Herbert Smith Freehills is advising Russia’s largest gold producer Polyus Gold International Limited on a US$9 billion unsolicited takeover offer by Sacturino Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wandle Holdings Limited (an existing 40.2% shareholder) which is ultimately controlled by Said Kerimov. More >>

Bird & Bird today welcomes leading data protection and cyber risk lawyer James Mullock as partner in its International Privacy & Data Protection Group. More >>

Global law firm K&L Gates LLP has added Giles Bavister as a tax partner in the London office. Bavister joins K&L Gates from King & Wood Mallesons, where he was also a partner. More >>

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that Chris Haynes and Steve Thierbach will join the London office as partners. Both were previously with Herbert Smith Freehills in London, where Thierbach served as Global Head of Capital Markets. At Gibson Dunn, they will continue their equity capital markets practice. More >>

Shearman & Sterling has further expanded its global M&A practice with the addition of partner Frank Miller in London, the fourth M&A partner joining the firm in 2015. He joins Stephanie Tang in Hong Kong and Rob Masella and Waajid Siddiqui in New York as new additions to the firm’s global M&A team. More >>

Cooley’s London expansion continues with the arrival of Paula Holland and a corporate team from WilmerHale. Holland will join Cooley as a partner in its business department and member of the firm’s compensation and benefits practice, focusing on helping clients in the startup and VC communities. Two experienced corporate associates, Tamsin Crane and Ciaran Rooney, also from WilmerHale, will complete the team move. More >>

As the property market has rallied there is buoyant demand for finance and the property capital markets have reopened. More >>

Bird & Bird is delighted to announce the appointment of Pattie Walsh as a partner in our global Employment Practice, in a move that significantly strengthens Bird & Bird’s employment capability. More >>

Ashurst today announces the appointment of Shaun Lascelles as a partner in its global private equity team.

Shaun joins from the London office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom where he co-headed the firm’s global private equity practice. He has extensive experience, particularly in cross-border M&A and private equity. Shaun advises a broad range of private equity firms, hedge funds, state-owned investment funds and other investment funds. He joined Skadden in 2002 and became a partner in 2007. More >>

International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised Honeywell International on its agreement to purchase the Elster division of Melrose Industries for approximately £3.3bn. More >>