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FT Law 50 2009

Rankings at a glance
2009 Rank3
2008 Rank2
2009 total score for ALL entries submitted326
2009 score band for ALL entries submitted (/10)9
Number of standout entries in FT REPORT4
Number of highly commended entries in FT REPORT4
Number of commended entries in FT REPORT5
2009: total weighted score for ranked entries in FT REPORT29
2009 Score band for ranked entries in FT REPORT (/10)10
2008: total weighted score for ranked entries in FT REPORT28
2008 score band for ranked entries in FT REPORT (/5)4
2009 Profits per Equity Partner (PEP) (£k)1,047
2009 Score band for PEP (/5)4
Assessment of management commitment and innovation value to firm (/20)17
Total Innovation Score in the FTLAW50 (/50)44

Billing and Fees 2009

Rankings at a glance
Award levelCommended
InnovationReduced pricing for hospital finance
Originality6
Rationale6
Impact5
Total17
DescriptionThe firm “smoothed out” fees across low-cost private finance initiatives, using smart resourcing and a long-term view

Changing the rules 2009

Rankings at a glance
Award levelHighly commended
InnovationGetting the US to amend cross-border transaction rules
Originality7
Rationale6
Impact7
Total20
DescriptionThe merger of SAP and BusinessObjects, a French incorporated but partly US-owned company, threw up conflicting regulatory hurdles. The firm devised a solution to facilitate cross-border tender offers

Changing the rules 2009 (2)

Rankings at a glance
Award levelCommended
InnovationFacilitating the creation of a new online bank in Spain
Originality5
Rationale6
Impact5
Total16
DescriptionTo firm created a new structure to get round Spanish legislation that did not provide for the universal transfer of assets and liabilities of a single branch

Dispute Resolution - credit crisis 2009

Rankings at a glance
InnovationStandout
Originality7
Rationale6
Impact7
Total20
DescriptionWhen an SIV governed by New York law collapsed, the firm used English courts to resolve the case. Proceedings in New York would have lasted at least a year. The English courts concluded in two-and-a-half months. Potentially trend-setting

Financial Crisis and the downturn 2009

Rankings at a glance
Award levelStandout
InnovationMutual support: rescuing the building societies
Originality7
Rationale7
Impact7
Total21
DescriptionAdvised Nationwide on its acquisition of Dunfermline – the first transfer under the Banking Act 2009. The firm also shaped legislation to allow the UK’s first merger between different kinds of mutual

Financial Crisis and the downturn 2009 (2)

Rankings at a glance
Award levelCommended
InnovationGiving clients a voice at the G20
Originality7
Rationale6
Impact4
Total17
DescriptionAs financial services companies faced public criticism, A&O took a rare stand to represent its clients in the debate, waging a proactive and visible campaign around the Washington and London G20 summits

Financial Services - Longevity risk and mortgages 2009

Rankings at a glance
Award levelHighly commended
InnovationSpreading longevity risk to new investors
Originality6
Rationale6
Impact8
Total20
DescriptionOpening the reinsurance industry to capital markets investors, the firm created a synthetic portfolio of lives to allow investors to circumvent insurance regulations

Financial Services 2009

Rankings at a glance
Award levelStandout
Innovation“Big bang” protocol for credit default swaps
Originality7
Rationale6
Impact8
Total21
DescriptionA hardwired set of conventions for CDS is a vital element of the new financial environment. The conventions streamline CDS disputes, removing the risk and uncertainty around these products

Financial Services 2009 (2)

Rankings at a glance
Award levelHighly commended
InnovationFirst multi-jurisdictional public sector covered bond programme
Originality6
Rationale6
Impact7
Total19
DescriptionThe firm created a structure that would enable BNP Paribas to access funds following inaccessible capital markets. Difficulty was setting up a French covered bond programme to operate across multiple jurisdictions

Fraud 2009

Rankings at a glance
Award levelHighly commended
InnovationEquipping clients for fraud investigation
Originality6
Rationale7
Impact5
Total18
DescriptionRobert Hunter used techniques from clinical psychology, character profiling and interrogations to refine an approach to fraud investigation that now forms the basis of advice to its clients

Law firm management 2009

Rankings at a glance
Award levelCommended
InnovationInstitutionalising innovation
Originality5
Rationale7
Impact5
Total17
DescriptionA&O’s innovation panel developed initiatives to meet the challenges of pricing and efficiency. The firm are now implementing these to improve efficiency and reduce costs to clients

Resourcing 2009

Rankings at a glance
Award levelStandout
InnovationLaunching DocGenix
Originality7
Rationale7
Impact7
Total21
DescriptionThe firm created a revolutionary online risk management service for derivatives contracts, spinning it off into a separate commercial entity. The intelligent application allows the search and analysis of thousands of contracts at once

Resourcing 2009 (2)

Rankings at a glance
Award levelCommended
InnovationFinancial crisis intelligence unit
Originality5
Rationale5
Impact6
Total16
DescriptionA special council pooling resources and expertise to provide an academically stimulating yet commercially useful tool for up-to-date cross-jurisdictional financial crisis advice

FT Law 50 2008

Rankings at a glance
2008 Rank2
2007 Rank1 (-1)
2008: Total score for ALL entries submitted333
2008: score band for ALL entries submitted (/10)7
Number of standout entries in FT REPORT3
Number of highly commended entries in FT REPORT7
Number of commended entries in FT REPORT2
2008: total weighted score for ranked entries in FT REPORT28
2008: score band for ranked entries in FT REPORT (/10)7
2007: total weighted score for ranked entries in FT REPORT35
2007: score band for ranked entries in FT REPORT (/5)5
2007: Profits per Equity Partner (PEP)1,122
2007: score band for PEP (/5)3
Assessment of management commitment and innovation value to firm (/20)18
Total Innovation Score in the FTLAW50 (/50)40

Finance 2008

Rankings at a glance
Award LevelStandout
InnovationSchefenacker restructuring.
Originality8
Rationale6
Impact7
Total21
DescriptionA debt to equity conversion of bonds. This was impossible under German law. A&O managed to use the UK company voluntary arrangements and migrate the company's assets to an English company.

Finance 2008 (2)

Rankings at a glance
Award LevelHighly commended
InnovationDrivers of the development of a legislative framework for UK covered bonds.
Originality7
Rationale6
Impact5
Total18
DescriptionThe firm was the main driver behind the development of UK legislation for the covered bond market. This gives the market parity with other European markets. It is still too aerly to assess the effect of the law.

Finance 2008 (3)

Rankings at a glance
Award LevelCommended
InnovationDutch loyalty dividend.
Originality7
Rationale5
Impact4
Total16
DescriptionA&O moulded a loyalty dividend, unprecedented under Dutch law, into the legal framework for client Royal DSM.

Marketing & PR 2008

Rankings at a glance
Award LevelHighly Commended
InnovationClient Analytics: a tool to measure the health of client relationships.
Originality7
Rationale6
Impact4
Total17
DescriptionA business development tool that enables the firm to analyse the strength, breadth and depth of client relationships. Innovative in its measurability and move away from a pure financial measure.

Responsible Business 2008

Rankings at a glance
Award LevelStandout
InnovationHelping a local secondary school, Bethnal Green Technology College, to come out of 'special measures' through a comprehensive partnership.
Originality7
Rationale7
Impact6
Total20
DescriptionThe firm entered into a formal agreement with a troubled school which locks it into long-term assistance. Combined with other high levels of involvement, particularly at secondary school level, this is unusual.

Technology & Know-How 2008

Rankings at a glance
Award LevelHighly Commended
InnovationAn extranet which gives financial institutions a provisional tick or cross as to whether derivatives are deliverable.
Originality7
Rationale6
Impact6
Total19
DescriptionPart of the firm's progressive e-business efforts, this reflects its close relationship with International Swaps and Derivatives Association and its ability to extract value from commoditised IT products.

Billing and Fees 2008

Rankings at a glance
Award LevelStandout
InnovationDiligence: a flat fee derivatives database.
Originality7
Rationale6
Impact7
Total20
DescriptionDeveloped by the firm to give clients access to cross-border information through an easy to use interface. It delivers value for money by eliminating the initial need to instruct counsel.

Corporate 2008

Rankings at a glance
Award LevelHighly commended
InnovationThe complexity of splitting Tyco into three businesses.
Originality7
Rationale6
Impact5
Total18
DescriptionA feat of co-ordination from the firm on a highly unusual scale: overseeing the separation of a gigantic client into three businesses whilst devising a new reporting structure.

Dispute Resolution 2008

Rankings at a glance
Award LevelHighly commended
InnovationThe case of C v D: use of anti suit-injunction.
Originality7
Rationale6
Impact5
Total18
DescriptionApplying the anti-suit injunction relief pre-emptively to prevent London arbitration awards being challenged outside of England. The first case to reach the courts in this area.

Dispute Resolution 2008 (2)

Rankings at a glance
Award LevelCommended
InnovationDebating dishonesty.
Originality5
Rationale6
Impact5
Total16
DescriptionThe firm identifies an area of concern to the financial services industry and brought together academics and professionals to debate the issue in an open forum.

Human Resources 2008

Rankings at a glance
Award LevelHighly commended
InnovationAn evolved, on-site health and wellbeing solution for staff.
Originality7
Rationale6
Impact6
Total19
DescriptionThe preventative element is a twist on law firm health offerings. In-house doctors and dentists, physiotherapsists and a physiologist are part of this integrated service which also includes health screening, an on-site pathology lab and 24-hours-a-day adv

Human Resources 2008 (2)

Rankings at a glance
Award LevelHighly commended
InnovationParents@A&O: intranet for parents and parents-to-be.
Originality7
Rationale6
Impact5
Total18
DescriptionProviding an interactive resource for parents and not just women is different. It gives common ground to people across the firm to cover a broad range of child-related issues.