Thomas Sittek

Sullivan & Cromwell sent shockwaves across London's legal scene when the news broke on Monday that it is hiring two of the City's best known corporate lawyers—Kon Amisacopoulos from Kirkland & Ellis and Mike Francies, formerly of Weil Gotshal & Manges. Amisacopoulos has acted on some of the biggest restructurings in the U.K. of the past 10 years, while Francies, though recently retired, has for nearly three decades enjoyed a reputation as one of London's most prominent private equity M&A leaders. Given the calibre and profile of the double-hire, it has given way to plenty of speculation, chiefly, whether or not Sullivan & Cromwell is going to replicate Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison's hyper-aggressive London growth strategy. Could the hires be the first step in the elite-but-conservative Sullivan & Cromwell's transformation into a major London competitor? According to sources close to the matter, the firm is going to make more big name hires. It is planning to bring on around five more high profile partners in London, one of the people said, as well as make several internal promotions, with at least three partner promotions expected in the near term. These numbers suggest that the firm isn't quite expecting to replicate Paul Weiss' much-lauded hiring spree, which began in 2023 after it enlisted Neel Sachdev and other debt finance rising stars from rivals including Kirkland & Ellis, Linklaters and others. But Sullivan & Cromwell has started from a higher base. It already has more than 50 fee-earners in London, around 17 of whom are partners. Full story from Molly Smith: https://lnkd.in/e5YkiHAe

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Read the latest on Weil’s European Restructuring Watch from Neil Devaney, Andrew Wilkinson, Natasha Ayres, Matt Benson, Lois Deasey, Jenny Davidson, Gemma Sage and Mark Lawford – Cross Border Recognition of Restructurings: The 2019 Hague Judgments Convention Comes into Effect in the UK – https://lnkd.in/eD6UqzrJ

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The state-owned Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) has announced the acquisition of 100% of GS Inima Environment, the Spanish water treatment subsidiary of the South Korean group GS Engineering & Construction (GS E&C), for approximately $1.2 billion. Dentons has advised TAQA. A cross-border team including the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Brazil, advised on all aspects of the transaction. In Spain, where GS Inima is headquartered, the deal was coordinated by partners Jesús Durán and Javier Moya. Gómez-Acebo & Pombo, together with the lead deal counsel K&L Gates, has advised South Korea-based GS Engineering & Construction (GS E&C). The firm´s team involved in this significant transaction has been led by M&A-Private Equity partner Pablo Fernandez Cortijo and Nicolás Zúñiga Leonsegui, M&A-Private Equity partner and senior associate, respectively, which have lead a multidisciplinary team including Laura Roda Romero, Nicolás Otero de Navascués Miró and Cristina Merino Conde, associates of the M&A department; José Ramón Pérez Álvarez-Robles, associate from the real estate department; María Vázquez de las Cuevas, Covadonga L., Camino Gamón March and Andrés Cortés Coello, associates from the litigation-regulatory department; Patricia González de Huelbes, associate from the banking and finance team; Claudia Pérez Moneu, associate from the IP team and Carmen Abad Peralta, associate from the employment team. KPMG Abogados has advised TAQA. The team was led by Ricardo Lopez Rubio (director), with the participation of Raquel Juncal Novegil (senior manager), Álvaro López Hernández (senior manager), Claudia de Tena-Guillén Morón and Rebecca Barceló Álvarez (associates). Read the full article >> https://lnkd.in/dZdiYhuJ #IberianLawyer #operation #lawfirm #lawyers

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Chris Grant of Goodwin coined the term EFA (forward royalty payments accordingly) as a slight tweak on AFA, but they are really about the same thing when engaging firms: 1️⃣ Co-create the scope – law firm & client agree on outcomes before any work begins 2️⃣ Price for value – a single, transparent number tied to results, not timesheets 3️⃣ Stay in sync – ongoing check-ins keep the engagement aligned and surprise-free The payoff? Certainty on cost, stronger partnerships, and more time spent on strategic thinking. ▶️ Watch the clip to hear how EFAs deliver clarity and confidence for forward-thinking legal teams: https://lnkd.in/grhBtx3Z Then check out the full video for even more insights: https://lnkd.in/gWUVumD4 Want to learn more about switching over to an effective new way of legal spend? Book a demo at https://persuit.com/

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From landmark appellate rulings to collective action milestones – Q3 was anything but quiet in UK competition litigation. In our latest UK Competition Litigation Quarterly Update, partners Ed Coulson and Andrew Leitch, alongside senior associates Juliette Parkinson, Sam Brown, India Fahy, and Jamie Pollock, break down six key developments shaping the litigation landscape, including: - The dismissal of Phones 4u’s long-running collusion claim against mobile operators - The CAT’s findings on default multilateral interchange fees and their competitive impact - The call for evidence on reform of the opt-out collective proceedings regime - The latest rulings in Le Patourel, Rowntree, and Boundary Fares These cases highlight both the pace of developments and complexity in this fast-evolving space – and the practical implications for businesses navigating high-stakes disputes. Watch our teaser video below and read the full update at the link in the comments.

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Julian Chamberlayne chaired a panel session addressing #litigation funding for corporate clients as part of this year’s London International Disputes Week (#LIDW2025). The participants debated whether and how corporates and insolvency practitioners should explore third-party funding (TPF) as well as funder selection and terms, details of funding agreements and avoidance of disputes ensuing from that agreement. Speakers on the panel included: · Kevin Hellard, Head of Global Recovery and Reorganisation and UK Insolvency at Grant Thornton · Susan Dunn, Founder of litigation funder Harbour and Chair of the Association of Litigation Funders (ALF) · Jamie Molloy, Head of ATE insurance at Ignite · Katie Armstrong, Litigation Risk Management Divisional Director at Howden · Richard Viegas, Co-Head of Litigation Funding at Taylor Wessing View the key talking points and conclusions from this insightful panel session here: https://lnkd.in/emuNCMzK

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Defending the defenders 🛡️ Tom Bedford, partner, speaks to Legal Cheek about his career journey – from acting for banks in negligence claims, to becoming a leading lawyer in professional negligence and regulatory defence. He says: “I liked the idea of representing other people’s interests. Every case carries a compelling human story.” His work today spans litigation, disciplinary proceedings, client training, mentoring junior lawyers and helping with the management of the firm. His advice for aspiring lawyers? “Be yourself… if you go in authentically and the firm likes you – I think it’s a recipe for success – and for happiness.” Read more from Tom’s interview here: https://bit.ly/3KdUV6T

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