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The advent of internet-based transactional systems challenges the traditional financial regulatory system. By Thomas Crocker of Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge, Washington DC

Andrew Carmichael, a partner with Linklaters & Paines capital markets group in London, has moved to Hong Kong to oversee the regional securities practice. The firm, with offices in Singapore and Tokyo, has a total of nine partners and a 40-lawyer team doing capital markets work. "It is important the offices work together," comments Carmichael. "We have similar clients and sometimes deals can be done out of any of the offices, so it is important that we run the operation in a unified fashion." Carmichael said that it was not an official role but as one of the long-standing capital markets partners he had been selected for the job.

Despite press reports, US firm Baker & McKenzie has denied that it is to close its second Vietnamese office in Hanoi after failing to secure a new branch licence. The office had been operating as a representative office under the old practice rules while the application for a branch licence was processed. Most foreign firms have already received licences for their first office, with Baker & McKenzie setting up in Ho Chi Minh City.

Denis M Forster of the Law Offices of Denis M Forster, New York, who advised Procter & Gamble and its trial counsel in its suit against Bankers Trust, offers a first-hand analysis of the court's holdings in the case

US firm Coudert Brothers has appointed nine partners from a group formerly at the New York office of Whitman Breed Abbot & Morgan. The group concentrates on project and asset-based finance and leasing, as well as product placement and aircraft finance. George Lee leads the group, which comprises: David Bamberger, Anne Brower, Michael Kelly, Henry Moriello, David Schmidt, Joseph Schmidt, Christopher Stephens and Mary Voce. They have practised together for over 15 years. Lee says: "We selected Coudert Brothers because the firm conforms to our vision of the law firm of the future. It has great depth in providing sophisticated international and local legal representation on a global basis."

José Fernandez has joined US firm O'Melveny & Myers as partner in charge of the firm's Latin America group. He will be resident in the New York and Los Angeles offices. Fernandez comes from the New York office of Baker & McKenzie, where he gained experience in Latin American mergers, infrastructure projects, and privatization work, including as adviser to the governments of Bolivia, Peru and Uruguay.

G L Bustin and A V Krylov of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, Brussels, look at the implications of the partnership and cooperation agreement between the EU and Russia and its impact on bilateral financial law

The Central Bank of Chile has been requiring for a number of years that all loans to Chilean residents from abroad as well as most foreign equity investments be subject to the obligation to deposit with the Central Bank, on an interest-free basis, 30% of the amount involved for a period of one year or, alternatively, to pay an equivalent fee.

Differences between US and English law have always been more apparent than real. The Gustafson decision brings the two even closer in respect of issuer liability. By Simon Gleeson of Richards Butler, London

After four years of negotiation French electronics and defence group Matra has reached agreement with UK counterpart British Aerospace to form a £1 billion (US$1.5 billion) joint venture company Matra BAe Dynamics. The new company results from a merger of the missile operations of the two groups and will be the largest missile manufacturer in Europe.