National Express has appointed Burges Salmon’s head of corporate and financial institutions Sandra Forbes as group general counsel and company secretary, becoming the second partner at the Bristol firm to leave for a major transport role in the last few months.
With an external legal spend in excess of $1bn since 2010, BP launches panel review
Energy giant BP, which has paid around $1bn in external legal fees in relation to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010, has announced a review of its UK law firm adviser line-up.
Due south: Blake Lapthorn and Morgan Cole announce July merger
While talks of the giant south-east combination between Blake Lapthorn, Boyes Turner and Morgan Cole to create a £100m firm fell through late last year with Boyes Turner withdrawing, Blake Lapthorn and Morgan Cole have announced the two will merge on 1 July to form Blake Morgan, a 120-partner firm with a joint revenue of £72m.
A budget for retiring partners and firms moving offices, but disappointing news for LLPs
The long-trailed 2014 budget yesterday (19 March) brought few surprises to the legal business community, although nonetheless some disappointment, as it confirmed that changes to the way limited liability partnerships (LLPs) are taxed will be pushed through in April.
Stewarts Law moves to rebuild fledgling employment practice with senior Dentons hire after early setback
Litigation boutique Stewarts Law has moved to rebuild its employment capability with the hire of longstanding Dentons employment partner Richard Nicolle, who joined the firm last week.
End of the lawyer glut? Latest stats show fall of 3,000 working solicitors amid profession in flux
With the impact of the latest cuts to legal aid yet to bite, the number of practising solicitors in the UK in 2014 was revised down by 3,189 between January and February 2014, according to the latest figures from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
Bonus time: four months on, Barclays GC Hoyt gets £700k in shares in reduced round of payouts
He may have only replaced Mark Harding late last year but Barclays‘ recently appointed group general counsel Bob Hoyt has been awarded more than £700,000 in shares just four months into the role.
Partner promotions: Slaughters bucks trend to make up seven London partners
While partnership promotions among the City elite have generally been on the wane in recent years, Slaughter and May has today (19 March) announced the promotion of seven lawyers to its partnership in London, a significant increase on the previous two years which saw only two partners made up.
Bakers bolsters City financial services and regulatory capability with hire of RPC team head Steven Francis
Boasting an extensive international network to push its financial services credibility, Baker & McKenzie is also extending its links with industry regulators with its latest City hire of RPC’s head of financial services and regulatory (FSR) group Steven Francis.
Olswang brings in ex-Linklaters Paris TMT head in further hire on the Continent
Olswang has made a further senior TMT lateral on the Continent, boosting its Brussels and Paris practices with the hire of former Linklaters TMT head Sylvie Rousseau.