Ashurst has become the latest firm to introduce gender diversity targets, committing to promote a greater percentage of female associates to partner, with a further goal that 25% of equity partners will be female by May 2018.
Know your client – Home Office targets professional advisers with tougher organised crime laws
City law firms may face increased red tape when accepting new clients onto their books after the Home Office today (3 June) unveiled plans to bolster legislative powers to imprison solicitors, accountants and others who suspect that their client is linked to organised crime.
International expansion: openings for Charles Russell in Saudi; Eversheds in Durban; Osborne Clarke in Amsterdam
A trio of UK firms have this week expanded their international office base as Charles Russell agrees a formal association with Saudi Arabian firm Al-Soaib Law, Eversheds continues to enhance its operations in Africa via a tie-up with Durban-based Knight Turner and Osborne Clarke (OC) opens an office in Amsterdam with a four partner hire.
EY hires Freshfields’ Richard Norbruis to head global transaction group
EY has made its third senior private practice hire in three months months with the announcement that Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Richard Norbruis is to lead the accountancy giant’s global transaction law practice.
Financial results 2013/14: Taylor Wessing’s PEP up 21% alongside 7.4% increase in UK revenue
Taylor Wessing yesterday (2 June) became one of the earlier UK movers in disclosing its financial results for the 2013/14 year, posting a 21% rise in profit per equity partner to £657,000 alongside an increase in UK and global revenues of 7.4% and 6.4% respectively.
Pastures new: Legal Business hits Fleet Street while Legalease welcomes a key new hire
After a decade based in Ansdell Street in leafy Kensington, Legal Business and the entire Legalease family are moving to more central, larger premises in Fleet Street.
Back in the machine: A&O strengthens high yield practice with Cahill Gordon hire
With competition between US and UK firms for dominance in key European finance markets intensifying each month, Allen & Overy (A&O) has laid down a significant marker. It has boosted its US-qualified lawyer ranks in London with the hire of Cahill Gordon & Reindel counsel Jake Keaveny, a high yield specialist, as partner.
Freshfields increases associate pay across the board
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer today (29 May) unveiled a significant pay hike for its newly qualified (NQ) and junior ranks, with trainees also in line to take home £1,500 more, following a pay freeze in 2013.
Firms face additional partner pensions liability after Supreme Court defines LLP members as ‘workers’
Partnerships could now be saddled with a new layer of financial and administrative responsibility after a Supreme Court ruling last week found that partners are ‘workers’ for the purposes of whistleblowing legislation.
Updated: Linklaters and Freshfields lead on Lloyds’ 25% TSB float for £1.5bn
Linklaters’ Matthew Bland is advising Lloyds Bank on its floatation of a 25% of its TSB business on the London Stock Exchange next month, on which Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s Julian Makin will act for the underwriters.