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UK firm Freshfields is starting a joint venture with a Japanese lawyer, or bengoshi. The joint venture is the closest form of cooperation allowed by Japanese bar rules between bengoshi and foreign firms. Freshfields will become the fifth law firm to form a joint venture, after French firm Gide Loyrette Nouel and US firms Baker & McKenzie, Sullivan & Cromwell and White & Case. Restrictive legal rules mean foreign law firms in Tokyo are forbidden from employing bengoshi, or offering them partnerships. The joint venture allows firms to share offices and other expenses, but they must keep all income separate. There are many foreign law firms in Japan but joint ventures are rare because foreign lawyers think the system is flawed. Ruth Markland, Freshfields' managing partner in Asia agrees to a point. "It is unsatisfactory because it would be ideal to be able to offer full partnership," she says. "But we feel the time is right to have a Japanese capability and this is the structure that is allowed." Markland expects the planned economic reform will lead to greater demand for legal services in Tokyo.

UK firm Norton Rose is disbanding its national group of associated firms, the Norton Rose M5 Group, to concentrate on an international strategy. The group unanimously agreed to wind up its formal links by the end of July 1998. One possibility was that the group would eventually become a single national firm. However, a decision was taken not to merge in 1993, and the firms began to pursue their own individual strategies, most notably when two members of the group, Booth & Co, and Addleshaw Sons & Latham merged last year.

Philadelphia-based Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is set to face legal action in Indonesia related to its office there and the hiring of a new partner for the firm. A leading Jakarta firm, Makarim & Taira S, is preparing to sue the US firm because it claims the firm's Jakarta office, PT ML&B Indonesia, operates outside the regime for foreign legal firms. Makarim & Taira is also preparing to sue the laterally hired partner. The moves put at risk Morgan Lewis's estimated US$5 million in billings for Indonesian matters. In January 1998 Morgan Lewis offered a partnership in its international section to Michael Hooton, a New York-qualified Canadian national who was working as a foreign legal consultant at Makarim & Taira. Hooton is due to join the firm shortly.

The Netherlands has produced plans for a special court to rule on disputes over corporate control. This marks the first step to dismantling anti-takeover devices. By Christian Huiskes of Derks.Star Busmann.Hanotiau, Utrecht

After an initial slow take-up, National Policy 53, easing international equity offerings into Canada, has become standard for large issues. New standards have been set by five issues in 1997. By Robert T Stuart of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, London

• New York-based Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft has added a further six solicitors to its London office. James Roome, formerly a corporate insolvency partner at Simmons & Simmons, becomes a partner; the other five are at the associate level. They are Yvette Croucher (formerly of Simmons & Simmons), Linda Davies (from Norton Rose), Richard East (from Baker & McKenzie), Seamus Gray (insolvency; from Bannister's) and Sarah Squires (capital markets and tax; from Linklaters & Paines). The total number of solicitors signed up to the firm is now 16.

The eastern European offices of Philadelphia-based Pepper, Hamilton & Scheetz are to join New York's Coudert Brothers. Coudert thereby increases its east European practice with the addition of an office in Almaty, Kazakstan and bolsters its position in Moscow and St Petersburg, enlarging its offices in both cities to incorporate Pepper Hamilton's personnel. It remains unclear whether Pepper Hamilton will retain its sole remaining office outside the US in London. The London office had been headed by partner Sally March, who shared her time between London and St Petersburg.

The new Star trusts offer useful new opportunities for structuring financial transactions through the Cayman Islands. They will be particularly useful in complex loans or securitization deals. By Chris Narborough of Truman Bodden & Co, Cayman Islands

The Act on real estate funds has been ratified to enter into force on March 1 1998. The Act provides a more secure and regulated means for the public to invest in real estate.

The Spanish Government is selling the remaining tranche of its holding in Argentaria (Corporacion Bancaria de Espana), one of Spain's four leading banking groups, in an international public offering. The stock is valued at approximately US$2.1 billion. Representing Argentaria is US firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, New York. Coordinating the lawyers is the head of Davis Polk's securities practice, Jeffrey Small. Also involved is financial institutions partner Margaret Tahyar in the London office. Advising Argentaria in Spain is Garrigues & Andersen.