Lawyers in EMEA</strong> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/matthew-devey">Matthew Devey</a> </li> <li><strong>2023 Top Antitrust Lawyers in EMEA</strong> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/anna-mitchell">Anna Mitchell</a> </li> <li><strong>2023 Top Healthcare Lawyers in EMEA</strong> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/carmen-burgos">Carmen Burgos</a> </li> <li><strong>2023 Top M&A Lawyers in Italy</strong> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/pietro-belloni">Pietro Belloni</a> </li> <li><strong>2023 Top M&A Lawyers in the UK</strong> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/robert-cleaver">Robert Cleaver</a> </li> <li><strong>2023 Top Advisor Lawyers in EMEA</strong> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/toby-grimstone">Toby Grimstone</a> </li> <li><strong>2023 Top M&A Lawyers in DACH</strong><br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/timo-engelhardt">Timo Engelhardt</a> </li> <li><strong>2023 Top Financing Lawyers in EMEA</strong> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/julian-davies">Julian Davies</a> </li> <li><strong>2023 Top Female M&A Lawyers in EMEA</strong> <br /> <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/carmen-burgos">Carmen Burgos</a> </li> </ul> <p><em>Mergerlinks </em>rankings are comprised on deal value over the last year, more information on the firm’s rankings can be found here: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://app.mergerlinks.com/service-providers/linklaters-llp/ranked-individuals" target="_blank">Linklaters - MergerLinks</a></p>Thu, 29 Feb 2024 11:05:00 Z{415CDF74-5DFF-4621-BF1C-557C2AFD9DBA}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/february/linklaters-aclu-of-louisiana-and-rfk-human-rights-lawsuit-against-st-tammany-parish-sheriffLinklaters, ACLU of Louisiana, and RFK Human Rights File Equal Protection Lawsuit Against St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office<div> <div>Linklaters, American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana (ACLU), and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (RFK) filed a second lawsuit against St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office (STPSO) deputies, as well as several members of the agency’s leadership, that challenges STPSO’s pattern and practice of racial profiling and unconstitutional searches of Black individuals, as well as its approval of the violations of Mr. Bruce Washington’s rights during a pretextual traffic stop.<br /> <br /> On the night of January 13, 2023, Mr. Washington, a 55-year-old Black man and resident of Bogalusa, Louisiana, was driving to New Orleans to go visit his girlfriend for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday weekend when STPSO officers pulled him over to the shoulder of a dark and low-trafficked road. After the officers informed Mr. Washington that they only intended to give him a warning for an alleged traffic offense, the three officers unlawfully extended the stop by continuously questioning Mr. Washington, as well as searching him, his possessions, and his vehicle without his consent or probable cause. <br /> <br /> The incident is but one of three separate encounters where STPSO officers have violated Mr. Washington’s constitutional rights. He was previously stopped and searched in March 2021, and stopped yet again in October 2023. He had already <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2022/march/linklaters-teams-up-with-aclu-of-louisiana-in-lawsuit-against-unconstitutional-policing">filed a lawsuit</a> for the first incident when the second and third incidents took place. The first lawsuit <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/march/linklaters-and-aclu-defeat-qualified-immunity">overcame summary judgment</a> and the Defendant’s <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/september/fifth-circuit-upholds">appeal to the Fifth Circuit</a>. Trial is set for October 21, 2024.<br /> <br /> At the core of the new lawsuit is STPSO’s pattern of racially discriminatory traffic stops, searches, and seizures. It asserts violations of Mr. Washington’s rights under the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, Article 1 Section 5 of the Louisiana Constitution, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Louisiana state common and statutory laws. It also asserts claims against the STPSO for its ratification of the officers’ unconstitutional conduct, racial profiling, and failure to supervise and train its officers in the parameters of constitutional searches despite its knowledge of their unconstitutional conduct. <br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/elizabeth-raulston">Elizabeth Raulston</a>, Linklaters Senior Associate, commented: “We are proud to continue working with the ACLU’s Justice Lab in combatting ongoing unconstitutional policing and racial profiling in Louisiana. That we’re now doing so in connection with three separate incidents involving STPSO’s unconstitutional stops of Mr. Washington is clearly not a coincidence.”<br /> <br /> Prior to filing the second lawsuit, the ACLU of Louisiana conducted a demographic analysis of traffic stop data obtained via multiple rounds of public records requests to the STPSO. Findings showed that from January through November of 2023, Black individuals in St. Tammany Parish were 250% more likely to be stopped for alleged traffic violations than white individuals. And while only 15% of the Parish’s residents identify as Black, these individuals account for 36% of the people stopped for alleged traffic violations and 26% of the people cited for those violations.<br /> <br /> “STPSO deputies’ use of the same coercive procedures over Mr. Washington a mere three weeks after his triumphant defeat of qualified immunity in his first lawsuit shows that the Sheriff has no intention of addressing these pernicious practices absent court intervention,” said Linklaters Associate <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/zo-lillian">Zoë Lillian</a>, who is currently on secondment at the ACLU of Louisiana. “Linklaters is committed to supporting Mr. Washington‘s advocacy for his constitutional rights and those of all other citizens of St. Tammany Parish who experience similar racial profiling on a regular basis.” <br /> <br /> The Linklaters U.S. team on this case includes Senior Associates <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/elizabeth-raulston">Elizabeth Raulston</a> and <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/charlene-warner">Charlene Valdez Warner</a>, Associates <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/zo-lillian">Zoë Lillian</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/lillian-childress">Lillian Childress</a>, Nirajé Medley-Bacon, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/stephanie-odigie">Stephanie Odigie</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/nicolle-sayers">Nicolle Sayers</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/chloe-shostak">Chloe Shostak</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/katherine-rumer">Katherine Rumer</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/maria-vaz-ferreira">Maria Vaz Ferreira</a>, and <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/nina-zegarraschmidt">Nina Zegarra-Schmidt</a>, and paralegals Casey Bell, Lescene Gibbons, and Lucia Joseph. Partner <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/adam-lurie">Adam Lurie</a> is supervising the team on this case.<br /> <br /> Linklaters continues to support the ACLU of Louisiana through the firm’s Social Impact program, through which the firm deploys the strengths of lawyers and business staff to bring about positive change through legal pro bono as well as non-legal volunteering and charitable donations. <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/about-us/responsibility/social-impact">Learn more about Linklaters’ Social Impact program</a>. <br /> <div> </div> </div> </div>Wed, 21 Feb 2024 17:41:00 Z{C6961D60-0ACD-4F19-8620-C9BD14487243}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/february/linklaters-achieves-over-100-band-1-rankings-in-chambers-global-2024Linklaters achieves over 100 Band 1 rankings in Chambers Global 2024 <p>Linklaters has received 102 Band 1 department rankings in Chambers Global 2024, including eight global-wide Band 1 rankings across Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Competition/Antitrust, Corporate/M&A and Projects & Energy. </p> <p>More than 270 Linklaters lawyers have also been ranked in Chambers Global 2024, receiving 70 individual Band 1 rankings. Overall, 211 practice areas across Linklaters’ global platform have maintained or exceeded their high-performing rankings in the Chambers Global directory since 2023.</p> <p><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/paul-lewis" target="_blank">Paul Lewis</a>, Firmwide Managing Partner, commented: </p> <blockquote><em>“Another year of outstanding results across the board – reflecting Linklaters’ exceptional client service and the all-round strength of our global platform. The world’s leading corporates, banks and financial sponsors continue to turn to us with their biggest and most complex global work.”</em> </blockquote> <p>The Chambers Global Guide ranks the top lawyers and law firms in over 200 jurisdictions across the world. Each ranking is based on in-depth research to identify and recognise the firms able to advise on complex global matters. </p> <p>To view the firm’s complete Chambers Global 2024 rankings, click <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chambers.com/law-firm/linklaters-global-2:255" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>Thu, 15 Feb 2024 09:27:00 Z{F3D30B25-A7EF-407E-8825-0E33BB39AA66}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/february/linklaters-ranks-number-1-in-ijglobal-league-tables-2023Linklaters ranks number 1 in IJGlobal League Tables 2023<p>Linklaters has been recognised in the IJGlobal League Tables FY 2023 as the market leading legal advisers in Energy & Infrastructure. This recognition demonstrates the firm’s global ability to execute high-value, complex deals, and emphasises the importance of energy transition and infrastructure to our clients.</p> <p>A reflection of the cross-practice, cross-border strength of the firm, these rankings include every transactional mandate in the energy and infrastructure sectors, including project finance, M&A, acquisition financing, refinancing, loans, bonds, project bonds, structured debt platforms and whole business securitisations.</p> <p><strong>The firm has been ranked by IJGlobal as number 1 legal advisers for*:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Global Infrastructure, on both deal value and volume of deals with 158 deals worth a total of US$153.2bn.</li> <li>Global Corporate Finance, on deal value with 86 deals worth a total of US$65.1bn.</li> <li>Europe Infrastructure, on deal value and volume of deals with 91 deals worth a total of US$96.2bn.</li> <li>APAC Infrastructure, on both deal value and volume of deals with 44 deals worth a total of US$41.2bn.</li> <li>Transport Infrastructure, on deal value and volume of deals with 28 deals worth a total of US$14.5bn.</li> <li>Europe Renewables Project Finance, on deal value with 17 deals worth a total of US$18.8bn.</li> </ul> <p>You can access the full IJGlobal League Tables <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ijglobal.com/articles/178653/ijglobal-league-tables-fy-2023-steady-as-you-go" target="_blank">here</a>. (£)</p> <h6><em>*As published in the IJGlobal Infrastructure and Project Finance League Table Report – Full Year 2023.</em></h6>Wed, 14 Feb 2024 09:27:00 Z{143C4FBB-A7BD-4869-9C6B-A2888991407A}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/february/linklaters-advises-on-three-separate-ipos-across-europe-in-one-weekLinklaters advises on three separate IPOs across Europe in one week<p>Following a subdued couple of years, the European Equities market is set for a rebound. On the same day this week, three significant IPOs have taken place on European stock markets. These are the IPO of <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2024/february/linklaters-advises-avialliance-in-connection-with-the-2_46bn-ipo-of-athens-international-airport">Athens International Airport on the Athens Stock Exchange</a>, the IPO of <a href="https://linklaters.de/de-de/ueber-uns/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/2024/february/theon">Theon International on Euronext Amsterdam</a>, and the IPO of <a href="https://linklaters.de/de-de/ueber-uns/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/2024/february/linklaters-beraet-bankenkonsortium-bei-ipo-von-renk">RENK Group AG on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange</a>. </p> <p>Linklaters advised on all three of these IPOs with the deal teams led by partners <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/tom-thorne">Tom Thorne</a>, <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/marco-carbonare">Dr. Marco Carbonare</a>, <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/alexander-harmse">Alexander Harmse</a> and <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/alexander-schlee">Dr. Alexander Schlee</a>. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/tom-thorne">Tom Thorne</a>, Partner in Linklaters Corporate practice: </strong></p> <blockquote>"Challenging market conditions throughout 2023 meant we saw a slower IPO year, however there is now a backlog of high-quality companies looking at exit and fundraising strategies, with IPOs set to play an important part. This is evidenced by three major IPOs taking place across the continent this week."</blockquote> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/marco-carbonare">Dr. Marco Carbonare</a>, Partner and Global Co-Head of Equities at Linklaters: </strong></p> <blockquote>"We expect private equity and financial sponsors to be particularly active this year, to help drive activity as investors consider their exit options. There is a pent-up pipeline across sectors and this week indicates that we could start to see more activity across the European markets."</blockquote> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/alexander-schlee">Dr. Alexander Schlee</a>, Partner in Linklaters Capital Markets practice: </strong></p> <blockquote>"We are at an important juncture where companies need to bring in more capital to support their growth. While it’ll be interesting to watch how 2024 unfolds, particularly due to the sheer volume of general elections taking place across the globe which could generate uncertainty, as inflation levels out we can expect to see more companies making moves and this week’s activity will certainly help in generating momentum."</blockquote> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/alexander-harmse">Alexander Harmse</a>, Partner in Linklaters Capital Markets practice: </strong></p> <blockquote>"The European IPO market is a dynamic and competitive landscape and companies have a range of options when considering where to list. Each market offers unique advantages, from the regulatory environment to investor base, which can significantly influence its attractiveness. This week has evidenced the green shoots of recovery that we are starting to see in the IPO market and should drive confidence for the year ahead."</blockquote> <p>These transactions showcase Linklaters’ wealth of in-depth expertise in European capital markets. Find out more about the team here: <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/client-services/capital-markets/equity-capital-market">Explore Equity Capital Markets at Linklaters</a></p>Fri, 09 Feb 2024 17:23:00 Z{63EDE49C-C3DF-49F2-9A4C-7E49CE934C62}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/january/linklaters-secures-rare-dismissal-of-doj-insider-trading-chargesLinklaters Secures Rare Dismissal of DOJ Insider Trading Charges Against Ramkumar Rayapureddy Two Weeks Before Trial<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span>Linklaters’ U.S. </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/client-services/litigation-arbitration-and-investigations" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Litigation, Arbitration, and Investigations</a> practice has successfully defended Ramkumar Rayapureddy against insider trading charges brought by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) in the Western District of Pennsylvania. In a nearly unprecedented event, the DOJ dismissed all charges with prejudice just two weeks before trial as a result of Linklaters’ defense.<br /> <br /> In November 2022, the DOJ charged Mr. Rayapureddy with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and three counts of securities fraud for his alleged role in an insider trading scheme involving the securities of Mylan, one of the predecessor entities that combined to form Viatris Inc. ("Viatris”). The indictment alleged that Mr. Rayapureddy conspired with his former colleague, Dayakar Mallu, by providing Mr. Mallu with the relevant material, non-public information necessary to conduct the illegal trades.<br /> <br /> The Linklaters team pursued an aggressive defense strategy, marshalling powerful evidence proving Mr. Rayapureddy’s innocence. At trial, Linklaters was prepared to prove, among other things, that purported evidence against Mr. Rayapureddy had been fabricated, that Mr. Rayapureddy did not provide any inside information to Mr. Mallu, and that the Government had improperly disregarded these facts. With trial fast approaching, and knowing the jury would soon see the defense, the Government had little choice but to dismiss the case. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Linklaters Partner <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/adam-lurie">Adam Lurie</a>, who led the defense team alongside Partners <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/doug-davison">Doug Davison</a> and <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/richard-smith">Richard Smith</a>, said:<br /> <br /> </p> <blockquote style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“Ram and his family are very pleased that these baseless charges against him have finally been dismissed. He is incredibly grateful for the steadfast support from Viatris, his family, and friends. This case never should have been brought. Ram and his family hope that no one should have to go through something like this. He is looking forward to moving on with his life and is considering his legal rights.”</blockquote> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The Linklaters team representing Mr. Rayapureddy in <em>United States of America v. Ramkumar Rayapureddy </em>also included Associates <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/rebecca-zeldin">Rebecca Zeldin</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/salma-shitia">Salma Shitia</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/nicolle-sayers">Nicolle Sayers</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/elizabeth-raulston">Elizabeth Raulston</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/max-blinderacenal">Max Blinder-Acenal</a>, and Kailyn LaPorte. In addition, John A. Schwab, Attorney at Law, LLC, who is based in Pittsburgh, served as Linklaters’ co-counsel and was exceptional throughout the case. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Linklaters U.S. Litigation, Arbitration & Investigations team includes an elite group of hand-picked trial lawyers, former DOJ and SEC officials, and strategists that is fully integrated with the firm’s nearly 400 market-leading litigation lawyers worldwide. <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/client-services/business-crime" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Learn more about our Business Crime offering.</a></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span> </span></p>Mon, 29 Jan 2024 12:50:00 Z{F5AA6060-1E08-4C12-BA7B-17BE1269B36F}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/january/linklaters-sarina-williams-and-derek-tong-feature-in-the-lawyers-hot-100-2024Linklaters’ Sarina Williams and Derek Tong feature in The Lawyer’s Hot 100 2024<p>Linklaters is delighted to share that <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/sarina-williams">Sarina Williams</a>, Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations Partner and Co-Head of Linklaters’ Global Competition Litigation practice, and <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/derek-tong">Derek Tong</a>, Corporate Partner and Global Co-Head of Linklaters’ Technology Sector, have been featured in The Lawyer’s Hot 100 2024. </p> <p>Sarina had an outstanding 2023 in the booming UK competition litigation market. Her work included advising Visa in its successful defeat of certification of parallel opt-in and opt-out class actions brought in the Competition Appeal Tribunal relating to interchange fees and representing Sony in the first case to consider new funding models following the Supreme Court’s decision in PACCAR. Sarina and her team also supported Visa in its successful defence of arguments by the claimants in the Tribunal’s first ever “umbrella proceedings” that they could rely on a decision by the CJEU to extend their claims back to the 1970s: the first time that the UK’s Brexit legislation was considered in the context of a competition law claim and the CAT found in Visa’s favour on all grounds. </p> <p>In her role as Chair of the ICC Global Competition Commission’s Task Force on Antitrust Damages Actions, Sarina also oversaw development of the ICC’s Second Compendium of Antirust Damages Actions in 2023. The Compendium provides a comprehensive overview of the complexities and intricacies associated with antitrust litigation and the key judgments across 21 key antitrust enforcement centres around the world. </p> <p>Derek advised on some of the largest global deals that took place in 2023, acting for HSBC on the US$10bn disposal of its Canadian banking operations to RBC, being the largest ever merger between two Canadian banks; and the EUR12bn acquisition of Viessmann’s Climate Solutions business to enhance Carrier’s strategy on the rapid energy transition in Europe, which was the largest M&A transaction in Germany in 2023. With a strong track record in advising high growth tech companies across the globe and acted for funds on numerous minority equity investments in high growth tech businesses. His passion and expertise in tech stems from the time of his dual degree in software engineering and law, which he uses to advise across the tech ecosystem from major tech players and investors to multinationals pursuing digital strategies. Derek’s insights are invaluable to clients at a time when technology is critical to corporates achieving innovation and growth, improving efficiencies and transitioning to net zero. Derek is also a member of techUK and is active in engaging across the tech ecosystem. </p> <p>Throughout his career, Derek has been passionate about promoting DEI within his firm. In recent years, he has been involved with the General Counsel for Diversity and Inclusion (GCD&I) initiative founded in 2019, both in connection with its Ethnicity Community and LGBT+ Community, and was recently a panelist on its Out@work Launch event. He is also a partner sponsor under the firm’s new Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme, which launched this year. </p> <p>See the full list on The Lawyer’s website here: <a href="https://www.thelawyer.com/event/lawyer-hot-100/">The Lawyer Hot 100 2024 - The Lawyer</a></p>Mon, 29 Jan 2024 12:31:00 Z{553F0A87-D68C-4774-B79F-B7D227C9E2E9}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/january/linklaters-latin-america-practice-wins-three-latinfinance-deal-of-the-year-awardsLinklaters’ Latin America Practice Wins Three LatinFinance Deal of the Year Awards<p>Linklaters is pleased to announce that the firm’s Latin America practice was honored with three LatinFinance Deal of the Year awards. </p> <p>The Sovereign Bond of the Year award recognizes Linklaters’ work <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2023/july/linklaters-advises-republic-of-chile-on-landmark-slb">advising the Republic of Chile on the first sovereign issued sustainability-linked bond to include a gender related key performance indicator</a>. The offering of $2.25 billion and €750 million notes is the second award-winning deal completed by Linklaters and the Republic of Chile, following <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2022/march/linklaters-advises-the-republic-of-chile-on-ground-breaking-sovereign-sustainability-linked-bond">the first ever sovereign sustainability-linked bond issuance</a>. The deal team supporting this transaction was led by Partner <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/conrado-tenaglia">Conrado Tenaglia</a> and Tax Partner <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/gabriel-grossman">Gabriel Grossman</a>, with capital markets support from Associates <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/juan-mata">Juan Mata</a> and <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/monica-perezbanuet-farell">Mónica Perez-Banuet</a>, banking support from Associate <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/mario-lercari">Mario Lercari</a>, and tax support from Senior Associate <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/matthew-russo">Matthew Russo</a>. </p> <p>The Quasi-Sovereign Bond of the Year award recognizes Linklaters’ work advising <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2023/september/linklaters-advises-bnp-paribas">BNP PARIBAS, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan, Santander, and Scotiabank on CODELCO’s $2 billion bond issuance</a>. The team that supported this transaction was led by Partners <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/conrado-tenaglia">Conrado Tenaglia</a> and <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/matthew-poulter">Matthew Poulter</a>, with capital markets support from Associates <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/monica-perezbanuet-farell">Monica Perez Banuet Farell</a> and <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/juan-mata">Juan Mata</a>, corporate support from Associate <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/allan-paul-talde">Allan Paul Talde</a>, and foreign attorney Santiago Errazuriz in New York. The team also included Tax Counsel <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/omer-harel">Omer Harel</a> in London. </p> <p>LatinFinance’s Equity Follow-On of the Year award recognizes Linklaters’ work advising BofA Securities, Goldman Sachs International, and Morgan Stanley as joint bookrunners on FEMSA’s offering of €500 million senior unsecured bonds exchangeable into shares of Heineken Holding N.V, as part of FEMSA’s placement of €7 billion of equity and exchangeables for its holdings in Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. (Heineken Group). The Linklaters team supporting this transaction was led by Capital Markets Partner <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/ben-dulieu">Ben Dulieu</a>, and included Managing Associate <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/jessica-andrew">Jessica Andrew</a> and Associate Liam Jenkins in London. The team also included Head of Linklaters’ Mexico Group <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/alberto-garcia-linera">Alberto García Linera</a> in Mexico City.</p> <p> The LatinFinance Deal of the Year awards recognize those who are executing market-moving deals with groundbreaking qualities. Each transaction’s innovation, foresight, and incorporation of ESG considerations is considered when determining awardees. Awardees are determined solely by LatinFinance’s editors following an extensive research process. </p> <p>Linklaters has practiced in Latin America for decades and was one of the first international firms to open an office in Brazil in 1997. With a growing team of Latin America-focused lawyers across the firm’s New York, Washington, D.C., and São Paulo offices, and the recent launch of Linklaters’ Mexico Group, the firm continues to increase its presence in the region and deepen existing relationships with leading local law firms. Linklaters is highly ranked across key Latin America legal directories, including Chambers, Legal 500, and Latin Lawyer. The practice also recently won <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/bonds-and-loans-deal-of-the-year-awards">two Bonds & Loans Deal of the Year awards</a> <span class="ui-provider ee bib bac bic bid bie bif big bih bii bij bik bil bim bin bio bip biq bir bis bit biu biv biw bix biy biz bja bjb bjc bjd bje bjf bjg bjh" dir="ltr">and <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/january/conrado-tenaglia-named-international-lawyer-of-the-year-by-latin-lawyer">Latin Lawyer's International Lawyer of the Year award</a>.</span></p> <div> </div>Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:53:00 Z{41BC2D85-C08B-4D59-9426-F39C4EB349C6}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/january/conrado-tenaglia-named-international-lawyer-of-the-year-by-latin-lawyerConrado Tenaglia Named International Lawyer of the Year by Latin Lawyer<div>Linklaters Partner and Co-Head of its Latin America practice <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/conrado-tenaglia#:~:text=Conrado%20is%20a%20capital%20markets,on%20Latin%20America%20and%20Spain.">Conrado Tenaglia</a> has been named Latin Lawyer’s 2024 International Lawyer of the Year.<br /> <br /> The award recognizes Conrado’s strong presence in Latin America, in particular in its Southern Cone (Argentina and Chile), and leading profile through his deals work with large regional corporate groups (“multilatinas”) and sovereigns. </div> <div> </div> <div>Conrado has over 30 years of experience in cross-border corporate finance transactions, mostly unsecured and secured banking facilities, bond issues, liability management exercises, and debt restructurings. Recently, he advised the <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2022/march/linklaters-advises-the-republic-of-chile-on-ground-breaking-sovereign-sustainability-linked-bond" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Republic of Chile on the world’s first sovereign sustainability-linked bond</a> and <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2023/july/linklaters-advises-republic-of-chile-on-landmark-slb" style="background-color: #ffffff;">first SLB with gender-related KPIs</a>; <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2023/september/linklaters-advises-bnp-paribas" style="background-color: #ffffff;">the lead managers on CODELCO’s $2 billion bond issuance</a>, and Argentina’s Tecpetrol, PanAmerican Energy and CGC in connection with financing their expansion plans in the Vaca Muerta shale gas reservoir (the world’s second largest).</div> <div> <br /> Linklaters has practiced in Latin America for decades and has had an office in Brazil since 1997. With a growing team of Latin America-focused lawyers across the firm’s New York, Washington, D.C., and São Paulo offices, and the recent launch of its Mexico Group, the firm continues to increase its presence in the region and deepen existing relationships with leading local law firms. Linklaters is highly ranked across key Latin America legal directories, including Chambers, Legal 500, and Latin Lawyer. The practice also recently won <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/bonds-and-loans-deal-of-the-year-awards">two Bonds & Loans Deal of the Year awards</a>. <br /> <div> </div> </div>Thu, 25 Jan 2024 15:50:00 Z{02963057-5533-4C5D-9C7F-5C5D009F5551}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/january/linklaters-hires-m-and-a-dealmaker-hubert-segain-as-co-head-of-its-paris-corporate-practiceLinklaters hires M&A dealmaker Hubert Segain as co-head of its Paris Corporate practice<p>Linklaters is delighted to announce that leading M&A dealmaker Hubert Segain will be joining the firm as co-head of the Paris Corporate practice alongside Bruno Derieux. </p> <p>With more than 20 years’ experience, Hubert Segain specialises in public and private M&A, joint ventures, stock exchange law, capital market transactions, corporate governance, and group reorganisations. He joins the firm from Herbert Smith Freehills where he headed its Corporate practice in Paris and served on its global governing Council. </p> <p>Hubert Segain is the lead relationship partner for many major French and international clients, who he advises on a wide range of transactions. Ranked for three consecutive years in the Top 40 lawyers advising CAC 40 companies by Forbes, he has an excellent reputation for leading many of the highest-profile corporate deals in the market in recent years. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/aedamar-comiskey">Aedamar Comiskey</a>, Linklaters Senior Partner, said: </strong></p> <blockquote>“Hubert Segain is a terrific hire into our global corporate team. His outstanding track record of advising the largest French and international companies on their strategic M&A deals and Linklaters pre-eminent global M&A practice will be a powerful combination for clients. Welcome Hubert.”</blockquote> <p> Linklaters has one of the world’s top M&A practices, with over 650 M&A lawyers advising clients across the globe on their most complex and important transactions. The firm is Band 1 ranked by Chambers for Corporate in the UK, Europe, and Asia, as well as for Global Multi-Jurisdictional Corporate.</p> <p> <strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/simon-branigan">Simon Branigan</a>, Linklaters Global Head of Corporate, said: </strong></p> <blockquote>“Hubert Segain is yet another marquee hire for Linklaters’ market-leading global corporate team. He brings strong and lasting client relationships and stellar M&A expertise to our global platform. I very much look forward to working with him on our clients’ most important strategic matters.” </blockquote> <p>In 2022, Linklaters advised on over 240 global M&A deals worth a total of $164 billion, including advising 35 of the world’s top 50 corporates. Among the firm’s recent awards are those for European M&A Legal Adviser of the Year and UK M&A Legal Adviser of the Year at the European Mergermarket Awards 2023. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/franoise-maigrot">Françoise Maigrot</a>, Managing Partner for Linklaters in Paris, said: </strong></p> <blockquote>“We are delighted to welcome Hubert Segain. His arrival, and our ongoing investment in our very strong talent pipeline, reflects the firm's ambition to field the very strongest Corporate team in Paris and across our global network. The strength and depth of our capabilities in this field, and the expertise we bring in antitrust and competition law, banking, employment, intellectual property, privacy and technologies, and tax, enables us to support our clients seamlessly on their most strategic matters.” </blockquote> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/bruno-derieux">Bruno Derieux</a>, partner and head of the Corporate practice in Paris, adds: </strong></p> <blockquote>"We are all very happy to welcome Hubert Segain. His practice is highly complementary to ours and offers obvious synergies with those of the other teams." </blockquote> <p><strong>Hubert Segain says: </strong></p> <blockquote>“I am thrilled to join Linklaters, which has a world-class Corporate team, globally recognised for managing complex transactions. Linklaters stands out for the breadth and depth of its expertise and its international coverage, including in Europe, Asia and the US. These are invaluable assets for supporting clients as they manage their strategic challenges and opportunities.”</blockquote>Thu, 18 Jan 2024 13:59:00 Z{1C8C9A21-CE86-4655-A748-0C6D3CD062E3}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/january/linklaters-hires-market-leading-m-and-a-team-in-new-york-led-by-rainmaker-george-caseyLinklaters Hires Market-Leading M&A Team in New York Led by Rainmaker George Casey<ul> <li>George Casey comes as Global Co-Chair of Corporate, joined by Heiko Schiwek, who will be one of the Global Leaders of the Chemicals Sector at Linklaters</li> </ul> <ul> <li>The team will add a full spectrum of US and cross-border M&A capability to Linklaters’ pre-eminent global Corporate and M&A offering </li> </ul> <ul> <li>Casey and Schiwek will spearhead the next chapter of Linklaters’ US growth strategy, building on the firm’s recent growth in the US, and the integration of US M&A capability with the firm’s global platform </li> </ul> <ul> <li>The team also includes M&A Partner Greg Gewirtz, Counsel Yiting Du, Senior Associate Wendy Suh, and Associate Michael Lomtevas </li> </ul> <p>Linklaters is delighted to announce that a market-leading M&A team led by dealmaker George A. Casey will be joining the firm’s New York office on 16 January. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/aedamar-comiskey">Aedamar Comiskey</a>, Linklaters Senior Partner, said: </strong></p> <blockquote>“Growing our M&A capability in the US is a strategic priority for us and George and the team joining is a transformational step. Adding a market-leading M&A practice in New York to our preeminent global M&A offering means we can support our clients in all core markets.”</blockquote> <p><strong>Casey said:</strong></p> <blockquote>“I have worked across the table from and alongside Linklaters for many years and got to know the firm’s culture and its global presence. I am thrilled that my team and I will add significant US M&A capability to one of the most formidable global Corporate and M&A platforms. I am excited about the opportunity to lead Linklaters’ US growth strategy as the firm opens a new chapter in this market.”</blockquote> <p>Casey, one of the top dealmakers in the market, joins as a Partner and will serve as Linklaters’ Global Co-Chair of Corporate. He is a top-rated M&A practitioner with almost 30 years of experience with a market-leading global practice focused on the chemical, industrial, healthcare, mining, media, technology, and telecommunications sectors. He was a partner at Shearman & Sterling for over 20 years, with roles including Global Head of Corporate, Global Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group Leader, and Global Managing Partner.</p> <p>Casey represents many of the largest US and non-US corporate clients, advising boards and management on strategic M&A transactions, corporate governance, ESG, and shareholder relations issues. </p> <p>He has represented clients on over $300 billion of M&A transactions and is highly regarded in key financial markets around the world for working on some of the largest and most complex landmark deals. </p> <p>Casey was inducted into the Legal 500 Corporate/M&A “Hall of Fame” in 2020, one of only 21 M&A lawyers across the US awarded this recognition and is included in the 2023 Legal 500 M&A USA Powerlist. He was named by clients as one of nine M&A “Super All-Stars” in a survey of US M&A lawyers by BTI Consulting. The American Lawyer named Casey Dealmaker of the Year and Transatlantic Corporate Dealmaker of the Year (US) for his work. </p> <p>In addition to his work with clients, Casey is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and is a regular guest lecturer on US M&A at l’École de Droit de la Sorbonne — Université Paris I. </p> <p>Casey serves as a member of the Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Audit Committee of the American University and American College of Greece, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), a Washington, DC think tank. </p> <p>Also joining Linklaters in New York are Heiko Schiwek and Greg Gewirtz as Partners, Yiting Du as Counsel, Wendy Suh as a Senior Associate, and Michael Lomtevas as an Associate. </p> <p>Heiko Schiwek, previously a partner at Shearman & Sterling, has extensive experience in US domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, ranging from public company acquisitions to complex carve-out sales, strategic investments, and joint venture transactions. Known for working on some of the most complex deals, particularly in the Chemical and Industrials space, Schiwek joins Linklaters as one of the Global Leaders of the Chemicals Sector.</p> <p> Greg Gewirtz, previously counsel at Shearman & Sterling, brings 15 years of experience advising on public and private M&A, including carve-outs, divestitures, reorganisations, minority investments, joint ventures, and financial advisory assignments. </p> <p>Yiting Du joins Linklaters from Shearman & Sterling as Counsel, bringing significant experience in US domestic and cross-border M&A transactions.</p> <p> Wendy Suh is a highly regarded Senior M&A Associate with a number of years of Chemical and Industrials M&A practice, and Michael Lomtevas has been an important member of the team since he joined Shearman & Sterling. </p> <p>Linklaters has a pre-eminent global M&A practice, with over 650 M&A lawyers advising clients across the globe on their most complex and important transactions. The firm is Band 1 ranked by Chambers for Corporate/M&A in the UK, Europe, and Asia, as well as for Global Multi-Jurisdictional Corporate/M&A. In 2022, Linklaters advised on over 240 global M&A deals worth a total of $164 billion, including advising 35 of the world’s top 50 corporates. </p> <p>In addition to the M&A team led by Casey and Schiwek, Linklaters has made a series of significant hires in the US over the past 18 months, including across energy & infrastructure, financial regulation, capital markets, tax, executive compensation & employee benefits, environmental and other areas complementary to the firm’s corporate offering.</p> <p>Linklaters is a 185 year-old leading global law firm with over 3,100 lawyers across 31 offices in 21 countries. We combine legal expertise with a collaborative and innovative approach to help clients navigate constantly evolving markets and regulatory environments, pursuing opportunities and managing risk worldwide. In order to offer our clients the highest quality advice, our lawyers across three divisions — Corporate; Litigation, Arbitration, and Investigations; and Finance — specialise in industry sectors as well as practice areas.</p>Mon, 08 Jan 2024 09:00:00 Z{65250ECB-CF35-4A5B-AFCB-FFF562F37424}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2024/january/linklaters-reappoints-scott-campbell-as-middle-east-managing-partnerLinklaters re-appoints Scott Campbell as Middle East Managing PartnerLinklaters is pleased to announce that Scott Campbell has been re-appointed as Managing Partner – Middle East. <br /> <br /> Scott has over 23 years' experience in the region and has been based in the Linklaters’ office in Dubai since it opened in 2006, and was previously Managing Partner for eight years. Scott has led on a wide range of corporate M&A and corporate finance transactions in the region and is ranked highly by all legal publications. Scott takes over from Jonathan Fried, who has decided to focus full-time on the rapidly growing market-leading Middle East capital markets practice, which he has led since 2014. <br /> <br /> Linklaters Firmwide Managing Partner, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/paul-lewis" target="_blank">Paul Lewis</a>, commented:<br /> <br /> <blockquote> “The Middle East is a key growth area for the firm and I am confident that the region is in great hands as we further develop our existing capabilities to meet the increasingly sophisticated demands of our clients. I thank Jonathan for his strong leadership and for driving significant continuing growth across our Middle East offices. I look forward to continued success in the Middle East.”  </blockquote> Linklaters Asia Managing Partner, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/william-liu" target="_blank">William Liu</a>, commented:<br /> <br /> <blockquote> “We are grateful to Scott for taking on this significant management position and bringing all his experience to this role, at a pivotal time for our firm in the Middle East. Scott is a highly respected practitioner in the region, and under his stewardship the firm’s relationship with our clients and key stakeholders in the region will continue to strengthen. While we are sorry that Jonathan has decided to return to full time practice, we thank him for leading the expansion of our firm’s regional capabilities and deepening key relationships, and are excited about our strong and growing capital markets practice with Jonathan’s additional energy.”<br /> </blockquote> Linklaters Middle East Managing Partner, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/scott-campbell" target="_blank">Scott Campbell</a> added: <br /> <br /> <blockquote> “I am honoured to be taking on this role again. I am extremely proud of the fantastic cross-practice work we’re doing in this dynamic and growing region and eager to support our clients on their strategic growth opportunities.” </blockquote>Thu, 04 Jan 2024 06:04:00 Z{57F8C8C4-5570-44A8-B878-4CE2ABB06C26}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/december/pfi-awards-2023Linklaters advises on six of PFI’s 2023 Deals of the YearWed, 27 Dec 2023 11:31:00 Z{33F77BE4-F4CB-492D-B8FD-70C7C2F1028E}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/december/management-of-the-association-between-widyawan-and-partners-and-linklaters-llpManagement of the Association between Widyawan & Partners and Linklaters LLP<p class="Body">We are pleased to announce that <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wnplaw.com/lawyers/adrian-pranata" target="_blank">Adrian Pranata</a> has been appointed as the Jakarta-based partner with responsibility for managing the association between Widyawan & Partners and Linklaters LLP, for a four-year term, effective 1 December 2023.</p> <p class="Body">Adrian has been with the firm since 2016 and is recognised as one of Indonesia’s leading banking practitioners, advising domestic and international clients on complex, cross-border financing matters. He has consistently been ranked highly by Chambers and Legal 500 for the past five years. </p> <p class="Body">Partner <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wnplaw.com/lawyers/adrian-pranata" target="_blank">Adrian Pranata</a>, commented,</p> <blockquote class="Body">“I am honoured by this appointment. We have a deep understanding of both the Indonesian and international market, having worked with many of Indonesia’s largest corporations and multinational firms on their strategic transactions. We remain committed to delivering world-class services to our international and domestic clients.”<em> </em></blockquote> <p class="Body"><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wnplaw.com/" target="_blank">Widyawan & Partners</a> and Linklaters LLP have a formal association in Indonesia and work closely together to provide clients with a market-leading international and Indonesian law capability.</p>Wed, 20 Dec 2023 06:54:00 Z{C5734B09-253B-48C8-8D8E-44DE92663582}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/december/japan-lgbtq-pride-indexLinklaters becomes the only international law firm to receive the Gold Award for eighth consecutive years in Japan’s LGBTQ+ PRIDE Index <p><span>Linklaters received the Gold Award in the PRIDE Index 2023 from work with Pride (wwP), a recognition based on an evaluation of LGBTQ+ initiatives in the workplace – marking Linklaters as the only international law firm in Japan that has achieved the Gold standard for eight consecutive years, from 2016 to 2023.</span></p> <p><span>work with Pride is a General Incorporated Association that supports LGBTQ+ people in Japan. The organisation launched the PRIDE Index in 2016 to assess how well companies in Japan are performing in terms of taking measures to provide a friendly and inclusive workplace for their LGBTQ+ employees. Companies are evaluated on five categories — policy, representation, inspiration, development, and engagement/empowerment — and placed on a three-tiered scale of "Gold," "Silver," and "Bronze”.</span></p> <p><span>Linklaters’ Japan Managing Partner </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/peter-frost"><span>Peter Frost</span></a><span> commented:</span></p> <blockquote class="Body">“We are extremely honoured to once again receive this recognition from work with Pride. This is a strong impetus to move us towards greater inclusiveness and to continue to work with our people, our clients and our communities, towards this goal. As a long-standing participant in the PRIDE Index alongside other corporations in Japan, we are also thrilled to see LGBTQ+ inclusion on the agenda of a diverse pool of industries.”</blockquote>Tue, 19 Dec 2023 07:08:00 Z{A8984C24-9355-48F7-81B9-2F4F17EE66F6}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/december/ij-investor-award-latin-america-oil-and-gas-ma-deal-of-the-yearLinklaters Awarded IJInvestor’s Latin America Oil and Gas M&A Deal of the Year<p><span>Linklaters has been awarded IJInvestor’s 2023 Latin America Oil and Gas M&A Deal of the Year for the firm’s work advising Fluxys SA, a leading Belgian energy infrastructure company, on its joint acquisition with institutional investor EIG Global Energy Partners, of an 80% equity stake in GNL Quintero S.A. from Enagas Chile SpA and affiliates of OMERS Infrastructure. This is the </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/ijinvestor-awards-2023"><span>sixth IJInvestor Deal of the Year Award for Linklaters’ global Energy & Infrastructure team this year</span></a><span>. </span></p> <p><span>Quintero is the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal in Chile and is a key energy infrastructure business supporting Chile’s decarbonization strategy. The country is aiming to become one of the world’s three largest green hydrogen producers with plans to install 200 GW of renewable power by 2040 to produce green hydrogen, with LNG distribution infrastructure being critical to hydrogen distribution.</span></p> <p><span>The Linklaters team was led by Energy & Infrastructure Partner </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/andrew-compton"><span>Andrew Compton</span></a><span>, Corporate Partner </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/pierre-emmanuel-perais"><span>Pierre-Emmanuel Perais</span></a><span>, and Energy & Infrastructure Counsel </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/will-kim"><span>Will Kim</span></a><span> in New York.</span></p> <p><span>The team also included Managing Associate </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/lothar-van-driessche"><span>Lothar Van Driessche</span></a><span> in Brussels, and Associate Arthur Lindemann in Munich. </span></p> <p><span>Linklaters’ Americas Energy & Infrastructure team remains at the forefront of the market advising on the development and financing of complex, large-scale projects and mergers and acquisitions in the energy and infrastructure sector, particularly in connection with renewable and carbon transition projects. </span></p> <p><span>Linklaters is ranked Band 1 for Projects & Energy and Multi-Jurisdictional Corporate/M&A in Chambers Global 2023, and was recently recognized with </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/march/linklaters-awarded-ij-global-north-american-deal-of-the-year"><span>IJInvestor’s Americas Conventional Power & Grid Infrastructure Deal of the Year Award</span></a><span>, </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2021/december/pfi-awards-2021"><span>PFI’s Americas Hydrogen Deal of the Year Award</span></a><span>, and </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/september/mergers-and-acquisitions-awards"><span>The M&A Advisor’s Law Firm of the Year Award</span></a><span>. </span></p>Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:19:00 Z{406BD06F-9AD4-42E6-872A-D556DF357E7D}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/december/isda-appoints-linklaters-to-lead-review-of-credit-derivatives-dc-processISDA appoints Linklaters to lead review of Credit Derivatives DC process<p>Linklaters has been appointed by The International Swaps and Derivatives Association Inc. (ISDA), as part of its review of the structure and governance of the Credit Derivatives Determinations Committees (DCs), to conduct an independent assessment and recommend any changes to maintain the integrity of the DCs in changing economic and market conditions. </p> <p>The purpose of the report is to identify market views about changes that could be made to improve the governance and structure of the DCs. Once complete, the report will be published on ISDA’s website and opened to a market-wide consultation to determine whether the proposed changes have broad support from market participants and other stakeholders. ISDA will then work with members to develop specific solutions based on the supported conclusions to recommend to the DCs to implement. </p> <p>The Linklaters team is being led by partner <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/simon-firth">Simon Firth</a>. </p> <p><strong>Simon Firth, commented: </strong></p> <blockquote>“Given the key role of the Credit Derivatives Determinations Committees and the time that has passed since the structure was put in place it seems an appropriate time to review the determinations process. We look forward to conducting our independent review and sharing our recommended changes with the market.” </blockquote> <p>The process for developing the report will involve interviews with market participants and other stakeholders, such as regulators and clearing houses, to determine what steps might be taken to improve the functioning of the DCs. The review will begin in December 2023, with the market-wide consultation expected later in 2024.</p>Thu, 14 Dec 2023 11:26:00 Z{D404C29B-E28F-4D6B-963F-077DE38EAD79}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/december/linklaters-announces-change-to-india-practice-leadershipLinklaters announces change to India practice leadership<p class="Body">Linklaters is pleased to announce the appointment of Singapore-based partner <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/amit-singh" target="_blank">Amit Singh</a> as the Head of its India Group, taking over the leadership of the practice from <span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/narayan-iyer" style="background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Narayan Iyer</a>.</span> Amit, who is the Head of the firm’s South and Southeast Asia capital markets practice, has over two decades of experience of advising on capital markets transactions across New York, London, and Asia. Under Amit’s leadership, the firm has grown to be a leading and preeminent capital markets practice in India.</p> <p class="Body">Over time, Singapore has become a leading centre for India-related capital markets, corporate, banking and finance and arbitration work and there are increasing investments in India via Singapore. The firm has an ever-growing focus on Asia and India is an important growth market. The firm has recently enhanced its India capabilities in Singapore by the recent addition of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/rahul-chatterji" target="_blank">Rahul Chatterji</a> into the Singapore banking practice, as well as the hire of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/andrew-battisson" target="_blank">Andrew Battisson</a> and the promotion of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/rebecca-james" target="_blank">Rebecca James</a> in the Singapore international arbitration practice.</p> <p class="Body">London remains a key jurisdiction for India-related work and the combined Singapore-London team will continue to advice on the most significant India-related global mandates.</p> <p class="Body"><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/amit-singh" style="background-color: #ffffff;" target="_blank">Amit Singh</a>, Head of the India Group, commented,</p> <blockquote class="Body">“I am delighted to take on this role. India is one of the fastest growing major economies of the world and a key jurisdiction informing the firm’s strategy. I look forward to leading the India practice and continuing to collaborate and strengthen our relationships with key, top tier Indian law firms in order to provide our clients with the support they need to achieve their strategic objectives.”</blockquote> <p style="text-align: justify;">The firm would like to thank <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/narayan-iyer" target="_blank">Narayan Iyer</a> <span>for his leadership of the India practice and in particular for the strong relationships he has developed for the firm with key financial institutions, Indian corporates, and leading Indian law firms during his ten years at the helm. </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span>The Linklaters India practice has the highest number of top-rated individual partners across practice areas amongst all international firms and is ranked in the top tier across all publications.</span></p>Tue, 05 Dec 2023 04:02:00 Z{7EED51A8-EED6-4A6F-9D8E-96C9AD339974}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/bonds-and-loans-deal-of-the-year-awardsLinklaters’ Latin America Practice Wins Two Bonds & Loans Deal of the Year Awards <p style="text-align: center;"><em><span>Firm Takes Home Sovereign, Supra & Agency Bond Deal of the Year and Equity Capital Markets Deal of the Year Awards</span></em></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span>Linklaters is pleased to announce that the firm’s Latin America practice, alongside the London capital markets practice, was honored with two Bonds & Loans Deal of the Year awards at the organization’s 2023 Bonds, Loans & ESG Capital Markets Latin America & Caribbean Awards ceremony.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span>The Sovereign, Supra & Agency Bond Deal of the Year award recognizes Linklaters’ work </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2023/july/linklaters-advises-republic-of-chile-on-landmark-slb"><span>advising the Republic of Chile on the first sovereign issued sustainability-linked bond to include a gender related key performance indicator</span></a><span>. The offering of $2.25 billion and €750 million notes is the second award-winning deal completed by Linklaters and the Republic of Chile, following </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2022/march/linklaters-advises-the-republic-of-chile-on-ground-breaking-sovereign-sustainability-linked-bond"><span>the first ever sovereign sustainability-linked bond issuance</span></a><span>. The deal team supporting this transaction included partners </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/conrado-tenaglia"><span>Conrado Tenaglia</span></a><span> and </span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/gabriel-grossman" target="_blank"><span>Gabriel Grossman</span></a><span>, associates </span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/juan-mata" target="_blank"><span>Juan Mata</span></a><span>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/monica-perezbanuet-farell">Mónica Perez-Banuet</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/mario-lercari">Mario Lercari</a>, and </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/matthew-russo"><span>Matthew Russo</span></a><span>, and summer associate</span><span> </span><span>Keisy Germosen</span><span>.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span>The Equity Capital Markets Deal of the Year award recognizes Linklaters’ work advising BofA Securities, Goldman Sachs International, and Morgan Stanley as joint bookrunners on FEMSA’s offering of €500 million senior unsecured bonds exchangeable into shares of Heineken Holding N.V, as part of FEMSA’s placement of €7 billion of equity and exchangeables for its holdings in Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. (Heineken Group). The Linklaters team supporting this transaction included partner </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/ben-dulieu"><span>Ben Dulieu</span></a><span>, associates </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/jessica-andrew"><span>Jessica Andrew</span></a><span> and <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/liam-jenkins">Liam Jenkins</a>, and Head of the Mexico Group </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/alberto-garcia-linera"><span>Alberto García Linera</span></a><span>. </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span>The Bonds, Loans & ESG Capital Markets Latin America & Caribbean Awards recognize the most innovative and groundbreaking deals throughout the year from Sovereign, Corporate, and Financial Institution issuers and borrowers in Latin America and the Caribbean. The awardees are selected through an exhaustive process that involves close examination of deal size, tenor, structure, and distribution, as well as analysis and background of the borrower’s accessibility to financing, with extra credit for those deals demonstrating high quality execution, accessing new pools of liquidity, innovative structuring, and opening up new markets.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span>Linklaters’ lawyers have practiced in Latin America for decades and Linklaters was one of the first international firms to open an office in Brazil in 1997. With a growing team of Latin America-focused lawyers across the firm’s New York, Washington, D.C., and São Paulo offices, and the recent launch of Linklaters’ Mexico Group, the firm continues to increase its presence in the region and deepen existing relationships with leading local law firms. Linklaters is highly ranked across key Latin America legal directories, including Chambers, Legal 500, and Latin Lawyer.</span></p>Fri, 01 Dec 2023 17:22:00 Z{EC8B4531-BAA4-4964-B2DA-7A7DE1F6894A}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/ijinvestor-awards-2023Linklaters awarded Six Deals of the Year by IJInvestorLinklaters is delighted to have been awarded Six Deals of the Year at the IJInvestor Awards 2023. The firm is proud to support clients worldwide on transformational and market-leading deals in key sectors, demonstrated by the firm’s ability to advise on high-value and complex deals, underlining how important energy and infrastructure is to clients.Fri, 01 Dec 2023 16:49:00 Z{42080C82-2E21-4672-A1D6-8335CF52E641}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/linklaters-elects-two-new-partners-in-london-and-shanghaiLinklaters elects two new partners in London and Shanghai<p>Linklaters has announced the election of two new partners across its global network, effective 1 December 2023. </p> <p>The latest partner elections are as follows: </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/verity-egerton-doyle">Verity Egerton-Doyle</a> – Antitrust & Foreign Investment, London</strong> </p> <p>Verity Egerton-Doyle is co-head of our London Tech Sector and has over a decade of experience across advisory, investigatory and transactional aspects of competition law in the EU and the UK. She has significant experience in UK merger control – having been on secondment with the UK Competition and Markets Authority’s mergers division. </p> <p>She regularly advises on high-profile matters across tech, funds and healthcare, including representing Sony PlayStation in a £5bn abuse of dominance competition class action, Viasat on UK merger control aspects of its $7.3bn acquisition of Inmarsat, and Qiagen on its proposed merger with Thermo Fisher. Work that has seen her recognised as a Rising Star in Legal 500. </p> <p><strong>Nicole Kar, Partner and Global Head Antitrust & Foreign Investment </strong>at Linklaters, commented: </p> <blockquote>“A hugely deserved recognition for an instrumental player in her field, known across the tech, funds and healthcare sectors. Tech remains a particularly fast-paced growth area for us, with M&A markets busy and growing enforcement action targeted at big tech, against the backdrop of the Digital, Competition and Consumers Bill. Verity is a testament to the strong talent we have coming through the ranks as we continue to meet growing demand from the world’s leading corporates, banks and financial sponsors.” </blockquote> <p>The firm recently announced that it was further expanding its Antitrust & Foreign Investment practice with the appointment of <a href="/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/linklaters-expands-its-antitrust-and-foreign-investment-practice-with-bruce-kilpatrick">Bruce Kilpatrick</a> in London. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/alex-roberts">Alex Roberts</a> – Technology, Media and Telecommunications (‘TMT’), Shanghai</strong> </p> <p>As Linklaters’ head of TMT in China, Alex advises clients on the tech, data and cyber issues impacting – and sometimes driving – their most strategic cross-border transactions and other commercial situations involving the world’s second largest economy. </p> <p>With over 11 years in China, Alex has extensive experience advising financial institutions, corporates, financial sponsors and funds on AI, data and IP projects in heavily-regulated sectors including finance, internet services, healthcare and fintech. Recognised as a leading lawyer on PRC cybersecurity and data protection, Alex also regularly advises on digitisation and data incidents, as well as the increasing convergence between technology, data and ESG. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/julia-schonbohm">Dr. Julia Schönbohm</a>, Partner and Global Head of TMT/IP</strong> at Linklaters, commented: </p> <blockquote>“Our global TMT practice continues to grow rapidly across Asia, particularly as data privacy and cybersecurity regimes develop across the region and clients look for guidance in navigating unfamiliar corporate and commercial transactions. Alex’s election is a fantastic reflection of his talent and our growing bench strength – his presence in the market and beyond speaks for itself.” </blockquote> <p><strong><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.zhaoshenglegal.com/En/team/members/id/159/catid/8.html" target="_blank">Ying Zhou</a> – Capital Markets, Zhao Sheng Law Firm</strong> </p> <p>Zhao Sheng Law Firm, Linklaters’ joint operation firm in China, has also promoted Ying Zhou to partner in its Capital Markets, structured finance and derivatives team, effective 1 November 2023. Full announcement <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.zhaoshenglegal.com/En/news/news/id/182/catid/19.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/aedamar-comiskey">Aedamar Comiskey</a>, Linklaters’ Senior Partner and Chair</strong>, stated: </p> <blockquote>“Huge congratulations to our newly elected partners. These promotions reflect our continued commitment to investing in our people and excelling for our clients across our global network.”</blockquote> <h6> <em>The term partner in relation to Linklaters is used to refer to a member of Linklaters LLP and to employees or consultants of Linklaters LLP or its affiliated firms or entities with equivalent standing and qualification.</em></h6>Wed, 29 Nov 2023 13:09:00 Z{78CF7475-4BEE-401B-AB78-6F5A081C62C7}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/linklaters-and-solomonic-to-develop-leading-competition-litigation-analyticsLinklaters and Solomonic to develop leading competition litigation analytics<p>Linklaters has partnered with Solomonic, the UK’s leading data powered litigation intelligence platform, to develop a UK competition litigation module, which will include the first analytics on cases before the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) – marking a milestone in UK court analysis. </p> <p>As market leaders in this field, Linklaters will be closely collaborating with Solomonic to ensure the module captures the most valuable and robust data points for the benefit of its clients and others in the market. </p> <p>The CAT is known for its expertise in adjudicating cases related to competition and economic regulatory matters, handling some of the highest-value cases in the country and many high-profile class action lawsuits. It has presided over a multitude of precedent-setting cases in the realm of competition law in recent years. </p> <p>The project will analyse the entire corpus of competition judicial decisions, all Competition List judgments and over 350 CAT decisions. The analysis will look at outcome patterns as well as legal and factual subject matter trends. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/sarina-williams">Sarina Williams</a>, Litigation, Arbitration & Investigations Partner at Linklaters, commented: </strong></p> <blockquote>“We are thrilled to be working with Solomonic on shaping this module which will provide robust and rich insights on competition litigation in the UK for the first time. Our competition litigation team is at the forefront of advising on the most significant competition disputes in the English High Court and the CAT, and we are excited to be able to use that expertise to shape this data for the benefit of clients and others in the market.” </blockquote> <p><strong>Edward Bird, CEO of Solomonic, added: </strong></p> <blockquote>“We are excited to collaborate with such an esteemed and expert firm. The CAT handles some of the most compelling, landmark cases and is a globally relevant court in the UK legal system. We expect that the analytics will provide new insights into essential trends and legal areas for practitioners and their clients. We are also looking forward to exploring the predictability of competition decisions.” </blockquote> <p>The new module is expected to launch in Spring 2024.</p>Wed, 29 Nov 2023 10:37:00 Z{D24F08E8-BEB9-44E2-BAD1-637C03A10139}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/jim-klaiber-joins-us-tmt-data-solutionsLinklaters Bolsters U.S. Transactional Platform with Addition of Intellectual Property Veteran<p><span>Linklaters has strengthened its global intellectual property team with the hire of IP specialist <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/jim-klaiber" target="_blank">Jim Klaiber</a>, who joins the firm as Counsel in New York. Jim’s multi-dimensional expertise will enhance Linklaters’ U.S. IP offering and continues the firm’s expansion of its transactional platform as well as its litigation bench in the U.S. </span></p> <p><span>Jim is widely regarded for his impressive experience in complex, high-value, international transactions, including M&A, carve-outs, and drafting and negotiating strategic IP agreements, including joint-venture, collaboration, and licencing agreements. He also brings extensive experience with high-profile IP disputes, having played a leading role in large patent litigation cases before the U.S. District Courts, International Trade Commission, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. </span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/ieuan-jolly"><span>Ieuan Jolly</span></a></span><span>, Chair of Linklaters’ U.S. TMT & Data Solutions practice, said</span><span>:</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span><br /> </span></p> <blockquote class="Body1" align="left" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span>“Protecting and leveraging IP assets is a critical component of our clients’ businesses, particularly as the pace of innovation continues to accelerate across all sectors. Jim’s dynamic skillset and IP experience in this field will be a tremendous asset to our clients as they continue to pursue complex transactions in the U.S. and around our global network.”</span></blockquote> <p class="Body1" style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span> </span></p> <p class="Body1" style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span>Jim said:</span></p> <p class="Body1" style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span><br /> </span></p> <blockquote class="Body1" align="left" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span>“Linklaters has an unrivalled global platform with an incredible breadth and depth of talent in the U.S. They are engaged in pioneering transactions in the technology and data space, embracing AI and new digital frontiers, which aligns perfectly with my focus. Linklaters has a fantastic client base at the forefront of innovation, with a strong track record in patent disputes, and I’m looking forward to joining the team and building on that success.</span><span>”</span></blockquote> <p><span><br /> </span><span>Linklaters’ cross-border Intellectual Property team successfully advises market-leading companies on complex IP-driven transactions and high-profile IP litigation. The firm tackles the entire spectrum of IP rights, including patents, supplementary protection certificates, copyrights, designs, and trademarks. Linklaters’ IP specialists in the U.S. are integrated within our TMT & Data Solutions practice working at the intersection of data and technology-enabled transactions for companies in high-growth, innovation-driven markets. </span></p>Tue, 28 Nov 2023 09:00:00 Z{FFEE82BC-1710-43A9-ADBD-88EBE8EA2677}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/michael-rodgers-joins-us-energy-infrastructureLinklaters Adds Tax Equity Partner Michael Rodgers to Growing U.S. Energy & Infrastructure Team <p><span>Linklaters is pleased to announce that <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/michael-rodgers" target="_blank">Michael Rodgers</a> has joined the firm’s Washington, D.C. office as a Partner in the </span><span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/client-services/energy-and-infrastructure"><span>Energy & Infrastructure</span></a></span><span> and </span><span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/it-it/client-services/tax"><span>Tax</span></a></span><span> practices. He continues a string of major hires for Linklaters’ U.S. Energy & Infrastructure group in the past year, following the arrivals of Partners and Co-Heads of Energy & Infrastructure in the Americas </span><span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/ron-erlichman"><span>Ron Erlichman</span></a></span><span> and </span><span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/marius-griskonis"><span>Marius Griskonis</span></a></span><span> in New York, and Senior Counsel </span><span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/lauren-bachtel"><span>Lauren Bachtel</span></a></span><span> and </span><span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/diana-jeschke"><span>Diana Jeschke</span></a></span><span> in New York and Washington, D.C., respectively. </span></p> <p><span>Michael is a tax equity specialist focused on executing large scale energy transition and renewables transactions, including advising sponsors, lenders, and investors on their projects in the wind, solar, hydro, fuel cell, hydrogen, and carbon capture spaces. He has extensive experience structuring, planning, and negotiating infrastructure and renewable energy transactions with an emphasis on flip partnership structures, repowering transactions, and the qualification of projects for federal income tax credits. He also has experience with M&A tax in the U.S. and in Latin America. Prior to joining Linklaters, Michael practiced at White & Case.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span>Marius Griskonis said</span><span>:</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span><br /> </span></p> <blockquote class="Body1" align="left" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span>“Michael is a tremendous asset to our clients, who are increasingly taking advantage of Inflation Reduction Act tax credits to fund their renewables and energy transition projects. As we continue to expand our team, Michael further strengthens what has become an unparalleled offering in the U.S. and globally, and we’re thrilled to have him on board.”</span></blockquote> <p class="Body1" style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span> </span></p> <p class="Body1" style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span>Michael said:</span></p> <p class="Body1" style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span> </span></p> <blockquote class="Body1" align="left" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span>“Linklaters is the top firm for energy transition and renewables projects around the world, and the firm’s collaborative culture enables us to leverage that market leadership to achieve the best possible results for our clients. I’m excited to be able to share this world-class platform with my clients.”</span></blockquote> <p><span><br /> </span><span>Linklaters is at the forefront of the market advising on the development and financing of complex, large-scale projects, highly structured transactions, and mergers and acquisitions in the energy and infrastructure sector across the globe, particularly in connection with renewable and carbon transition projects. The firm is ranked Band 1 for Projects & Energy in Chambers Global 2023, and was recently recognized with IJ Global’s Climate Adaptation and Americas Renewable Energy ESG Awards, IJ Investor’s Americas Conventional Power & Grid Infrastructure Deal of the Year Award, PFI’s Americas Hydrogen Deal of the Year Award, and IFLR Europe’s Project Finance Deal of the Year Award.</span></p>Mon, 27 Nov 2023 16:35:00 Z{B9C884BE-65DD-499A-BB9F-F7985FD6E19E}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/linklaters-rolls-out-laila-the-firms-upgraded-chatbotLinklaters rolls out Laila, the firm’s upgraded chatbot<p>Linklaters rolls out Laila, an upgraded version of the GenAI chatbot it first launched in March 2023. The upgrade follows impressive take up and engagement across the firm - 2,500 active users are now generating 2,600+ queries a day. </p> <p>Laila has been built entirely in-house by Linklaters’ software development team, using Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI infrastructure, and has provided a platform for people to get hands on experience of the technology and responsibly explore use cases for the tech. All prompts and responses are kept within a secure Linklaters-controlled environment. </p> <p>Initial analysis of the first 6 months’ use of the chatbot showed that usage was global, with prompts being inputted in multiple different languages and from all of our offices across the platform. Whilst usage is largely consistent there are hotspots of use, including in Singapore, Paris, Frankfurt and London. The analysis has also revealed that the iterative Q&A functionality is consistently used and that users of the chatbot cover both practice areas and business teams. </p> <p>The Linklaters software development team have worked with Microsoft to regularly update the Linklaters chatbot when new versions of ChatGPT were launched. Version 2 reflects specific features requested by the practice – including being able to upload longer documents, being able to run longer prompts and outputs, as well as accessing live results from the internet via Bing. </p> <p>As part of the upgrade process the firm held a naming competition which saw over 500 suggestions submitted in a 2-week window. The result is Laila. </p> <p><strong>Thomas Quoroll, Partner, GenAI Experimentation Working Group:</strong><br /> <em>When GenAI is utilised effectively, it can boost efficiency and provide more time for strategic thinking. It’s been great to see the engagement we’ve had – from trainee through to partners using the Chatbot and other proof of concepts to test where GenAI could add the most value to their work.</em> </p> <p><strong>Su Clarke, Head of Software Development & Testing at Linklaters:</strong> <br /> <em>It is clear that when used correctly, this technology could be transformational for our industry. AI allows us to assist our clients more effectively and our knowledge and learnings of its application is something we will continue to share with them.”</em> </p> <p>The firm has a long history of trialling and implementing new technologies and GenAI is no different. Linklaters has been using AI and machine learning tools in its technology stack since 2018 and updated its policy at the start of the year to reflect the new risks and compliance responsibilities posed by GenAI. Other proof of concepts currently in progress include a global pilot of CoCounsel and a collaboration with Kin & Karta and Google’s Cloud platform to test knowledge search. </p> <p>Find out more about the firm’s approach to GenAI here: <a href="/en/about-us/genai">Our approach to Generative AI (linklaters.com)</a></p>Mon, 27 Nov 2023 10:35:00 Z{8751A3F4-629E-4B60-9BB8-6E2ACAF77F03}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/reefolution-charity-partnershipREEFolution Charity Partnership<p>As of April 2021, Linklaters Amsterdam started a three-year partnership with REEFolution, a Dutch foundation that aims to conserve coral reefs by providing fundamental protection and restoration skills in close cooperation with coastal communities. REEFolution is currently active in Shimoni, Kenya. By combining local and scientific knowledge, REEFolution aids reef recovery and fosters local stewardship. REEFolution has a strong collaboration with Wageningen University and each year, about twenty worldwide scientists conduct research at REEFolution, Kenya. Results are published scientifically and contribute to the worldwide battle against coral reef degradation. REEFolution supports local communities by training and certifying local community members as ‘Reef Rangers’.</p> <p> Within this partnership, in February 2023, three of our Linklaters Amsterdam employees, <span style="color: #af005f;">Merel de Winter</span> (Legal Secretary LAI), <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/jurian-van-der-pas">Jurian van der Pas</a> (Managing Associate Tax) and <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/pepijn-oosting">Pepijn Oosting </a>(Associate Tax), have visited the REEFolution project in Kenya. They learned how to build and construct effective and durable coral nursery trees, deployed artificial reef structures into the sea in specific restoration zones and planted mangrove trees. For an impression of their experiences and what they have learned from ‘one week in the life of a REEF Ranger’ we refer to <a href="https://linklaters.mediaplatform.com/?t=0#!/video/14931/linklaters-reefolution-final-2023">this video</a> which shows the amazing work of REEFolution in Kenya to which Linklaters was given the opportunity to contribute and participate on-site!</p> <blockquote style="margin-left: 40px;"><strong>Merel:</strong> “I had not expected that one can indeed rebuild broken coral and it was great to actually work on this myself. I was very surprised to see that REEFolution created all this!”</blockquote><blockquote style="margin-left: 40px;"><strong>Jurian:</strong> “That is something that I really want to take back to the Netherlands, protecting the coral reefs is one thing but it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t consider the broader environmental impact.”</blockquote><blockquote style="margin-left: 40px;"><strong>Pepijn:</strong> “We need to take action now instead of later, because then we will be too late!”<br /> </blockquote> <p>Our collaboration with REEFolution is a great success and so our partnership with REEFolution continues. We will keep you posted on our further mutual activities!</p> <img style="height:500px; width:700px;" alt="REEFolution volunteer team" class="lazy" data-src="https://lpscdn.linklaters.com/-/media/digital-marketing-image-library/images/00_about-us/news/2023/november/reef_volunteerteam_aboutus_news_november23_700x500.ashx?rev=f45fa1bf-88c6-43ba-929d-b6e4182bc864&w=1000&la=en&hash=A97F5ADF0062FB0A2526C80E7F5965C8" data-srcset="https://lpscdn.linklaters.com/-/media/digital-marketing-image-library/images/00_about-us/news/2023/november/reef_volunteerteam_aboutus_news_november23_700x500.ashx?rev=f45fa1bf-88c6-43ba-929d-b6e4182bc864&w=320&la=en&hash=9445532B364AC20715500CF8A408F4DE 320w, https://lpscdn.linklaters.com/-/media/digital-marketing-image-library/images/00_about-us/news/2023/november/reef_volunteerteam_aboutus_news_november23_700x500.ashx?rev=f45fa1bf-88c6-43ba-929d-b6e4182bc864&w=480&la=en&hash=E518D5D9C0E5A60CD58E0C14AC4C4081 480w, https://lpscdn.linklaters.com/-/media/digital-marketing-image-library/images/00_about-us/news/2023/november/reef_volunteerteam_aboutus_news_november23_700x500.ashx?rev=f45fa1bf-88c6-43ba-929d-b6e4182bc864&w=745&la=en&hash=FE4CD0A352A10EEC2DD68BB1CD7DB09A 745w, https://lpscdn.linklaters.com/-/media/digital-marketing-image-library/images/00_about-us/news/2023/november/reef_volunteerteam_aboutus_news_november23_700x500.ashx?rev=f45fa1bf-88c6-43ba-929d-b6e4182bc864&w=1000&la=en&hash=A97F5ADF0062FB0A2526C80E7F5965C8 1000w" />  <p> </p> <p>For more information on REEFolution, their mission and projects, please visit <a href="https://reefolution.org/" style="background-color: #ffffff;">REEFolution</a>.</p> <p> </p>Tue, 21 Nov 2023 09:46:00 Z{37662B2F-8017-42B5-A380-9A0BA7AA4DFB}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/linklaters-launches-multi-disciplinary-global-risk-advisory-practiceLinklaters launches multi-disciplinary Global Risk Advisory Practice – appointing Jane Caskey as Global Head of Risk Advisory and Head of Clients & Sectors<p>Linklaters announces the appointment of Jane Caskey as Global Head of Risk Advisory and Head of Clients & Sectors, bolstering the firm’s global risk advisory platform. </p> <p>Joining the firm as a Partner in London from Norton Rose Fulbright where she was Global Head of Risk Advisory and Chief Client Officer, Jane will establish a new, integrated and multi-disciplinary risk advisory practice at Linklaters with the full range of legal and now risk consulting services across the firm’s global network. </p> <p>Linklaters offers clients rigorous legal analysis combined with deep experience and cross-border knowledge of the regulatory compliance risks financial institutions and companies face. Alongside this, the new multi-disciplinary practice will help clients to design and implement the governance and operational frameworks and the processes, systems and controls to enable them to embed effective management of legal and compliance risks within their organisations. </p> <p>Linklaters’ global risk advisory platform is uniquely positioned to support clients in proactively identifying and managing risk exposure in a rapidly evolving global regulatory and geopolitical landscape, including: ESG/sustainability, supply chain and energy transition; digital transformation; financial services, financial crime and sanctions. </p> <p>Jane has impressive experience of working closely with clients to analyse current and emerging risks relative to their commercial goals and risk appetites – developing an intimate knowledge of clients’ operations. In her role as Head of Clients & Sectors, coupled with her extensive risk advisory experience across a range of legal disciplines, Jane will be well-placed to coordinate tailored, integrated and holistic global solutions, leveraging the full capabilities of the firm across legal and risk consulting expertise to address clients’ compliance and risk-related challenges.</p> <p> <strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/andrew-vickery">Andy Vickery</a>, Global Head of Finance, commented: </strong></p> <blockquote>“Clients face a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape and getting it wrong can be hugely damaging for a business and its reputation. The addition of Jane, alongside the establishment of our central Risk Advisory practice, will greatly enhance our seamless and unique client offering allowing us to assist clients in managing and mitigating their legal and compliance risk from end-to-end.” </blockquote> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/paul-lewis">Paul Lewis</a>, Firmwide Managing Partner, stated: </strong></p> <blockquote>“There is demand in the market for an integrated global offering that combines rigorous understanding and analysis of the legal and regulatory landscape with operational solutions to deliver effective management of compliance risks. Our multi-disciplinary global risk advisory practice will now offer clients an effective and complete solution – with the exceptional quality of advice and client experience for which they look to Linklaters.”</blockquote>Mon, 20 Nov 2023 14:14:00 Z{0C6463E4-60D3-428F-A609-FF4D130C9C70}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/reflecting-on-a-successful-mentoring-partnership-with-revolutReflecting on a successful mentoring partnership with Revolut <p>In September 2023, we partnered with client and financial services app Revolut, on a new mentoring initiative coordinated by Aspiring Solicitors. Initiated by our London Financial Regulation Group’s DEI Champions team, the mentoring program aims to provide invaluable insights to young people from underrepresented backgrounds considering a career in the legal sector. </p> <p><strong>Revolut partner and group GC Tom Hambrett commented on the project, stating:</strong> </p> <blockquote><em>“The success of Revolut’s in-house legal team is built on celebrating our diverse backgrounds and experiences. That is why we are very excited to launch this mentoring scheme in collaboration with Linklaters to support the young members of Aspiring Solicitors and promote equal opportunities to access our legal profession.”</em></blockquote> <p><span><strong>Partner and FRG DEI Champion <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/elizabeth-dowd">Liz Dowd</a> stated: </strong></span></p> <blockquote><em>“We are delighted to be partnering with Revolut on this exciting mentoring programme in which mentees will gain valuable commercial insight and career advice, leaving the scheme more confident and prepared for the next step in their career journey.”</em>  </blockquote> <p>The mentoring scheme paired students aged 19 – 24 with mentors from both Linklaters and Revolut, guiding them through a tailored 3-month program designed to prepare them for completing a training contract. The initiative supported 10 mentees through group mentoring sessions, each group consisting of two mentees, one Revolut mentor and one Linklaters mentor. </p> <p>The mentees also had the opportunity to develop their networking skills in-person at Linklaters for the launch event and at Revolut’s offices for the closing event. The opening event involved icebreaker activities, a commercial presentation about the sector and networking opportunities. The closing event included a Financial Times inspired Commercial Exercise where mentees had to present to a judging panel, followed by Daniel Geller, Revolut’s deputy GC, sharing his career journey and further networking opportunities. </p> <p><strong>Many mentees commented on the closing event’s commercial awareness exercise, saying:</strong> </p> <blockquote><em>“My favourite part was the case study at the closing event because it pushed me out of my comfort zone and tested my ability to think on the spot and speak concisely”.</em></blockquote> <p><strong>More generally mentees said:</strong> </p> <blockquote><em>“My mentors were extremely supportive and constructive during our conversations which made me comfortable to be inquisitive and ask more questions regarding commercial law that I otherwise wouldn’t have had the courage to ask.”</em></blockquote> <p>Through our shared commitment to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive legal sector, Revolut and Linklaters have provided prospective Trainees from underrepresented groups with the skills to tackle assessment centres with confidence, making a clear positive impact on their career aspirations.  </p> <p><em><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/elizabeth-dowd">Liz Dowd,</a> Partner and <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/sara-cody">Sara Cody,</a> Counsel (Knowledge) and Co-Chair of the London Social Mobility Committee, with thanks to James Morris, Verity Kemp, Frances Hodgkins, Pan Papakyprianou, and Imran Bhaluani. </em></p>Thu, 16 Nov 2023 16:23:00 Z{990C7765-A11D-4C27-A204-BA7B60FA7F5F}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/november/data-centre-momentum-continues-as-$16bn-is-invested-in-first-nine-months-of-2023Data centre momentum continues as $16bn is invested in first nine months of 2023<ul> <li>US$16bn has been invested in data centre projects in the first nine months of 2023 </li> <li>The number of data centre deals has seen compounded annual growth of 32% since 2017 </li> <li>Europe has seen the most deals involving data centres since 2022, with North America leading in terms of transaction value </li> <li>Data centres maintain their resilience and look set to match 2022’s record levels of deal volume, despite challenging economic conditions </li> </ul> <p>The global digital infrastructure sector saw total investment of US$149bn in 2022, with $80bn invested so far in 2023*, according to analysis by global law firm Linklaters**. Of this $80bn, US$16bn has been invested specifically in deals involving data centres, as investor appetite grows towards the digital world’s warehouses for data storage and processing. </p> <p>While 2022 was a record year in both value of global investment at US$59bn, and global deal volume at 91 date centre-related deals, data centres have maintained their resilience and look set to be in line with the levels of investment and deal volume seen in 2022. This is despite the challenging economic conditions and a general deal slowdown, as the continued rise of the internet and technology evolution, including 5G and Generative AI, positions data centres as critical infrastructure. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/david-martin">David Martin</a>, Partner and Co-Head of Linklaters Digital Infrastructure offering, commented: </strong></p> <blockquote>“Our research has underlined the popularity and critical nature of data centres and this trend is building momentum. One recurring theme throughout the data is the role of financial sponsors who have always been attracted to data centres due the increasing criticality of digital infrastructure and strong financial returns. Looking to the remainder of 2023 and into 2024, we are at an interesting junction as many of the data centres are coming to the end of their five-to-seven-year cycle. We should expect to see increasingly high volumes of deal activity within this space as strong macro trends, including cloud computing and AI continue and sponsors look to spin out assets or sell off shares to stabilise and attract new investors.” </blockquote> <p><img style="height:206px; width:593px;" alt="Data centre stats" class="lazy" data-src="https://lpscdn.linklaters.com/-/media/digital-marketing-image-library/images/00_about-us/news/2023/november/data-centre-stats.ashx?rev=dd083648-d2ed-4f10-8ae3-a8315d595261&w=1000&la=en&hash=109CE4BC3B5E32ED919B8874292FD153" data-srcset="https://lpscdn.linklaters.com/-/media/digital-marketing-image-library/images/00_about-us/news/2023/november/data-centre-stats.ashx?rev=dd083648-d2ed-4f10-8ae3-a8315d595261&w=320&la=en&hash=DBC503556D1524E2095DB54D8F6396AD 320w, https://lpscdn.linklaters.com/-/media/digital-marketing-image-library/images/00_about-us/news/2023/november/data-centre-stats.ashx?rev=dd083648-d2ed-4f10-8ae3-a8315d595261&w=480&la=en&hash=6D0702D7B0BEDDA4CD7E904ED9573CF9 480w, https://lpscdn.linklaters.com/-/media/digital-marketing-image-library/images/00_about-us/news/2023/november/data-centre-stats.ashx?rev=dd083648-d2ed-4f10-8ae3-a8315d595261&w=745&la=en&hash=65B729E94F38F73720F27E13483481DA 745w, https://lpscdn.linklaters.com/-/media/digital-marketing-image-library/images/00_about-us/news/2023/november/data-centre-stats.ashx?rev=dd083648-d2ed-4f10-8ae3-a8315d595261&w=1000&la=en&hash=109CE4BC3B5E32ED919B8874292FD153 1000w" /></p> <p>The number of deals involving data centres has increased steadily over the years, recording a compounded annual growth of 32% from 2017 to 2022. The momentum has continued in 2023 as the deal volume looks set to match 2022’s record levels, despite challenging economic conditions. </p> <p>Europe has seen the greatest number of deals in 2022 and 2023 and has increased its share in data centre transaction value from 6% in 2022 to 36% in 2023. Across the pond, North America continues to be a leading jurisdiction and has led in terms of transaction value throughout, contributing to 72% of total transaction value in 2022 and 34% in 2023. </p> <p>Since 2020, Asia’s share of deal activity has also been steadily climbing. In 2020, it had 13% of data centre deals based across the continent, rising to 17% in 2022 and 19% in 2023. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/julian-cunningham-day">Julian Cunningham-Day</a>, Partner and Co-Head of Linklaters Digital Infrastructure offering, said: </strong></p> <blockquote>“We live in a digital world. The increasing adoption of AI and cloud services is making data storage ever more critical while the proliferation of IoT devices and streaming services is driving demand for edge data centres. Many national governments have backed the development of the sector and encouraged record levels of investment, which is one of the key drivers behind the continued resilience and levels of investment in Europe, despite the challenging market conditions which have impacted M&A in some sectors. We are also starting to see a sharp upward trajectory in larger markets as more data centres are built, particularly within North America and Asia.” </blockquote> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/ross-schloeffel">Ross Schloeffel</a>, Energy & Infrastructure Partner, commented: </strong></p> <blockquote>“Data centres need significant capital investment. The sector has seen remarkable resilience in the face of a challenging global economy and there are a variety of financing structures being used to accelerate investment into this growing sector. In particular we are seeing a move away from project or real-estate finance structures toward more flexible ‘infrastructure debt’ platforms. Data centres have seen the highest amount of investment of all digital infrastructure asset classes this year to date."</blockquote> <p><strong><a href="/sitecore/service/notfound.aspx?item=web%3a%7bD024B1DD-F59E-4A6D-8D11-8A9985B15F94%7d%40en">Nicole Kar</a>, Partner and Global Head of Linklaters’ Antitrust & Foreign Investment practice, added: </strong></p> <blockquote>“With data and data processing increasingly seen as the new "oil" of the 4th industrial revolution, data centres are viewed as a core part of a country’s critical infrastructure. This leads foreign investment regulators to closely scrutinise the scope for such assets to provide hostile actors access to sensitive data if their security is breached. In the wrong hands, control of a data centre or access to the data itself could be used to cause disruption or otherwise compromise national security interests. </blockquote><blockquote>“Investors need, in this hottest of hot digital sectors, to pay close attention to important differences in how jurisdictions treat investment in data centres – or risk being caught out and subject to unexpected regulatory scrutiny.” </blockquote> <p>Linklaters is at the cutting-edge of the digital infrastructure sector and the remit of the team has widened as the market has grown to incorporate a growing number of digital infrastructure assets, including data centres, fibre, towers and satellites. </p> <p>These transactions often involve multiple complexities of bespoke corporate and financing structures, an increasingly regulated investment sector, and complex development and offtake contracts driving value, playing into the combined strengths of our market leading corporate, finance, telecoms and regulatory teams. </p> <p>The firm has been involved in some of the digital infrastructure sector’s biggest deals for many years. Recent deals involving data centres include advising: <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2023/september/linklaters-advises-digitalbridge-and-vantage-data-centers">DigitalBridge and Vantage Data Centers</a> on AustralianSuper’s €1.5bn investment in Vantage's EMEA platform; <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2023/april/linklaters-advises-the-lenders-in-seven-sub-saharan-african-countries">Proparco and The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund</a> on the sustainability-linked financing granted to the Raxio Data Centres group; and <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2023/february/linklaters-advises-chindata-group-holdings-limited-on-its-debut-high-yield-bond-issuance">Chindata Group Holdings Limited</a> on its debut high yield bond issuance. </p> <p> </p> <dt>*Dating 1 January until 30 September 2023.</dt> <p> </p> <p> </p> <dt>**Analysis based on data sourced from Inframation.</dt> <p> </p>Tue, 14 Nov 2023 10:03:00 Z{77CAA9A8-6DBA-421D-AC05-3CE572A6FCF2}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/linklaters-ranks-sixth-in-social-mobility-employer-indexLinklaters ranks sixth in Social Mobility Employer Index<p>Linklaters has ranked sixth in the UK’s Social Mobility Employer Index 2023 for its continued action to promote social mobility and developing and advancing talent irrespective of backgrounds. This marks the seventh consecutive year that the firm has been recognised as a leading employer in the Social Mobility Foundation's Social Mobility Employer Index and it is the firm’s highest rating to date. </p> <p>The Social Mobility Foundation evaluates measures taken by employers across all industries in the UK to ensure they are developing talent from all social backgrounds. The Index serves as a benchmarking and assessment tool for organisations mapping their performance on different areas of social mobility. </p> <p>The Index focuses on eight key areas, including how organisations work with young people, routes into the employer and how they attract, retain and progress talent. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/simon-branigan">Simon Branigan</a>, Executive Committee Champion for Social Mobility at Linklaters, commented: </strong></p> <blockquote>“We strive to be a leader in social mobility. We are dedicated to offering equal opportunities and ensuring that a person’s background never hinders their chances at Linklaters. We will continue to work hard to level the playing field, targeting social mobility cold spots, ensuring access to opportunity and resources, and making sure that we’re home to an inclusive culture, supported by our internal Social Mobility Network.” </blockquote> <p>Linklaters is committed to ensuring that personal background, social identity and socio-economic circumstances are not barriers to success, with social mobility being one of the global priorities within the firm's <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/diversity-equity-inclusion">Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy</a>.</p>Tue, 31 Oct 2023 11:23:00 Z{68A36193-2BD1-45F2-BEB6-8901FCB64253}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/lawdragon-500-leading-litigation-lawyers-in-americaLinklaters U.S. Antitrust & Foreign Investment Partners Named to Lawdragon’s Leading Litigators in America List<p><span>Linklaters is pleased to announce that U.S. </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/client-services/antitrust-and-foreign-investment"><span>Antitrust & Foreign Investment</span></a><span> Partners </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/thomas-a-mcgrath"><span>Thomas McGrath</span></a><span>, </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/antonia-sherman"><span>Antonia Sherman</span></a><span>, and </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/douglas-tween"><span>Douglas Tween</span></a><span> have been named to Lawdragon’s List of 500 Leading Litigators in America for their work on high-profile merger clearances and grand jury investigations. This is the second year in a row the group has been recognized. </span></p> <p><span>Lawdragon assesses top U.S. lawyers based on submissions and independent research, selecting lawyers who have made significant impacts in their fields, including an emphasis on recent matters handled. The publication reviews cutting-edge litigation and the lawyers consistently turned to for help in those and other important matters.</span></p> <p><span>Linklaters’ Antitrust & Foreign Investment team is one of the world’s leading global practices, offering a one-stop shop for merger control and foreign investment review filings. The group recently advised </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2022/december/linklaters-advises-perfetti-van-melle-on-its-us-1_35bn-acquisition-of-mondelez-chewing-gum-business"><span>Perfetti Van Melle on its US$ 1.35 billion acquisition of Mondelez’s chewing gum business</span></a><span>, </span><span>Novozymes' $12.3 billion proposed merger with Chr. Hansen Holding and Novartis’ $3.5 billion acquisition of Chinook Therapeutics. </span></p> <p><span>The practice is at the forefront of the latest developments in the U.S. antitrust space, including the proposed radical revisions to the U.S. merger control regime via </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/insights/blogs/linkingcompetition/2023/september/out-over-their-skis_the-new-role-of-the-proposed-new-merger-guidelines"><span>new merger guidelines</span></a><span> and </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/insights/blogs/linkingcompetition/2023/september/extreme-makeover_us-merger-notification-edition"><span>significant amendments to the Hart-Scott-Rodino premerger notification form</span></a><span>. Stay up to date through our </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/insights/blogs/linkingcompetition"><span>LinkingCompetition blog</span></a><span>. </span></p>Mon, 30 Oct 2023 15:38:00 Z{F087FE84-2BFE-42A2-B1D3-FAB9481E64EA}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/competition-law-remains-a-barrier-to-sustainability-collaborationsCompetition Law remains a barrier to sustainability collaborations<p>A new survey commissioned by Linklaters has found that despite most businesses wanting to work together, 60% of survey respondents are still put off collaborating on ESG issues due to fear of breaking competition rules and the risk of litigation.</p> <p> Exposure to antitrust liability, whether at the hands of an agency or a litigant, is a concern for companies when considering partnering with competitors on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues despite the 360 pressure they are facing to improve their sustainability performance. The survey of over 500 sustainability professionals in the UK, USA, France, Germany and the Netherlands indicated that guidance from EU and UK antitrust regulators is starting to have an impact, with companies increasingly having the confidence to work together on sustainability projects. Linklaters commissioned the same survey in 2020 and have put together a new report which compares the findings to see how far the needle has moved. </p> <p><strong><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/annamaria-mangiaracina"><span>Annamaria Mangiaracina</span></a>, Partner in Linklaters’ Antitrust & Foreign Investment practice: </strong></p> <blockquote>“Commitment to sustainability objectives continues to be high with 82% of those surveyed recognising the importance of working with peers to pursue sustainability goals. Indications that following the EU and UK Guidance, over half of those surveyed are prepared to take forward projects previously considered too risky are encouraging. Authorities have opened the door – businesses need to be prepared to step through.” </blockquote> <p>The European Commission, UK CMA and Dutch Authority (among others) have provided detailed guidance on when sustainability collaborations will fall outside competition rules and the approach they will take when assessing whether the benefits of a sustainability collaboration outweigh any harm to competition. However, the survey has revealed that over 1/3 of sustainability professionals are still unaware of the EU and UK guidance and around the same proportion do not feel confident that they understand what is and isn’t permitted, revealing that it is still early days. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/jonathan-ford">Jonathan Ford</a>, Partner in Linklaters’ Antitrust & Foreign Investment practice: </strong></p> <blockquote>“We need to get to a point where sustainability leaders are no longer put off collaborating legitimately on ESG issues where needed, due to fear of breaking competition rules. Only then will we see larger strides in projects and initiatives around the green and wider sustainability agenda.” </blockquote> <p>The survey has revealed crucial progress is being made, with respondents reporting to have been involved in a range of sustainability collaborations – 34% have pooled logistics resources, 33% are working together to develop new green packaging, and 30% are working together to create a minimum standards within their sector. </p> <p>Read the full report <a href="https://lpscdn.linklaters.com/-/media/digital-marketing-image-library/files/04_client-services/afig/2023/linklaters-llp_sustainable-collaboration-report_oct-2023.ashx?rev=0f8badf3-ad29-48cc-a258-05cbbc41f38a&extension=pdf&hash=EA703BF865FD6257AC976F75F19B5438">here</a>.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Methodology </span></p> <p>The research was conducted by Censuswide, of a sample of 502 sustainability professionals (middle managers, senior managers, c-suite and business owners) in the UK, US, Germany, France and the Netherlands, to understand the interplay between competition law and sustainability. Respondents were polled across a range of company sizes (based on annual revenue), types and sectors including corporates and financial institutions. The data was collected between 30.06.2023 – 14.07.2023. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct which is based on the ESOMAR principles.</p>Mon, 30 Oct 2023 11:20:00 Z{75394B27-9B1B-49E6-880B-CCD6DA4F3037}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/linklaters-achieves-first-class-uk-rankings-across-chambers-and-partners-and-the-legal-500Linklaters achieves first-class UK rankings across Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500<p>Linklaters is proud to have achieved 25 Band 1 practice rankings in Chambers UK 2024, including in corporate/M&A (£800m+), big-ticket banking & finance (borrowers and lenders), restructuring & insolvency, energy & natural resources (renewables & alternative energy, power, oil & gas and mining), environment & climate change, competition law and contentious regulatory (financial services).</p> <p>Testament to Linklaters’ bench strength and capability, the firm has also been promoted to Band 1 for Data Protection & Information Law and Private Equity: Buyouts: £500 million+, bolstering the firm's position as leaders in these areas, <span class="ui-provider bal bam ban bao bap baq bar bas bat bau bav baw bax bay baz bba bbb bbc bbd bbe bbf bbg bbh bbi bbj bbk bbl bbm bbn bbo bbp bbq bbr bbs bbt" dir="ltr">as well as achieving the new Spotlight ranking for Investment Funds: Private Equity: Credit Funds.</span></p> <p>Overall, 40 practice areas maintained or exceeded their rankings in the Chambers directory since 2023.</p> <p><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/paul-lewis" target="_blank"><strong>Paul Lewis</strong></a><strong>, Firmwide Managing Partner, commented:</strong></p> <blockquote><em>“These impressive results reflect the quality of advice we offer and bench strength of our global teams. This year, in a challenging high-inflation environment and with ongoing geopolitical instability, the world’s leading corporates, banks and financial sponsors have continued to turn to us for advice on their most strategically important matters, particularly across rapidly evolving areas such as technology, digital infrastructure and the energy transition. Great to see that recognised with a really strong set of directory rankings across the network.”</em></blockquote> <p>This follows hot on the heels of the firm being recognised as Tier 1 in 29 practice areas by The Legal 500 2024, including for M&A upper mid-market and premium deals £750m+, acquisition finance, bank lending (investment grade debt and syndicated loans), real estate funds, environment, corporate restructuring & insolvency, infrastructure (M&A & acquisition financing, project finance & development), mining and minerals, power, water, and TMT (Fintech and IT & telecoms).</p> <p><strong>Chambers & Partners: Band 1</strong></p> <ul style="margin-left: 40px;"> <li>Banking & Finance: Lenders: Big-Ticket</li> <li>Banking & Finance: Borrowers: Big-Ticket</li> <li>Capital Markets: Debt</li> <li>Capital Markets: Equity</li> <li>Capital Markets: Derivatives</li> <li>Capital Markets: Structured Products</li> <li>Capital Markets: Securitisation</li> <li>Competition Law</li> <li>Corporate/M&A: £800 million and above</li> <li>Data Protection & Information Law</li> <li>Employee Share Schemes & Incentives</li> <li>Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas</li> <li>Energy & Natural Resources: Power</li> <li>Energy & Natural Resources: Renewables & Alternative Energy</li> <li>Energy & Natural Resources: Mining: International</li> <li>Environment & Climate Change</li> <li>Financial Services: Contentious Regulatory (Corporates)</li> <li>Financial Services: Non-contentious Regulatory</li> <li>Infrastructure</li> <li>Pensions</li> <li>Private Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above</li> <li>Projects</li> <li>Restructuring/Insolvency</li> <li>Retail: Corporate & Competition</li> <li>Transport: Rail: Projects & Infrastructure</li> </ul> <p><strong>The Legal 500: Top Tier Firm</strong></p> <ul style="margin-left: 40px;"> <li>Equity capital markets – mid-large cap</li> <li>EU and competition</li> <li>Financial services: contentious</li> <li>Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory</li> <li>M&A: Upper Mid-Market And Premium Deals, £750m+</li> <li>Banking litigation: investment and retail</li> <li>Employee share schemes</li> <li>Employers</li> <li>Pensions (non-contentious)</li> <li>Pensions: dispute resolution</li> <li>Acquisition finance</li> <li>Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans</li> <li>Corporate restructuring & insolvency</li> <li>Debt capital markets</li> <li>Derivatives and structured products</li> <li>Securitisation</li> <li>Emerging markets</li> <li><span class="ui-provider bal bam ban bao bap baq bar bas bat bau bav baw bax bay baz bba bbb bbc bbd bbe bbf bbg bbh bbi bbj bbk bbl bbm bbn bbo bbp bbq bbr bbs bbt" dir="ltr">Investment Fund Formation and Management: Real Estate Funds</span></li> <li>Infrastructure: M&A and acquisition financing</li> <li>Infrastructure: Project finance and development</li> <li>Mining and minerals</li> <li>Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)</li> <li>Water</li> <li>Environment</li> <li>Corporate governance</li> <li>Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity</li> <li>Fintech</li> <li>IT and telecoms</li> <li>Rail</li> </ul>Wed, 25 Oct 2023 10:43:00 Z{A7F35EE7-CA1C-40A6-955A-AEFB2A33C519}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/linklaters-wins-silver-and-bronze-at-the-uk-social-mobility-awards-2023Linklaters wins Silver and Bronze at the UK Social Mobility Awards 2023<p>Linklaters’ focus on social mobility has been recognised at the seventh annual UK Social Mobility Awards (SOMOs) – the first national awards dedicated to raising awareness of social mobility by sharing the innovative approaches of those working to improve it. The firm received the Silver Award in the ‘Progression Programme’ category and the Bronze Award for ‘Community Programme of the Year’. </p> <p>The firm’s Silver Award was recognition for its pioneering programme of activities addressing the barriers to progression faced by individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds within legal organisations, specifically focusing on retention and progression. Recognising that no one intervention could close the progression gap identified by research undertaken with the Bridge Group, Linklaters launched an employee-driven Social Mobility Network in 2019 so that, irrespective of their background, talented individuals can reach their full potential at the firm. The Network and the firm have implemented a number of initiatives, including targeted training, sharing stories, a mentoring scheme and an innovative client presentation all aimed at raising awareness. </p> <p>Linklaters won the Bronze Award for its partnership with <a href="https://inspirationforall.org.uk/">Inspiration for All</a>, a pioneering education focused social enterprise, on the Inspiring Partnerships programme. The programme pairs senior Linklaters employees with school leaders from a range of educational institutions for one-to-one mentoring sessions designed to develop leadership capacity and capability. 100% of school leaders who took part reported the programme had a positive impact on their leadership skills and noted the ripple effect of the programme on other staff and students. The programme is aligned with Linklaters’ global social impact theme of Realising Aspirations, evidencing its commitment to facilitating social mobility. </p> <p><strong>Commenting on the Silver Award, Linklaters Senior Partner <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/aedamar-comiskey">Aedamar Comiskey</a>: </strong></p> <blockquote>“We’re working hard to address the obstacles and ensure that no matter where you grew up or went to school, you can be yourself and progress at Linklaters. I’m very proud of the progress we’re making and delighted to see our efforts recognised with Silver and Bronze Awards at this year’s UK Social Mobility Awards. The progress we’re making is testament to the hard work of many across our firm, in particular our Social Mobility Network, who are doing great things to promote inclusivity both within our firm and the legal sector more broadly.” </blockquote> <p><strong>Commenting on Inspiration for All’s partnership with Linklaters, Sarah Caton, CEO of Inspiration for All: </strong></p> <blockquote>"We are delighted to work with Linklaters on the Inspiring Partnerships programme and so proud to be recognised for our work together by the UK Social Mobility Awards. The commitment of senior leaders from across Linklaters has been truly inspiring and has provided much needed support for school leaders serving the most deprived communities, building skills and awareness to advance social mobility together.”</blockquote>Mon, 23 Oct 2023 10:15:00 Z{9338B1A5-4D7C-46E4-B2AD-50DCFEC5372A}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/applications-for-linklaters-solicitor-apprenticeship-programme-2024-now-openApplications for Linklaters Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme 2024 now open<p>Linklaters is now open for applications to its Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme 2024, which offers an alternative pathway to solicitor qualification in the UK, helping to widen access to the legal sector. </p> <p>Linklaters will welcome its second cohort of eight solicitor apprentices onto the programme in London starting in September 2024. They will be part of a six-year programme providing on-the-job training, with the solicitor apprentices undertaking law degree studies 20% of their time for the first four years. In years five and six, the apprentices will join Linklaters’ trainee solicitor cohort, during which time they will also complete the solicitor’s qualification examination (SQE). </p> <p>The programme will be open to school leavers nationwide with applications opening on 23 October 2023 and closing on 15 February 2024. Details of how to apply are available <a href="https://careers.linklaters.com/en/early-careers/solicitor-apprenticeships">here</a>. </p> <p>Linklaters has a range of programmes focused on reaching and attracting underrepresented talent. One of the firm’s bespoke programmes includes <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2021/april/linklaters-launches-making-links-discovery">Making Links Discovery</a>, run in partnership with the Social Mobility Foundation and the Amos Bursary – designed to open up access to a career in the law for 16 to 18 year old students across the UK. </p> <p>Find out more about the programmes and Linklaters’ work to make law accessible to all <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/diversity-equity-inclusion">here</a>.</p>Mon, 23 Oct 2023 09:01:00 Z{89B16048-2BF7-40AB-A426-D4F767FB3003}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/linklaters-appoints-new-head-of-employment-in-luxembourgLinklaters appoints new Head of Employment in Luxembourg<p>Linklaters is pleased to announce that Marie Sinniger, a leading employment practitioner, will be joining the firm as Luxembourg’s Head of Employment.</p> <p> Marie’s practice addresses all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment law including; drafting and terminating employment contracts, handling employment issues in the context of corporate restructuring operations, cross-border employment issues, collective bargaining, collective redundancies, staff representation, social audits, remuneration policy, incentive plans and employee benefits. She also represents employers in a wide range of employment law disputes. </p> <p>Marie joins the firm alongside Thomas Alberti who also joins the Linklaters Employment & Incentives practice as a managing associate. Together with Alyssia Mechalikh, associate in the Luxembourg office, they will be reinforcing the existing employment offering. </p> <p>This is the latest addition to the global Employment & Incentives practice having recently welcomed Janet Lee, Senior Counsel into the firm’s New York Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits practice. This appointment is also the 53rd hire within the Linklaters Luxembourg office (since Jan 2023), further bolstering the firm’s platform in the jurisdiction and responding to client demand. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/alexandra-beidas">Alexandra Beidas</a>, Global Head of Employment & Incentives: </strong></p> <blockquote>“I am thrilled to welcome Marie to head up our Luxembourg offering. The wealth of experience she brings complements and further strengthens our existing market-leading global platform. The global practice continues to be the number one choice for clients looking for advice on complex employment and remuneration issues. It is a hugely exciting time for us as we continue to grow to ensure we continue to meet client demand and deliver the best service for our clients.” </blockquote> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/nicki-kayser">Nicki Kayser</a>, Luxembourg Managing Partner: </strong></p> <blockquote>“Marie is an excellent addition to our Luxembourg office. Her expertise in employment law adds to the strength of our existing banking and capital markets, corporate, litigation, arbitration and investigations, funds and tax offering. We have a great employment law team here with both the technical skills and market knowledge to provide our clients with a truly first-class service.</blockquote>Tue, 17 Oct 2023 08:20:00 Z{BFCEB219-02D3-467E-8B35-58277FF9B34D}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/linklaters-are-proud-sponsors-of-the-women-of-the-year-awards-2023Linklaters are proud sponsors of the Women of the Year Awards 2023<p>Recognising the incredible achievements of women across the UK and around the world, Linklaters was proud to sponsor the <a href="https://www.womenoftheyear.co.uk/awards/2023/">Women of the Year Awards 2023</a> today <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2022/october/linklaters-proud-sponsors-of-women-of-the-year-awards-2022">for the second year running</a>. </p> <p>The awards ceremony welcomed 450 “Women of the Year” who are doing remarkable work and making a difference in paving the way for the women of tomorrow. </p> <p>Aedamar Comiskey, Linklaters’ Senior Partner and Chair, had the honour of presenting Linklaters’ Female Founder of the Year Award to Samantha Payne MBE, Founder and COO of Open Bionics, a healthcare company delivering revolutionary, affordable bionic hands that look, and feel good, for amputees or those born without a hand. The business has won multiple awards for innovation, including being named one of the top 50 robotics businesses in the world alongside Google and Amazon. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/aedamar-comiskey">Aedamar Comiskey</a> commented</strong>: </p> <blockquote>“We were delighted to award Samantha with our Female Founder of the Year Award. Her unwavering dedication to innovation and the transformative impact this has had on the lives of amputees is truly inspiring. A privilege to spend an afternoon with a group of such impressive women – what terrific role models for future female leaders and entrepreneurs.” </blockquote> <p><strong>On receiving the Award, Samantha stated: </strong></p> <blockquote>“At Open Bionics, we are on a mission to develop assistive technologies that enhance the human body. I’m honoured to be recognised as Linklaters’ Founder of the Year, and grateful for our community, engineering, clinical, production, and support teams, who make this magic happen. Watch this space – there’s more innovation to come!”</blockquote>Mon, 16 Oct 2023 15:55:00 Z{D57A3F39-DDC2-48F1-A672-6CE096C4BD65}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/linklaters-expands-its-antitrust-and-foreign-investment-practice-with-bruce-kilpatrickLinklaters expands its Antitrust & Foreign Investment practice with the appointment of Bruce Kilpatrick<p>Linklaters expands its Antitrust & Foreign Investment practice with the appointment of Bruce Kilpatrick in London. The practice is known for its market-leading reputation globally across all aspects of merger-control, competition, foreign investment, competition litigation and cartel work, with this appointment further bolstering its position. </p> <p>Bruce has 25 years’ experience advising clients on complex merger control, antitrust enforcement and foreign direct investment cases and defending high stakes antitrust damages litigation and director disqualification proceedings before the Competition Appeal Tribunal. He is recognised as a leading practitioner in the market (The Legal 500 Hall of Fame and Who’s Who Legal Thought Leader) and advises clients across a range of industries, including financial services, pharmaceuticals, technology, transport and the retail/consumer goods markets. Bruce returns to the firm from Addleshaw Goddard where he has led the Competition and Regulatory team for over a decade. </p> <p>This strategic appointment supports the ambitious growth of Linklaters’ Antitrust & Foreign Investment practice globally as the firm continues to invest in its impressive bench of practitioners. </p> <p><strong><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/natura-gracia">Natura Gracia</a>, UK Head of Linklaters' Antitrust & Foreign Investment practice: </strong></p> <blockquote>“We are hugely excited by Bruce’s return to the practice. The level of experience he brings over his 25 years of practice complements our offering and will continue to position us as the number one choice for clients in this field. </blockquote><blockquote>“Big-ticket and complex M&A is where our practice truly excels - as the antitrust & foreign investment landscape becomes increasing complex to navigate with regulators expanding their powers and becoming more interventionist. It is therefore imperative to have the best minds solving these complex challenges and I am incredibly proud of the strength of the firm’s practice.” </blockquote> <p>Linklaters Antitrust & Foreign Investment practice continues to be ranked globally as ‘Band 1’ in Chambers 2023 and Elite in Global Competition Review for its merger control, litigation, and cartel work.</p>Fri, 13 Oct 2023 09:30:00 Z{C6C944F1-FD0C-4C92-9A09-E218D9CD2AC9}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/emilio-minvielle-joins-latin-america-practiceLinklaters Adds Depth to Latin America Bench with Hire of Emilio MinvielleLinklaters is pleased to announce that <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/emilio-minvielle" target="_blank">Emilio Minvielle</a> has joined the firm’s Washington, D.C. and New York offices as Counsel in the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/locations/latin-america" target="_blank">Latin America</a> practice. <br /> <br /> Emilio has over 17 years of experience advising Latin American corporate, sovereign, and state-owned entities on their financing, capital markets, liability management, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate and sovereign debt restructurings across the region. He has extensive cross-border experience in Spanish-speaking Latin America and has worked in a range of industries including banking and financial institutions, energy, infrastructure, telecoms, retail, manufacturing, and healthcare. <br /> <br /> Prior to joining Linklaters, Emilio was a Counsel specializing in corporate and finance transactions in Latin America at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. He has been recognized as a “Next Generation Lawyer” by The Legal 500 Latin America and a “Rising Star” by LatinVex. <br /> <br /> Linklaters’ lawyers have practiced in Latin America for decades and Linklaters was one of the first international firms to open an office in Brazil in 1997. With a growing team of Latin America-focused lawyers across the firm’s New York, Washington, D.C., and São Paulo offices and the recent launch of Linklaters’ Mexico Group, the firm continues to increase its presence in the region and deepen existing relationships with leading local law firms. <br /> <br /> Linklaters is highly ranked across key Latin America legal directories including Chambers, Legal 500, and Latin Lawyer, and in the past year took home three deal of the year awards for the firm’s work on the world’s first sovereign sustainability-linked bond offering. <br /> <br /> Emilio continues a string of significant hires for Linklaters in the U.S., following the recent arrival of Energy & Infrastructure partners Ron Erlichman and Marius Griskonis, and senior counsel Lauren Bachtel and Diana Jeschke; M&A and Private Equity partner Lev Loukhton, Structured Finance and Derivatives partners Peter Williams and Joseph Gambino; U.S. Head of Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Andrew Gaines; and Financial Regulation partner Don Waack. Thu, 12 Oct 2023 23:43:00 Z{D9EB3903-B868-4BBE-A095-DB406D5C88BA}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/linklaters-bolsters-global-ip-litigation-offering-with-hire-of-katie-coltartLinklaters bolsters global IP litigation offering with hire of Katie Coltart<p>Linklaters is pleased to announce that Katie Coltart will join the firm as a partner in the Intellectual Property team in London. </p> <p>She joins Linklaters from Kirkland & Ellis, where she has been a partner since 2018, having previously worked at Allen & Overy. </p> <p>Katie is widely regarded for her impressive experience in high-profile, cross-border IP litigation, working across a broad range of sectors, including healthcare and life sciences, telecoms and technology. </p> <p><strong>Linklaters partner and Global Head of TMT/IP, <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/julia-schonbohm">Dr. Julia Schönbohm</a>, commented: </strong></p> <blockquote>“The market for patent litigation has seen significant growth over the last few years, as life sciences patent disputes have become increasingly complex and the number of telco and tech litigation cases has increased dramatically. With Katie’s impressive experience in complex, multi-jurisdictional IP disputes, her expertise complements the growth of our IP litigation capabilities and meets growing client demand.” </blockquote> <p><strong>Commenting on joining Linklaters, Katie noted: </strong></p> <blockquote>“I am very excited to be joining Linklaters – the strength of the firm’s global platform is a very attractive draw as clients look for solutions to increasingly complex, multi-jurisdictional disputes. Linklaters has a fantastic client base and strong track record for patent disputes, and I am looking forward to joining the team and building on that success.”</blockquote>Mon, 09 Oct 2023 13:53:00 Z{22D6F94B-600A-4B7B-9E23-C1492F51ACCA}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/october/createiq-win-digital-solution-of-the-year-at-global-capital-derivatives-awardsCreateiQ Win Digital Solution of the Year at Global Capital Derivatives Awards.<p>Linklaters | <a href="/en/about-us/createiq">CreateiQ</a> is delighted to announce that it has been honoured with the Digital Solution of the Year award at the <a href="https://www.globalcapital.com/article/2c7xy486vtpc51v81bbi9/polls-and-awards/globalcapital-global-derivatives-awards-2023-the-winners">Global Capital Derivatives Award Ceremony</a>.</p> <p>The Global Capital Derivatives Awards recognise outstanding achievements and innovations in the derivatives market. CreateiQ's win in the Digital Solution of the Year category highlights its exceptional contribution to revolutionising contract management practices in the derivatives industry. </p> <p>CreateiQ is an intuitive platform that streamlines the entire lifecycle of derivative contracts, empowering users with higher efficiency, reduced risk, and unparalleled insights. Its user-friendly interface, powered by advanced technology, allows clients to handle complex derivative contracts with ease.</p> <p>"We are immensely proud to receive the Digital Solution of the Year award for CreateiQ," said <a href="/en/business-teams/shilpa-bhandarkar">Shilpa Bhandarkar, CEO</a> at CreateiQ. "This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team in developing a state-of-the-art platform that addresses the unique challenges faced by our clients in the derivatives market."</p> <p>CreateiQ's success stems from its commitment to continuous innovation and customer-centric approach. By offering tailored solutions to meet clients' specific needs, CreateiQ has solidified its position as an industry leader in contract management for derivative contracts. </p> <div> </div>Mon, 09 Oct 2023 10:03:00 Z{F80FFCFC-7AA0-4F84-AD26-028717C17DD1}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/september/claudia-parzani-named-top-100-global-leader-for-gender-inclusion-for-seventh-year-running Claudia Parzani named Top 100 global leader for gender inclusion for seventh year running <p><a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/claudia-parzani">Claudia Parzani</a>, Partner at Linklaters and Chair of Borsa Italiana (part of Euronext Group), has been included by Heroes and YouTube in the Heroes Women Role Model international rankings – for the seventh year in a row. The rankings aim to recognise high-profile professional figures who have distinguished themselves globally for initiatives aimed at improving the position of women in the working world.</p> <p>Claudia Parzani has been included in the Heroes 100 Executives Role Model category which celebrates the 100 women, in top international roles, who are driving change by using their influence and professional position to actively promote an inclusive culture.</p> <p>Included in the international ranking since its first edition, Claudia Parzani has already received similar awards in the last 4 years (in the 100 Women Executives category), in 2018 (Top 10 Female Role Model for the Financial Times and HERoes) and in 2017 (Top 10 Champion of Women in Business for the Financial Times and HERoes). </p> <p>Always very passionate about inclusion and social issues, Claudia Parzani promotes and supports numerous initiatives aimed at fostering gender equality and supporting diversity and talent in the world of work. Since 2022, she has been Chair of Borsa Italiana, the first woman to hold this position. She is the founder of Breakfast@Linklaters, a network of representatives of the female business community, ambassador for Italy of the international campaign "Inspiring Girls" to promote and support young female talent, as well as Special Friend of UNHCR in Italy, and is actively involved in the campaign to finance the studies of young refugees.</p> <p>Claudia is co-author of two books, “Meravigliose” and “Si vince solo insieme” and she is often invited as a speaker at events and conferences to talk about diversity and inclusion and to inspire the next generation. She recently gave a Lectio Magistralis on the topic “In praise of failure: the new leadership between kindness and diversity” at the Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome.</p> <p><span><strong>Commenting on the HERoes 100 Executives Role Model ranking, Claudia said: </strong></span></p> <blockquote><em>"We must work to create open and truly inclusive workplaces, based on a culture of respect for all diversities, not only of gender, but also of generation, of geography, of professional training, of experience, of skills, of true social mobility. Working environments that value the skills of people belonging to different generations, where everyone can feel appreciated, respected, and free to express their potential, aptitudes, and inclinations. The more a person can share their uniqueness, the more that environment attracts talent – and talent brings innovation and excellence. I will never tire of saying that inclusion is not a nice to have but a business imperative!"</em></blockquote> <div> </div>Thu, 28 Sep 2023 07:44:00 Z{D8C3E9B1-0318-4CA9-9A50-1D4B73EC7596}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/september/createiq-isda-and-s-and-p-global-market-intelligence-collaborateCreateiQ, ISDA and S&P Global Market Intelligence Collaborate to Launch Integration to Streamline End-to-End Negotiation of Derivatives Documentation <p>Linklaters | CreateiQ, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (ISDA) and S&P Global Market Intelligence have unveiled an integration aimed at revolutionising the negotiation and management of derivatives contracts. </p> <p>This integration links ISDA Create and S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Counterparty Manager service, presenting a one-stop platform for end-to-end negotiation of complex derivatives contracts. The Counterparty Manager service facilitates the seamless exchange of information during the initiation of a trading relationship, and encompasses ISDA Amend, an online tool empowering market participants to modify multiple ISDA Master Agreements and share regulatory representations with counterparties. With this integration, firms can now utilise ISDA Create’s functionality to draft, negotiate, and execute ISDA Master Agreements and other significant derivatives documents directly within Counterparty Manager, which will enable institutions to conveniently access all contractual data in a digital format, from a single, centralised location. </p> <p>This initiative follows a successful trial phase involving select banks and asset managers, where ISDA Create via Counterparty Manager was leveraged to amend ISDA documentation. ISDA Create, a module of CreateiQ, a contract negotiation platform developed by Linklaters, is now seamlessly integrated with Counterparty Manager, encompassing all modules on the CreateiQ platform, which also include various capital markets contracts.</p> <p><span><strong>Lindsay Gurbacki, Vice President, EMEA Regulatory Reporting and Derivative Compliance Manager at AllianceBernstein, stated:</strong></span></p> <blockquote>“We’re excited about the potential of this tool and where it will take the industry. In today’s digital age, it was only a matter of time before trade documentation became part of that. The partnership of these three organizations is bound to produce a deliberate, strategic and well-executed platform."</blockquote> <p><strong>Katherine Tew Darras, ISDA’s General Counsel, said:</strong></p> <blockquote>“This integration will enable users to quickly access a digital record of their contractual and relationship data in a single place, creating significant operational efficiencies for firms, as well as reducing risk. We’re delighted to take this next important step on the journey to automated derivatives markets."</blockquote> <p><strong><a href="/en/business-teams/shilpa-bhandarkar">Shilpa Bhandarkar</a>, CEO at CreateiQ, voiced her excitement about the integration, saying:</strong></p> <blockquote> “We are excited to announce this launch. It is the result of months of challenging work between ISDA, Linklaters, and S&P Global Market Intelligence to deliver something that our clients truly want. Since we started CreateiQ, we put interoperability with other systems at the core of our offering, but now we can go one step further – delivering with S&P Global Market Intelligence an end-to-end solution for capital markets contracting.”</blockquote> <p><strong>Lansing Gatrell, Manager Director of Platforms & Regulatory Compliance at S&P Global Market Intelligence, commented:</strong></p> <blockquote>"This is an important step in our goal of driving total efficiency and reducing systemic risk across the capital markets industry. We are building a complete ecosystem leveraging tools like CreateiQ to help our clients with their contracting needs, and we will continue to enhance our offering to solve the market’s biggest challenges."<span style="font-size: 18px;"></span></blockquote> <p>For more information about this collaboration and other innovative solutions from S&P Global Market Intelligence and ISDA Create, please take a look at <a href="https://www.isdacreate.org/">ISDA Create</a>. </p>Mon, 25 Sep 2023 15:05:00 Z{A5429059-A62B-4F3B-9CF9-4EA2A99D26E0}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/september/mergers-and-acquisitions-awardsLinklaters Honored with The M&A Advisor’s Law Firm of the Year, Restructuring Deal of the Year, Consumer Staples Deal of the Year, and Emerging Leaders Awards<p><span>Linklaters is pleased to announce that the firm was honored with The M&A Advisor’s Law Firm of the Year, Restructuring Deal of the Year, Consumer Staples Deal of the Year, and Emerging Leaders awards at the publication’s 14th Annual International M&A Awards Gala on September 20<sup>th</sup> in New York.</span></p> <p>The Law Firm of the Year award recognizes Linklaters for its outstanding work providing market-leading counsel and advice on cross-border M&A, financing, and restructuring work; and highlights the firm’s differentiators including technical excellence, sector expertise, innovation and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.</p> <p>The Cross-Border Restructuring Deal of the Year Award ($500MM-$1B) recognizes the firm’s advisory work, led by New York Restructuring & Insolvency Partner <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/christopher-hunker" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Christopher Hunker</a>, in connection with the <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/march/linklaters-wins-the-m-and-a-advisor-2023-cross-border-restructuring-of-the-year-award" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Chapter 11 restructuring of Vewd Software AS</a>.</p> <p>Linklaters is also recognized with the Consumer Staples Deal of the Year award for its work in <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2022/march/linklaters-advises-bioceres-crop-solutions-in-merger-with-marrone-bio-innovations" style="background-color: #ffffff;">advising Bioceres Crop Solutions Corp.</a> in connection to its merger with Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc., marking the company’s first M&A transaction following its public offering through a de-SPAC transaction in 2019. The deal team supporting this transaction was led by partners <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/matthew-poulter" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Matthew Poulter</a> and <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/pierre-emmanuel-perais" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Pierre-Emmanuel Perais</a>.</p> <p>The gala also celebrated Linklaters Investment Counsel <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/mike-dankis" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Mike Dankis</a> and Energy & Infrastructure Counsel <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/will-kim" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Will Kim</a>, who received The M&A Advisors Emerging Leaders awards <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/july/mike-dankis-and-will-kim-named-to-emerging-leaders-list" style="background-color: #ffffff;">earlier this year</a>.</p> <p>The Annual International M&A Awards recipients are determined by an independent judging panel in which nominations for over 250 individual companies across the world are evaluated, representing deals valued from $10 million to multi-billion-dollar deals. <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: black;">The M&A Advisor, now in its 25<sup>th</sup> year, was founded to offer insights and intelligence on mergers and acquisitions and today is recognized as the world’s premier leadership organization for mergers & acquisitions, restructuring, and corporate finance professionals.</span></p> <p>This marks one of several major industry recognitions for Linklaters' <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/locations/united-states" target="_blank" style="background-color: #ffffff;">U.S. practice</a> thus far in 2023. The practice also received, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/march/linklaters-awarded-ij-global-north-american-deal-of-the-year" target="_blank" style="background-color: #ffffff;">IJ Global's North American Power Deal of the Year</a>, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/january/linklaters-wins-sovereign-esg-deal-of-the-year-for-the-republic-of-chiles-pioneering-sovereign-bond" target="_blank" style="background-color: #ffffff;">LatinFinance's Sovereign ESG Deal of the Year</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/may/linklaters-secures-third-deal-of-the-year-award-for-sustainability-linked-bond-offering" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Latin Lawyer’s Corporate Finance: ESG Deal of the Year</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/april/penelope-jensen-clara-pang-top-women-in-dealmaking" style="background-color: #ffffff;">The Deal’s Top Women in Dealmaking</a>, and numerous high rankings in Chambers USA and the Legal 500 U.S.</p>Thu, 21 Sep 2023 14:23:00 Z{1708B36D-4043-4C03-BF41-D9078FC58F13}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/september/linklaters-launches-third-edition-of-the-making-links-europe-programmeLinklaters launches third edition of the Making Links Europe programme<p>Linklaters has launched the third edition of the Making Links Europe programme, an innovative initiative aimed at bridging the gap between university and the professional world for law students from underrepresented groups.</p> <p>Following the success of the first two editions, which involved 24 law students and 8 Linklaters offices across Europe, the third edition will continue to provide valuable opportunities for the next generation of legal professionals.</p> <p>The Making Links Europe programme offers law students the chance to attend lessons on technical topics, market trends, and soft skills as well as experiencing a summer internship in an international law firm. Participants have the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a stimulating and international environment while they are still studying, allowing them to start building their international network early in their careers. </p> <p>Designed to help talented university students from underrepresented groups succeed in their early careers, the Making Links Europe programme supports the development of technical and professional skills while building strong commercial fluency and a global outlook.</p> <p>By providing law students with practical experience and essential skills, the Making Links Europe programme continues to fulfil its mission of ensuring that the legal sector is truly representative and inclusive with equal access to opportunity, supporting and fostering the development of well-rounded, successful legal professionals who are prepared to excel in the global market.</p> <p>For more information about the Making Links Programme and how to apply, please visit our <a href="/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2022/february/making-links-scholarship-europe">website</a> or contact our programme coordinators at <a href="mailto:makinglinkseurope@linklaters.com">makinglinkseurope@linklaters.com</a>.</p>Fri, 15 Sep 2023 10:31:00 Z{57089CC4-33EB-4420-968C-5A41C5A2471F}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/september/fifth-circuit-upholdsFifth Circuit Rules in Favor of Linklaters and ACLU Justice Lab Client, Sending St. Tammany Parish Police Misconduct Case to Trial <p><span style="color: #212121;">In a significant victory for police accountability, Linklaters and the ACLU of Louisiana have defeated an appeal by St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Alexander Thomas to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Fifth Circuit’s decision upheld a lower court ruling in favor of Bruce Washington—a 54-year-old Black man and St. Tammany Parish resident who was illegally frisked by Deputy Thomas during an unnecessary traffic stop—and allows the case to proceed to trial.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #212121;">On March 13, 2021, Mr. Washington was pulled over and told by an officer, Deputy Alexander Thomas, that he had failed to use a turn signal, which Mr. Washington denied. Thomas threatened Mr. Washington and his passenger, Gregory Lane, saying that he was going to make the traffic stop “go a different way than it has to be,” and instructed both men to step out of the vehicle. Mr. Washington and Mr. Lane were subjected to a pat-down search under coercion, verbally accosted, and then ticketed for making an improper turn and failing to use a turn signal.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #212121;">Ruling in favor of Washington, the lower court remarked that “Thomas’ testimony suggests that Thomas did not believe he had the authority to search Washington without consent. . . .  Because Washington has pointed to specific facts, supported by competent evidence, that show genuine issues of material fact as to whether Thomas engaged in conduct that violated the clearly established law of frisks, summary judgment must be denied.” </span></p> <p><span style="color: #212121;">In his appeal, Deputy Thomas “[did] not argue that no constitutional violation occurred.” Rather, he asked the Fifth Circuit to ignore Mr. Washington’s declaration that he did not consent to the search, and to act as jury in determining that the video evidence showed that the frisk was constitutional. The Fifth Circuit dismissed the appeal, holding that “[b]ecause Thomas challenges the genuineness of the factual disputes forming the basis of the district court’s denial of summary judgment,” it lacks jurisdiction to consider the appeal. The Fifth Circuit has thus reaffirmed that where genuine issues of fact exist as to whether police have reasonable suspicion to perform a frisk, qualified immunity will not shield police from having to answer for their actions in front of a jury.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #212121;">“Despite what the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office has repeatedly argued, a black man driving at night and calmly asking questions of police during a traffic stop does not create reasonable suspicion that he is armed and dangerous, and therefore subject to search without his consent,” said Linklaters Senior Associate, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/elizabeth-raulston">Elizabeth Raulston</a>. “The arguments of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office in this case only perpetuate the racist stereotype that black men are inherently dangerous - and we’re pleased that these arguments have failed at every stage of this litigation.”</span></p> <p><span style="color: #212121;">“This is a huge win for Mr. Washington and all Louisianans,” said Nora Ahmed, ACLU of Louisiana legal director. “Such daily unconstitutional indignities by police cause irreparable harm to local communities and promote dangerous, racist stereotypes. The ACLU of Louisiana’s Justice Lab aims to curb these indignities, which disproportionately target the Black community, by holding police accountable. Instead of trying to justify unconstitutional frisks, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office should immediately cease engaging in the practice of targeting people of color for frivolous traffic violations and using them as a pretext to conduct invasive and unconstitutional searches aimed at entrapping law-abiding citizens. Mr. Washington looks forward to seeing Deputy Thomas at trial.”</span></p> <span style="color: #212121;">The Linklaters team spans the New York and Washington, DC offices, and includes partner <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/adam-lurie">Adam Lurie</a>, Senior Associate <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/elizabeth-raulston">Raulston</a>, and Associates <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/aviva-kushner">Aviva Kushner</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/jarrett-field">Jarrett Field</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/zo-lillian">Zoë Lillian</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/find-a-lawyer/lillian-childress">Lillian Childress</a>, <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/stephanie-sebastian">Stephanie Sebastian</a>, <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/max-blinderacenal">Max Blinder-Acenal</a>, Aya Abdellatif, Kailyn LaPorte, Nirajé Medley-Bacon, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/stephanie-odigie">Stephanie Odigie</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/nicolle-sayers">Nicolle Sayers</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/chloe-shostak">Chole Shostak</a>, <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/find-a-lawyer/matthew-walchuck">Matt Walchuck</a>, and Nina Zegarra-Schmidt.</span> <p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></p> <p><span style="color: #212121;">The Fifth Circuit’s decision is the latest victory for ACLU of Louisiana’s Justice Lab program, which has filed more than 50 cases throughout the state against law enforcement agencies since launching in 2020. For more information, visit <a href="https://aclujusticelab.org/">aclujusticelab.org</a>.</span></p> <span style="color: #212121;">Linklaters supports the ACLU of Louisiana through the firm’s Social Impact program, through which the firm deploys the strengths of lawyers and business staff to bring about positive change for the poor and underserved through legal pro bono as well as non-legal volunteering and charitable donations. </span><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en-us/about-us/responsibility/social-impact" style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="color: #aa0061;">Learn more about Linklaters’ Social Impact program. </span></a> <div> </div>Mon, 11 Sep 2023 15:32:00 Z{A87747AF-90F4-4644-B5B8-D986EF332F4A}https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/september/linklaters-appoints-justin-faye-as-head-of-its-africa-groupLinklaters appoints Justin Faye as Head of its Africa Group<p>Linklaters has announced the appointment of <a href="/en/find-a-lawyer/justin-faye">Justin Faye</a>, Energy & Infrastructure partner in the firm’s Paris office, as the new Head of its Africa Group. Justin continues the strong leadership of the group by succeeding Andrew Jones, who retires after a successful 31-year career at the firm. </p> <p>A key member of the firm’s Africa Group for many years, Justin’s practice spans all areas of transactional activity in the energy, infrastructure and natural resources sectors. He has significant experience in advising sponsors, lenders, multilateral institutions, contractors and host governments on the structuring, financing and development of major projects and acquisitions across the African continent. </p> <p>Justin has been involved in several ground-breaking mandates in Africa, which include advising: </p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2023/february/linklaters-advises-belinga-joint-venture-company-limited">Belinga Joint Venture Company</a> on the world-class Belinga iron ore project in Gabon. </li> <li><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2022/october/linklaters-advising-oil-group-maurel-prom-on-a-global-framework-agreement">Maurel & Prom</a> on a global framework agreement with the Republic of Gabon. </li> <li><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2021/june/linklaters-and-clifford-chance-advise-on-the-financing-of-the-largest-biomass-power-plant">Proparco and EAIF</a> as lenders and grant providers on the financing of the Biovea biomass power project in Côte d’Ivoire.</li> <li><a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/deals/2021/june/linklaters-advises-the-democratic-republic-of-congo-on-the-structuring-of-a-solar-mini-grid">Democratic Republic of Congo</a> on the structuring of a programme to develop solar powered mini-grids in the DRC sponsored by DFID and Essor.</li> </ul> <p> Linklaters is uniquely placed to advise on matters across the African continent as the only leading international firm with full-service capabilities in Lisbon, London, and Paris, as well as an integrated alliance with South African law firm Webber Wentzel which <a href="https://www.linklaters.com/en/about-us/news-and-deals/news/2023/july/linklaters-and-webber-wentzel-celebrate-10-year-alliance-anniversary">recently marked ten years</a>. </p> <p>The firm has been delivering first class legal advice with practical commercial solutions across Africa for over 50 years, working on numerous landmark transactions, and building vital business connections in almost every African country.</p>Mon, 11 Sep 2023 11:00:00 Z