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

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

UK law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn has announced an eight figure sum portfolio-based litigation finance deal with Burford Capital for the first time to fund current and upcoming litigation the firm is handling. The arrangement is the first to be offered by a top 100 UK firm with a litigation funder. City-headquartered Shepherd and Wedderburn has offices in London, …

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

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

Firms have been busy recruiting in London and abroad, as McGuireWoods and DWF made key London appointments and Jones Day, Hogan Lovells and BonnelliErede bolstered their international practices. In a real estate move, DWF hired Mark Shepherd to its London office as partner after two years at Paul Hastings. He previously worked at DLA Piper and legacy SJ …

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

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

Litigation funder Burford Capital generated more profit in the first half of 2017 than any full year in its history, revealing a total income rise of 130% from last June to $175.5m. The jump for the company, which operates in law as an alternative business structure, was a result of a booming investment income which …

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

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

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 to stop charging the fees. Today’s ruling found the fees unlawful under both domestic and EU law because they had the effect of preventing access to justice. The Supreme Court stated that therefore the fees …

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

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

Snap Inc general counsel (GC) Chris Handman has stepped down from his position to spend more time with his family, after three years at the US company. California-headquarted parent company Snap Inc owns social media camera application Snapchat, which allows users send instant image messages, and was co-founded by chief executive Evan Spiegel in 2011.

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

Watson Farley and Williams will retain 100% of its autumn 2017 qualifying trainees, while Mishcon de Reya‘s rate of retention has dipped below 80% for the first time in three years. All of Watson Farley’s 15 final-year trainees will stay at the firm on permanent newly-qualified lawyer (NQ) contracts, marking a modest improvement over last year’s autumn …

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

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 to funds managed by global investor Partners Group. Weil advised its longstanding client OMERS private equity on the transaction, while CC acted for Partners Group and Travers Smith represented Partners Group’s management.

Labour MP Keir Starmer opts against role advising Mishcon Academy

Keir Starmer QC, the Labour MP and the party’s Brexit spokesperson, has decided against taking on a role advising the Mishcon Academy, Mishcon de Reya‘s in-house training arm in London, citing other commitments. In a statement, Starmer said: ‘I am grateful to Mishcon de Reya for discussing a possible role advising the Mishcon Academy with me, but, given …