Big data and AI will come to the fore as law firms expect tech to drive their businesses Mark McAteer Year-long study by legal technology body identifies future challenges Artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics will play a game-changing…
RFU rejigs legal team as deputy head joins sports firm Legal Business Bujalski promoted to head of legal as Handford joins Couchmans The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has reconfigured its in-house legal…
Revolving doors – Weil, Latham, Freshfields and Dentons among the firms opening 2014 with senior recruits Francesca Fanshawe Increasing confidence in the transactional market has contributed to a rash of senior partner moves at the start of 2014,…
Life During Law – David Childs Legal Business It’s been an amazing career. I’ve been with Clifford Chance (CC) for 40 years. People had just stopped wearing bowler…
High Street gloom as SRA publishes full list of uninsured firms forced to close Francesca Fanshawe The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) last month confirmed the names of the 136 firms which have been forced to close…
Regulatory: Embattled SFO requests £19m emergency funding for ‘blockbuster’ litigation Legal Business The Serious Fraud Office’s (SFO’s) somewhat fraught efforts to redefine itself by focusing on higher profile, higher risk complex fraud,…
Senior hires: KPMG appoints DLA partner as Manchester legal head as A&O and NRF lose partners to HogLove and Vedder Price Francesca Fanshawe As KPMG looks to expand its legal services practice the Big Four accountant has hired DLA Piper corporate partner Nick Roome…
Leadership: Maclay Murray & Spens CEO Smylie to step down as Shand takes the reins Legal Business After a tough three years Maclay Murray & Spens’ (MMS) chief executive Chris Smylie is to step down from his…
Panel review: Addleshaws and Linklaters new appointments as Nationwide completes adviser reshuffle Francesca Fanshawe Addleshaw Goddard and Linklaters will sit alongside incumbent advisers Allen & Overy and Eversheds on Nationwide‘s new legal panel as…
Game changer: PwC receives approval from regulator to become an ABS Caroline Hill In a potentially game-changing move for the legal market PwC has today (31 January) received approval from the Solicitors Regulation…
In-house: National Grid conducts wholesale review of internal and external legal function Legal Business National Grid‘s group general counsel (GC) Alison Kay (pictured) has launched a wholesale review of the FTSE 100 energy giant’s…
Guest comment: That legal big bang – still waiting for the Dyson moment Legal Business We are now a little over two years since the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) began accepting applications from would-be alternative…
LLP latest: Taylor Wessing posts 4% increase in UK fee income Sarah Downey Taylor Wessing has become the latest LB100 firm to post its limited liability partnership accounts via Companies House, which show…
Offshore: Mourant Ozannes opts for experience with hire of former Farrer private client head Legal Business Global offshore firm Mourant Ozannes has made a significant hire to its City office, recruiting Farrer & Co’s former head…
Insurance matters – SRA launches consultation on rated insurers as it releases market share figures Francesca Fanshawe Professional indemnity insurance (PII) continues to dominate the legal agenda after the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) yesterday (28 January) released…
Leadership: Norman enters the fray as CC takes soundings for new global corporate chief Sarah Downey Clifford Chance (CC) has begun its nominations process for a potential successor to the role of global corporate chief following…
Deal watch – Norton Rose Fulbright and Freshfields lead on BMO’s $1.2bn takeover of F&C Legal Business Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) is advising one of its oldest clients, Edinburgh-based UK and European asset manager F&C Asset Management on…
In-house: Aon appoints Michael Wolf as global head of corporate as Prash Naik takes over as GC of Channel 4 Caroline Hill Insurance giant Aon has appointed Jenner & Block partner Michael Wolf as vice president and chief counsel, corporate, in a role…
LLP latest: Hogan Lovells stands out for lack of debt as accounts show 5.4% increase in profit before tax Sarah Downey Transatlantic LB100 firm Hogan Lovells has become the latest to release its LLP accounts for the 2012/13 financial year, posting a…
Deal Watch: CC, Freshfields and A&O act on Liberty Global’s €6.9bn acquisition as Dentons and LG float Hurricane Sarah Downey Three Magic Circle firms have scored lead advisory roles on Liberty Global’s €6.9bn acquisition of Netherlands’ largest cable operator Ziggo,…
