Jerome Small

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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In an extensive 400+ page judgment handed down after a seven-week trial, the English High Court dismissed the entirety of the £220+ million claims advanced against Firm client First Curaçao International Bank and its former President by Transworld Payment Solutions UK Limited and its Liquidator. In rejecting the claims, the English High Court dismissed all of the claimants' allegations of dishonesty, including blind eye dishonesty. The judgment constitutes important guidance for liquidators on the Fraudulent Trading regime and the requirements when advancing serious allegations of dishonesty. The Firm’s team was led by Daniel Travers and included Saoirse O'Reilly, George Hill and Annabel Smith. To read more about the judgement, please click here: https://lnkd.in/ePNjJrhd

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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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4 New Square Chambers’ Graham Chapman KC acted for the successful party in defending an application for injunctive relief in a high-profile shareholder dispute concerning Pakistan’s largest energy company.   Graham was instructed by Dillon Eustace LLP’s Cayman Litigation team – Conal Keane, Niall Dodd, and Alan Quigley. 4 New Square Chambers' Scott Allen was also instructed by Dillon Eustace to assist with the matter.   The case is Al Jomaih Power Limited & Denham Investment Limited v. IGCF SPV 21 Limited & KES Power Limited. #CommercialLitigation #caymanlitigation #injuctiverelief #shareholderdispute

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Why do international clients keep turning to England and Wales for their disputes and using English law for their transactions? 🌍 As we look towards the future of the profession during our 200th anniversary, we’re celebrating the continued impact of English and Welsh solicitors on international business and dispute resolution. ⚖️   We’ve broken down what you need to know to communicate the strengths of English law and dispute resolution in England and Wales to your clients, wherever they are in the world ⬇️ 🔗 Read the full report: https://ow.ly/1BYg50WTQZh

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In the wake of the decision of the English Court of Appeal in Servis-Terminal LLC v Drelle [2025] EWCA Civ 62, the issue of whether an unregistered or non-domesticated foreign judgment or arbitration award can be used as a basis for insolvency proceedings has emerged as a significant topic of discussion amongst legal practitioners across common law jurisdictions worldwide. Read this article written by Partner Julie Engwirda and Senior Associate Joyce Yuen for the South Square Digest, which delves into the position in the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, and Bermuda, and examines how this decision could shape cross-border insolvency strategies.

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Paris Smith LLP announces the official opening of its new office in Bournemouth. Located at Avalon House on Oxford Road, this expansion strengthens their commitment to delivering high-quality legal services across the South Coast and beyond. Led by Dorset-based partners, the Bournemouth office is a strategic move to serve individuals and businesses with even greater impact across areas including corporate & commercial, property, family, employment law, private client services and more. Read more: https://ow.ly/kGSL50WzhhL #legalservices #lawfirm #bournemouthsolcitors #businessexpansion #dorset

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The Commercial Court has handed down a substantial judgment in relation to the long-running dispute between AXA and Santander over liabilities arising from the historic mis-selling of payment protection insurance (“PPI”). Andrew Green KC, Fraser Campbell KC and Timothy Lau (instructed by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP) acted for AXA. https://lnkd.in/eqtSbYG3

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