Regulatory upheaval: MoJ reshuffle leaves reforms uncertain as LSB drops Herbert Smith for judicial review

Posted on |
Legal affairs FieldfisherHerbert Smith Freehills

The future of regulatory reform of the legal sector appears to be hanging in the balance as justice minister Helen Grant, who announced the review in June, is replaced by former solicitor Shailesh Vara and further announcements over changes to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) team are awaited.

The review, which has seen regulators and representative bodies including the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Law Society, the Bar Standards Board (BSB), the Bar Council and the Legal Services Board (LSB) submit proposals for reform to the MoJ, is currently one of a number of issues being considered as the MoJ decides what the revamped team’s ‘portfolio’ will include.

India still a land of promise as LG tightens referral relationship

Posted on |
Asia Gowling WLG

With foreign investor confidence in India shaken by the weakening rupee and the country’s high debt-to-GDP ratio in many ways it seems a strange time for Lawrence Graham (LG) to be entering into a referral relationship with Indian law firm Naik Naik & Company, as it did at the end of September.

LG has had an informal relationship with Naik since the beginning of 2010 but now both firms want to strengthen the referral arrangements in a bid to create new opportunities across their corporate, commercial, litigation and real estate groups.

IBA 2013: ‘We need to be the tip of the spear’ – the global anti-corruption push is gathering pace

Posted on |
Legal affairs

With a packed programme at the International Bar Association’s (IBA) annual conference in Boston, working out which of the many (and sometimes dry) debates to attend is a challenge, but one of the stand-outs from the first day was the discussion on anti-corruption.

That this session was packed is unsurprising; one of the major forces currently shaping the legal profession at a global level has been the sustained crackdown on corruption in many forms, be it graft, tax avoidance or cartels.

London launch: Boies Schiller hires Bingham heavyweight Harrison to spearhead City practice

Posted on |
US firms Boies Schiller Flexner

US litigation powerhouse Boies, Schiller & Flexner has hired Bingham McCutchen star partner Natasha Harrison to head the firm’s foray into the London market, its first office outside of the US.

Harrison has been a partner at Bingham since 2004 and is described by the The Legal 500 as an ‘incredibly commercial for a litigator’. She was instrumental during the Icelandic bank crisis, acting for bondholders of the three collapsed Icelandic banks, Landsbanki, Kaupthing and Glitnir, the world’s second largest insolvency.

Fourth Asian office for Taylor Wessing as firm ties up with HPRP in Jakarta

Posted on |
Asia Taylor Wessing

Described by Legal 500 as a ‘dynamic emerging market’, Indonesia has welcomed another international entrant as Taylor Wessing launches in Jakarta via a cooperation agreement with local law firm Hanafiah Ponggawa & Partners (HPRP).

The deal will see top 20 LB100 firm Taylor Wessing and 10-partner HPRP ‘share knowledge, resources and best practice, enabling them to provide a service to clients in Singapore, Indonesia and across Taylor Wessing’s wider network of offices,’ a statement said today (8 October).

Bar round-up: St Philips to the City, new heads for Brick and Fountain Court, Wilberforce CEO to Keating, Starmer returns to Doughty

Posted on |
The Bar

Leading Birmingham set St Philips Chambers expanded into the City last week, opening in the heart of Bloomsbury on Tuesday (1 October) as it also seeks to finalise its merger with Chancery House Chambers in Leeds.

Already noted by The Legal 500 as a competitor to London sets owing to its ‘strength and depth’, St Philips, led by Kevin Hegarty QC, has established St Philips London in an effort to boost its offering in commercial, employment, regulatory, private funded crime, and family work.

Leadership: Wragge & Co’s Metcalfe steps down as Fennell steps up

Posted on |
Leadership Gowling WLG

Ian Metcalfe’s eight year stewardship of Wragge & Co as managing partner is to come to an end in April next year when current head of the firm’s projects team David Fennell will take over the role, the firm has announced.

Focusing on projects and PFI, Fennell has led the firm’s 12-partner projects team for the past six years, having joined Wragges from Herbert Smith in 1996, becoming partner in 2002. His stand out projects include advising Amey on two high-profile multi-billion pound highways deals in 2012.

Panel win: £15bn Pension Protection Fund reveals new line up

Posted on |
Adviser reviews Clyde & CoDentonsGowling WLG

Labelled one of the most important institutions in the pensions industry with £15bn of assets under management, the Pension Protection Fund yesterday (7 October) announced its new slimmed down legal panel, with Wragge & Co winning a first time appointment for the body as one of three core advisers.

International firms Clyde & Co and Dentons also won core advisory roles on the panel, which has shrunk from a total of 27 firms in 2007 to 23 following a comprehensive tendering process.

Yes, it’s that time of year – nominations are open for the Legal Business Awards 2014

Posted on |

Now is the time to demonstrate how your firm, chambers or in-house team has positioned itself ahead of the pack this year: nominations are open for the most prestigious showcase of talent in the industry, the Legal Business Awards 2014.

The event will take place on Thursday 13 February 2014 at The Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London. You have until 18 November to provide submissions in any of the 22 categories open to teams or individuals.

US/UK hires: Mayer Brown boosts London securitisation team as Herbert Smith hires New York financial services litigator

Posted on |
Strategic recruitment Herbert Smith FreehillsMayer Brown

Mayer Brown is boosting its English law securitisation capability with the hire of former Mayer Brown lawyer Richard Todd, who re-joins the firm from Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) alongside Allen & Overy banking associate David O’Connor.

Todd will work on domestic and international structured financings alongside former colleague and head of the banking and finance division Dominic Griffiths, as well as senior securitisation partner Kevin Hawken.