Ashurst adds some fizz to Coca-Cola acquisition of Costa Coffee

Law society opposes changes to UK legal profession... Dentons Rodyk acts for Hubspot on APAC HQ...

Ashurst adds some fizz to Coca-Cola acquisition of Costa Coffee

Coca-Cola’s first foray into the hot beverage market has been assisted by lawyers from Ashurst.

The firm is advising Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley as joint sponsors to Whitbread, the owners of Costa Coffee, which is UK based but is also in more than 30 international markets including Australia and New Zealand.

The Ashurst team is being led by corporate partner Karen Davies, assisted by associates Harry Thimont and Viktoria Grohmann. Counsel Caroline Chambers is also advising on the transaction.

It’s understood that Skadden, Clifford Chance, and Slaughter & May, also have roles in the U$5.1 billion deal.

Law society opposes changes to UK legal profession
The UK’s legal profession regulator is continuing with proposed changes which are strongly opposed by the Law Society.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has asked the UK’s Legal Services Board to approve amendments to its Handbook, including two changes that the Law Society of England & Wales says it is concerned by.

The SRA wants to allow solicitors to deliver non-reserved services to the public from unregulated entities; and individual self-employed solicitors to provide reserved and non-reserved services without sole practice authorisation.

In a letter to the LSB, The Law Society says that if the changes are granted they will be prejudicial to the regulatory objectives of promoting & protecting consumers’ interests and protecting & promoting the public interest.

It also says the changes are not in the public interest and that the alteration has not been made with relevant procedures.

The society says it appreciates the benefits of a more flexible regulatory environment but not at the expense of the regulatory objectives.

Dentons Rodyk acts for Hubspot on APAC HQ
A team from Dentons Rodkyk in Singapore has acted for US software firm Hubspot on the lease for its Asia Pacific headquarters.

Dentons Rodyk real estate senior partner Woon Ee Tang led the deal for the office in Singapore’s central business district, assisted by corporate partner S. Sivanesan and senior associate Jean Nie Ho.

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