Cases and deals
Non-contentious
- Advising Novartis Pharmaceuticals on its global IT outsourcing contract with IBM.
- Advising BOC Edwards on all employment aspects of CCMP's capital £450 million private equity acquisition of BOC Edwards Vacuum and Semi-conductor equipment business. Advising further on restructuring issues including large scale redundancies and transfer of production facilities to the Czech Republic.
- Advising GMAC on its £170m acquisition of Provident Insurance.
- Advising Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc on the employment issues concerning the US$200m disposal of a pan-European pharmaceuticals business.
- Acting for G4S plc on numerous cash handling outsourcing agreements with Nationwide, Abbey, Northern Bank and Lloyds TSB
- Advising Chubb on the employment aspects of its restructuring following the £595m acquisition of Initial Security.
- Acting on a number of corporate insurance transactions including:
- acting for Munich re on the acquisition of Beaufort Management Agency,
- the US$285m disposal of Continental Management Services to Tawa for CNA Re
- the £160m acquisition of Hastings Direct motor insurance by Insurance Australia Group.
Contentious
Although the employment group is a keen proponent of mediation and other ADR, sometimes matters cannot be resolved and the team regularly undertakes a number of significant, high value and business critical litigations. Recent experience includes:
- Advising on the defence and prosecution of a number of team moves, particularly within the insurance underwriting and broking sectors leading to restrictive covenant and confidentiality injunctions.
- Defence of a US$3m unlawful competition, breach of fiduciary duty and conspiracy claim involving a springboard injunction.
- Advising an insurer on the defence of a £4m bonus claim and counter-claims involving breach of director's duties both in London and Singapore.
- Representing an energy company on concurrent claims in Scotland, Malaysia and Australia concerning unlawful competition and conspiracy by a number of its employees and directors including the use of search and seizure orders and substantial forensic IT services.
- The defence of numerous whistleblowing claims against regulated bodies.
- Advising CSC Computer Sciences on a long-running employment tribunal case brought by the trade union Unite, related to collective consultation protective award proceedings.