In Legal Business’ last Global 100 issue, as firms enjoyed financial years almost entirely untainted by the economic chaos wrought by Covid-19, we said the strain would start to show in this year’s report. It meant last year’s results were all the more important, as they would be the platform upon which Global 100 firms …
The words of BT Legal’s Leeanne Whaley, in ‘Held to account’, particularly stand out in this issue: ‘We spend a lot of money with external law firms. It historically suited law firms to not be transparent, but outside of big-ticket M&A and litigation, the job of a commercial lawyer is more replicable than ever.’ That …
Continue reading “Take a good long look in the mirror before espousing change seriously”
Announced more than a year ago, the largest merger in the Spanish banking sector for some time became a reality in early 2021. The Spanish competition authority cleared CaixaBank’s acquisition of state-owned financial entity Bankia – which was bailed out during the country’s banking crisis in 2012 – at Phase I, subject to conditions. This …
In a bold Bay Area play, Cleary Gottlieb has announced that it is opening in California with the arrival of renowned antitrust trial lawyer Heather Nyong’o and the relocation of a team of partners and associates from its New York and Washington DC offices to Palo Alto and San Francisco. Nyong’o was partner-in-charge of WilmerHale’s …
The 21 London-based firms that sit in the second half of the LB100, many of which are specialist, focused players, are known for packing a punch that belies their size. These firms average 179 lawyers and 29 equity partners and have a combined turnover of more than £1bn. The group contains some of the strongest …
Continue reading “LB100 Second 50: City and Boutique – Percentage play”
The regional and smaller national firms that sit in the 51-100 bracket of the Legal Business 100 (LB100) have again proved their mettle. Twenty nine firms, with an average of 250 lawyers and 30 equity partners, have shone again. Following last year’s 7% overall revenue growth, the group’s collective revenue was down to £1.41bn for …
Continue reading “LB100 Second 50: Regional View – Faster, higher, stronger”
Pinsent Masons, Travers Smith and easyJet were among the major winners at the 2021 Legal Business Awards, which returned as a live event following the pandemic, bringing together 600 guests in Covid-safe conditions at the Grosvenor House hotel on 30 September. As is tradition, the event was preceded by a reception to mark the launch of …
Continue reading “The Legal Business Awards and GC Powerlist UK 2021: Great to be back!”
Pinsent Masons, Travers Smith and easyJet were among the major winners at the 2021 Legal Business Awards, which returned as a live event following the pandemic, bringing together 600 guests in Covid-safe conditions at the Grosvenor House hotel last night (30 September). Hosted by prominent political figure William Hague, the evening saw Pinsents crowned Law Firm …
The past week has seen a number of moves between Global 100 players in Europe, as well as some significant hires in Asia and the UK. McDermott Will & Emery has hired antitrust partner Frédéric Pradelles from Latham & Watkins in Paris. He is recognised for his strength in French and European competition law and regularly advises major French …
It is with tremendous sadness that we learned that our former colleague and friend, Stephen J Doggett, passed away on 8 August after a two-year battle with a rare form of cancer (synovial sarcoma). He was just 40. Like many legal journalists and law firm consultants of his generation, Stephen (or SJD as he affectionately …
