Tom Baker, Author at Legal Business

Quinn Emanuel breaks tradition as merger talks with DC disputes leader Williams & Connolly begin

US litigation powerhouse Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has entered into merger discussions with Washington DC disputes shop Williams & Connolly, Legal Business can reveal.…

Addleshaws, Eversheds and Simmons claim places on HSBC UK legal panel

Tom Baker

HSBC has appointed around ten firms to its UK legal banking panel. Addleshaw Goddard, Eversheds Sutherland and Simmons & Simmonswere among those which made…

Revolving doors: DWF and McGuireWoods hire in London as Jones Day, Hogan Lovells and BonelliErede expand worldwide

Tom Baker

Firms have been busy recruiting in London and abroad, as McGuireWoods and DWF made key London appointments and Jones Day, Hogan Lovells and…

Shepherd and Wedderburn secure ‘substantial eight figure’ Burford litigation finance deal

Tom Baker

UK law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn has announced an eight figure sum portfolio-based litigation finance deal with Burford Capital for the first…

HSF’s qualifying trainee retention rate falls as Stephenson Harwood keeps 90% of intake

Tom Baker

Herbert Smith Freehills‘ (HSF) qualified trainee retention score has dipped to 80% while City-headquartered firm Stephenson Harwood recorded a significant increase in…

Burford Capital grows from £80m startup to post record 130% income growth over year

Tom Baker

Litigation funder Burford Capital generated more profit in the first half of 2017 than any full year in its history,…

Watson Farley to retain all its qualifying trainees as Mishcon’s rate falls to 64%

Tom Baker

Watson Farley and Williams will retain 100% of its autumn 2017 qualifying trainees, while Mishcon de Reya‘s rate of retention has dipped…

Snap Inc general counsel Handman to step down from role after three years

Tom Baker

Snap Inc general counsel (GC) Chris Handman has stepped down from his position to spend more time with his family,…

‘A triumph for access to justice’: Supreme Court rules employment tribunal fees unlawful

Tom Baker

The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that employment tribunal fees are unlawful, allowing trade union UNISON’s appeal in a ground-breaking decision requiring the government…

Clyde & Co sets up in Los Angeles to focus on aviation and insurance clients with two-partner office

Tom Baker

Clyde & Co has launched its ninth US office, opening in Los Angeles with a two-partner team consisting of Julie Hawkinson…

Labour MP Keir Starmer opts against role advising Mishcon Academy

Tom Baker

Keir Starmer QC, the Labour MP and the party’s Brexit spokesperson, has decided against taking on a role advising the Mishcon…

Weil, CC and Travers line up on £1bn Canadian private equity pensions deal

Tom Baker

Weil, Gotshal & Manges, Clifford Chance (CC) and Travers Smith have advised on the £1bn sale of Civica by the private equity arm of Canadian pensions company OMERS…

Ashurst to lose five remaining New York structured finance launch partners to US firm

Tom Baker

Five New York-based partners are to leave Ashurst for US finance firm Chapman and Cutler, completing the full departure of the ten-partner…

‘A new challenge’: Freshfields antitrust veteran Jon Lawrence to leave for Brick Court

Tom Baker

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer competition litigation head Jon Lawrence is to leave the firm to pursue a career as a barrister at…

Financials 2017: Pensions boutique Sackers records 16% fall in PEP as revenue static

Tom Baker

Turnover at boutique pensions firm Sacker & Partners has slowed after last year’s strong growth, with average profit per equity partner (PEP)…

Fieldfisher posts 100% autumn trainee retention rates for second consecutive year

Tom Baker

Fieldfisher is retaining all of its London-based trainees for a second consecutive year, with a 13-strong cohort qualifying into a range…

Trowers and Withers post fall in autumn trainee retention rates

Tom Baker

Trowers & Hamlins will retain 70% of its second-year trainees in newly-qualified (NQ) roles this autumn, while Withers has decided to keep 73%…

The Global 100 – The stories of the year

Tom Baker

High-stakes recruitment, financial pressures and Europe’s largest law firm collapse – here is a recap of the stories that defined…

Mishcon boosts fledgling cyber security consultancy service

Tom Baker

Mishcon de Reya has brought in Mike Owen from PwC as the fourth member of its expanding cyber security consultancy…

Cleary, CC and Covington lead as EC fines Google €2.4bn for online shopping abuse of dominance

Tom Baker

Google illegally favoured own online shopping comparison service, demoting rivals On 27 June, the European Commission (EC) fined Google a…