Pinsents ushers in new era with Cameron unveiled as first female managing partner

Pinsents ushers in new era with Cameron unveiled as first female managing partner

Pinsent Masons has elected litigation and regulatory head Laura Cameron as its first female managing partner, succeeding the longstanding John Cleland who steps down after eight years.   Cameron, who will assume the role on 1 May 2023, has considerable pedigree at Pinsents. During her 28 years at the firm she has fulfilled various leadership responsibilities, …

HSF names London partner Flockhart as new corporate co-head

HSF names London partner Flockhart as new corporate co-head

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has appointed London partner Mike Flockhart as its new joint managing partner for corporate, succeeding the veteran deals guru Stephen Wilkinson. Flockhart (pictured), who will assume the role on 1 December, will work alongside fellow co-head and Australian partner Carolyn Pugsley. Wilkinson, well regarded as the firm’s relationship partner for key …

‘Delighted to be the first’: Ashurst unveils Korean joint venture

‘Delighted to be the first’: Ashurst unveils Korean joint venture

Ashurst announced today (29 November) the rubber-stamping of a joint venture with South Korean firm HwaHyun, claiming to become the first international firm permitted to practice local law in the jurisdiction.  The association, which was approved by the Korean Ministry of Justice today, brings to fruition a longstanding aim for Ashurst. The firm first signalled its …

Tech giants: TL,DR – Too long, didn’t read

Tech giants: TL,DR – Too long, didn’t read

‘TL,DR. That’s a real thing for them [the big tech companies]. That language pops up. If you’re plodding in as an old-school lawyer you’re going to last three seconds in that room. They’ll just think you’re a wanker.’ So says one prominent external adviser to the ‘Big Five’ tech companies – generally agreed to be …

Ince sheds ‘loss making’ Arden subsidiary after just seven months

Ince sheds ‘loss making’ Arden subsidiary after just seven months

Less than a year since it acquired Arden Partners in an arduous £10m buyout, Ince today (16 November) announced it is selling off the ‘loss making’ subsidiary for just £1m. Ince had originally revealed it was buying the mid-cap investment banking company (and its own corporate adviser) Arden late in 2021, but the completion of …

HSF, Davis Polk and Eversheds complete the set as Next acquires collapsed Made.com

HSF, Davis Polk and Eversheds complete the set as Next acquires collapsed Made.com

Lawyers from Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), Davis Polk and Eversheds Sutherland have earned advisory roles on the administration and £3.4m sale of online retailer Made.com to Next.  Last week, Made.com filed notice of its intention to appoint administrators, which saw HSF drafted in. The HSF team was led by London restructuring partner John Chetwood with …

LB100: The second 25 – Off the pace

LB100: The second 25 – Off the pace

If you only read the stats, you would be forgiven for thinking that the LB100’s 26-50 group has struggled this year. The numbers are uncharacteristically grim for the second quartile: profit per lawyer (PPL) dipped 8% from £79,000 to £73,000 and profit per equity partner (PEP) dropped 3% to £633,000. Revenue metrics are more favourable …

30 years of LB100 – 2002-12: A decade of two halves

30 years of LB100 – 2002-12: A decade of two halves

More so than the decades which came before or followed, the years between 2002 and 2012 are defined as a stark binary between boom and bust for LB100 firms. For many current law firm leaders who practiced throughout that decade (some of whom had just started their careers), the early 2000s was an intrepid time characterised by …

LB100: Ince profile – Ince Gordon Dadds – Collapse of an institution?

LB100: Ince profile – Ince Gordon Dadds – Collapse of an institution?

The genuine regret with which numerous market commentators and former partners talk of Ince’s downfall arguably bears testament to the firm’s historic repute. Many remember the controversial rescue deal which saw listed firm Gordon Dadds snap up Ince & Co in 2019 as part of a pre-pack administration. As one rival shipping partner recalls: ‘When …