Leading global law firm Hogan Lovells has entered into an association with ZS&R Law Firm. The firms will work together to provide cohesive, integrated legal advice to their national and international clients, offering a first-class service in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The association is effective from today.

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ZS&R Law Firm was founded in 2017 by Dr. Najem Alzaid, Saad Alrashed and Turki Alsheikh. The three founding partners have diverse backgrounds with international legal experience, multilingual capabilities, and are experienced in advising on national and cross-border transactions. With a full-service offering and an in-depth knowledge of the regulatory requirements of doing business in Saudi Arabia, ZS&R Law Firm advise clients across a range of industries. They cover our key practice areas including projects, dispute resolution, banking and finance, capital markets and corporate and M&A. Under the terms of the agreement, ZS&R Law Firm will operate in association with Hogan Lovells and the two firms will work together on client matters while remaining separate legal entities.

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“Saudi Arabia is a strategic market for our clients,” explained Miguel Zaldivar, Regional Chief Executive for the Asia Pacific Middle East region. “Partnering with ZS&R Law Firm is part of our commitment to providing clients with a full service solution to their commercial and legal needs. We have had a relationship with the three founding partners of ZS&R Law Firm for some time, and we have viewed what they have achieved professionally with reverence. Together, they have created a truly outstanding legal practice in Riyadh, with a service offering which strongly aligns to the needs our clients.”

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Dr. Najem Alzaid, one of the founding partners of ZS&R Law Firm said, “This is an exciting time to be in Saudi Arabia. We will witness the public offering of Saudi Aramco and other privatizations, the fruition of key strategic plans such as Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Programme, and we expect a new wave of foreign investment. We are pleased to work alongside Hogan Lovells supporting clients investing in the Kingdom as well as help our Saudi clients achieve their international ambitions.”

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Steve Immelt, CEO of Hogan Lovells added: “The association with ZS&R Law Firm is an important milestone which allows us to expands our ability to help clients in an important jurisdiction. Together with ZS&R we can provide clients with deep sector experience and knowledge in the Kingdom and across the wider Middle East. Most importantly, ZS&R’s client service ethos, and the principles by which they conduct business, align with our approach to the market.”

International law firm Gianni, Origoni, Grippo, Cappelli & Partners opens in Shanghai, extending the reach of its Far East Hong Kong branch and confirming its international expansion strategy, particularly oriented towards the Chinese market.

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GOP first established its presence in Hong Kong in early 2014 with the specific goal of servicing both Italian and international clients in an area which had proven to be a significant pull factor for foreign investments, but also tapping into the demand from growing numbers of local companies, looking with increasing interest towards investment opportunities in Europe and particularly in Italy.

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Now opening in Shanghai, the firm will create a direct operational base to offer consultancy and advisory services with even greater effectiveness in mainland China. The appetite of local business for commercial collaboration with western companies calls for the presence of more highly skilled professionals able to understand their dynamics and to proactively support their business.

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Initially the Shanghai team will be three hand-picked professionals, coordinated by Stefano Beghi, Managing Partner in Hong Kong.

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Stefano Beghi states: “The opening of Shanghai is part of a precise expansion project, elaborated and set in motion by the firm years ago, now implemented in light of the promising results from our Hong Kong office”. He adds, “Our policy, based on Italian professionals working side by side with local colleagues and tailor-made teams built on the needs of each client, has allowed us to be effective and expansionary in a time when the trend of other international firms has been the opposite.”

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Antonio Auricchio, Co-Managing Partner of Gianni, Origoni, Grippo, Cappelli & Partners, adds: “We have laid the foundations for strong growth in a part of the world where Italian innovation and creativity are more and more appreciated and seen as an opportunity. This is the reason GOP has decided to further increase its presence in this important area: to support its clients and harvest the opportunities arising from the internationalization process being undertaken by many Chinese companies.”

Allen & Overy has announced strong results for the year ended 30 April 2018, building on last year’s record figures in an environment of continued geopolitical uncertainty. The figures are testament to a compelling international platform, as multijurisdictional work continues to drive growth. ​

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In summary:

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​​​Reven​u​e​​ up by GBP54 milli​on (4%) to GBP1.57 billion (USD2.10bn; EUR1.78bn)

Profit before tax is up 3% to GBP690 million (USD923m; EUR784m)1

Profit per equity partner (PEP) is up 4% to GBP1.64 million (USD2.19m; EUR1.86m)2

Strong income growth from Western Europe, CEE and our Advanced Delivery businesses

All practice groups performed well, with International Capital Markets (ICM), Corporate and Taxation standout performers

Demand for cross-border work continues to drive growth with over three quarters of revenue derived from matters involving more than one country

DLA Piper today announces that Corporate/M&A and Private Equity lawyer, Gerald Schumann, will be joining the firm as a partner in its Corporate practice, based in Munich.

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Gerald will be joining the firm from Baker McKenzie, where he was a partner since 2008. He advises clients on M&A transactions, including public or private mergers and acquisitions, private equity, as well as venture capital transactions. He also acts for national and international clients on the legal aspects of restructurings, securities offerings and other general corporate matters.

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Commenting on his appointment, Dr Benjamin Parameswaran and Dr Konrad Rohde, managing partners of DLA Piper in Germany, said: “Gerald’s arrival bolsters our existing capabilities in Germany, especially in Munich, and we are confident that he will play a valuable role in further strengthening our Corporate/M&A and Private Equity client offering. Gerald brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience and he is an excellent addition to our already well-established Corporate/M&A and Private Equity practices. We look forward to welcoming him to the firm.”

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Gerald Schumann added: “I look forward to joining DLA Piper’s leading team of legal professionals in the Munich office, and being part of a wider firm with first rate lawyers and outstanding credentials. DLA Piper has an impressive global Corporate practice which offers the perfect platform to further grow the business.”

Sector-focused law firm HFW has boosted its leading Greek ship finance practice with the promotion of Piraeus consultant Kalliopi Karaiskaki to partner and the hire of senior associate Dimitra Gelti.

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Kalliopi has also been appointed as head of the firm’s ship finance practice in Piraeus.

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The moves continue HFW’s expansion of its global ship finance practice, following the hire of senior partner Siri Wennevik, who joined the firm’s Singapore office in January from Wikborg Rein, where she was previously Singapore managing partner.

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HFW now has 15 ship finance partners across the firm’s 18 international offices, with teams in Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Paris, Piraeus, Singapore and Shanghai.

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The moves also coincide with the 25th anniversary of HFW’s Piraeus office, which was established on 14 June 1993.

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Kalliopi is an English- and Greek-qualified transactional lawyer with significant expertise in ship finance, corporate, and oil and gas.

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Kalliopi previously spent almost three years as a consultant for HFW in Doha, where she was seconded as legal counsel at Maersk Oil and Qatar Gas Transport Company (NAKILAT). She also spent six years in London as an associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Richards Butler (now Reed Smith).

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Kalliopi becomes the ninth new partner that HFW has promoted this year, following the internal promotion of eight new partners on 1 April.

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Before joining HFW, Dimitra spent more than three years as an external legal consultant to Greek shipping industry clients. She was previously a senior associate at Stephenson Harwood in Piraeus.

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Dimitri Vassos, Piraeus office head:

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“Kal’s promotion and Dimitra’s hire reflect our continued commitment to ship finance and corporate shipping, which are core parts of our Greek practice. They also reflect our continued commitment to Greece, as our office celebrates its 25th anniversary. HFW Piraeus has grown from a relatively modest beginning in 1993 to become one of the largest practices of any international law firm in the country. I am both proud and privileged to have been part of a team who, through hard work and commitment to the firm’s values, have each contributed to the successful growth and development of the office. We are fortunate to have worked with some amazing clients over the past 25 years. I look forward to continued success together.”
Kalliopi Karaiskaki, head of Piraeus ship finance:

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“I am very excited to join the partnership and to lead a team with such a strong reputation for ship finance and corporate shipping, in Greece and internationally. I look forward to working with the rest of the global team to offer clients the outstanding legal and industry expertise that they expect from HFW.”