In this week’s news roundup, Hong Kong’s Law Society elects its first female president in its 110-year history, Deloitte acquires part of an immigration-focused U.S. law firm and UK firm DWF plans a one-billion-pound IPO.
DELOITTE ACQUIRES PART OF U.S. LAW FIRM BAL TO OFFER IMMIGRATION SERVICES
Big Four accounting firm Deloitte has acquired a part of California-headquartered law firm Berry Appleman & Leiden (BAL) in a bid to offer immigration services globally. While BAL will remain an independent law firm and offer immigration services within the U.S., Deloitte will offer immigration services for the rest of the world.
Under the agreement, Deloitte will purchase BAL operations in eight non-U.S. locations, including China, Dubai and Singapore. The addition of 170 lawyers from these offices will give Deloitte more than 1,500 immigration specialists in 135 countries. Deloitte U.S. is not party to the alliance or the acquisition.
HONG KONG’S LAW SOCIETY APPOINTS FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT
The Law Society of Hong Kong (LSHK) is set to be led by Melissa Kaye Pang, the society’s first female president in its 110-year history, after its council selected her to take the helm. Pang replaces outgoing president Thomas So, a partner at Mayer Brown JSM.
Pang, who runs her own firm Pang & Associates, is also a member of the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Council, and the chair of the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education. She became a vice-president of LSHK in 2014.
SINGAPORE COURT ENFORCES DANISH ARBITRAL AWARD
The High Court in Singapore has rejected fuel transportation company IM Skaugen’s application to adjourn enforcement of a Danish Institute of Arbitration (DIA) arbitration award made against it.
Man Diesel & Turbo SE (Man), a German subsidiary of the Volkswagen group, was granted leave by the Singapore courts in June 2017 to enforce the April 2017 DIA award against IM Skaugen's Singapore subsidiary. The award was made as part of one of many long-running disputes between the parties.
IM Skaugen sought to resist enforcement of the award, or alternatively “to stay and/or adjourn” enforcement pending the determination of its application to set aside the award in the Danish courts.
UK FIRM DWF MULLS BILLION-POUND IPO
Manchester-headquartered law firm DWF is mulling an initial public offering that is looking to raise up to 1 billion pounds ($1.32 billion), which would make it the largest law firm share sale till date.
There are now four law firms listed on the London Stock Exchange. Gateley was the first to list (2015), followed by followed by Keystone and Gordon Dadds (2017), and finally Rosenblatt (2018). Law firm Knights recently announced its plan for a 100-million-pound flotation.
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