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Alongside implementing the ISD and CAD, Finland has made a number of other changes to its securities law. By Tomas Lindholm and Tarja Wist of Roschier-Holmberg & Waselius, Helsinki

The Royal Trust Bank decision has left uncertainty as to how best to create a fixed charge over receivables. Chris Hanson and Geoffrey Yeowart of Lovell White Durrant, London, attempt to reconcile the cases

Despite their frequent use in Canada, US lawyers are often puzzled by bankers' acceptances. Lisa Boulton of Tory Tory DesLauriers & Binnington, Toronto, explains why they are so popular in Canada's money markets

Uncertainty over the Brazilian's state's right to control the domestic insurance industry appears to have been temporarily resolved – to the advantage of foreign insurance firms. By Manoel Ignácio Torres Monteiro of Amaro, Stuber e Advogados Associados, São Paulo

UK regional firm Pinsent Curtis has head-hunted a senior litigation partner from international firm Linklaters & Paines. Graeme Brister replaces Paul Downing as managing partner of the London office after Downing left to join Price Waterhouse last month. Says Christopher Styles, a litigation partner at Linklaters who has worked with Brister for 17 years: "To an outsider this move to a regional, domestic firm must look jolly odd. The key is that he wants to get out of the bigger jobs for international clients and move into management." It is said that Brister wanted to become managing partner at Linklaters, but Styles explains: "This is not sour grapes. He no longer wanted to spend so much time in practice."

US firm Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly will merge with Californian intellectual property (IP) firm Poms, Smith, Lande & Rose on January 1 1997. The new firm will have one of the largest IP practices in the US and hopes to rank in the top 10 firms for trade marks issued. The firm will have 11 offices.

The Italian Treasury is selling a further tranche of shares in the oil and gas company ENI with a L5.1 trillion (US$3.36 billion) international offering, part of Italy's largest privatization. The sale of the 8.75% stake in the company is being jointly led by Istituto Mobiliare Italiano and CS First Boston.

Baker & McKenzie is opening an office in Munich early next year to complement its Frankfurt and Berlin offices. Three partners will manage the office, assisted by three associates. Walter Henle and Stephan Spehl join from the Frankfurt office, which will remain the leading office in Germany. Uwe Steininger, a tax and mergers and acquisitions lawyer, joins the office as partner from Bissman & Partner. Says Nigel Carrington, managing partner at the London office: "Munich is a major German centre, and we are already strong in Frankfurt and Berlin. It is an obvious move for us to make."

Garrett & Co, the UK firm in the legal network associated with Arthur Andersen, has made a series of senior lateral hires from City firms and is seeking to set up a Hong Kong office in the next two months.

US firm Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy has revamped its Asian practice after the departure of project finance partner Glenn Gerstell to the Washington office.