We have advised the Environment Agency on a £300 million flood risk reduction contract that will benefit more than 1,250,000 residents along the River Thames and reduce the risk of flooding to £200 billion worth of property and infrastructure.

Berlin – Bern Art Museum has accepted the bequest made by Cornelius Gurlitt. The museum's board of trustees has signed a corresponding agreement with the Federal Republic of Germany and the Federal State of Bavaria (link to agreement).

Allen & Overy LLP advised power distribution company Stromnetz Hamburg GmbH in its successful bid for electric distribution concession rights in the City of Hamburg. The Hamburg Senate approved the conclusion of a concession contract with Stromnetz Hamburg GmbH at its meeting on Tuesday, 11 November 2014. The contract has a 20-year term and is accompanied by a cooperation agreement in which the city governors and Stromnetz Hamburg GmbH have set out their principles for future-oriented power grid operations.

Linklaters has advised the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (“HKEx”) over the past year and a half on the establishment of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect. This programme will create trading and clearing links that enable Hong Kong and overseas investors to trade in securities listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Mainland Chinese investors to trade in securities listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. 

Shoosmiths have been appointed legal advisors to the UK's only pop music genre based literary festival, Louder Than Words. Shoosmiths have provided corporate and funding advice, drafted and negotiated agreements with sponsors and advised in relation to talent and branding matters to help the organisers in staging Louder Than Words 2014.

DLA Piper has advised Dragon Capital on the establishment of innovative new natural gas exchange Ukrainian Gas Exchange ("UGX"). On 31 October 2014 the first trading session of UGX took place, Dragon Capital, an investment company, initiated the set-up of UGX in July of this year. DLA Piper provided full legal advice and support to Dragon Capital during the establishment of UGX.

Burges Salmon has advised the Department for Education on the creation of the Doncaster Children’s Services Trust. The Trust launched on 30 September 2014 and is the first of its kind - an independent not-for-profit company focused entirely on improving social care services for the children, young people and their families of Doncaster.

Dentons has advised the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on the preparation and negotiation of its Maritime Support Delivery Framework (MSDF) Contracts. The contracts took effect on 1 October 2014.

DWF has advised Transport Scotland on the procurement and award of the new ScotRail Franchise. The new franchise, which was awarded by the Scottish Ministers to Abellio ScotRail Limited, is due to commence on 1 April 2015.  

Slaughter and May, working closely with BIS Legal Advisers, advised the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in connection with the establishment of the British Business Bank, the creation of which was first announced by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in September 2012.