Legal Business

Pinsents launches flexi-lawyer service for clients

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Innovation Berwin Leighton PaisnerEversheds SutherlandLawyers On DemandPinsent MasonsVario
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Pinsent Masons is set to launch a contract lawyer service that will provide clients with access to lawyers on a temporary basis as and when they are needed.

‘Vario’ will offer in-house teams a group of freelance lawyers with a variety of experience to cover anything from fixed-term projects to maternity leave. The move follows clients’ increased demand for flexible lawyers and addresses the core issues of resource, cost and skills that often affect the in-house legal teams.

Pinsents partner Alison Bond, who heads Vario, said: ‘Clients are increasingly asking for access to flexible resources. However, we wanted to take the idea a step further and launch the next generation of this type of service.

Legal Business

Turkey and Africa expansion on the cards for Pinsents

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Africa Pinsent Masons
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Following an extremely acquisitive year since its strategic alliance with Salans came to an end, Pinsent Masons shows no signs of slowing down, with Turkey and Africa next in its sights for 2013.

According to a spokesperson at the firm, Pinsents is considering a joint venture or alliance in Turkey next year and its recent launch in Paris also potentially provides access to the energy and infrastructure market in northern and sub-Saharan Africa.

Legal Business

DLA Piper ramps up French offering with boutique addition

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Europe DLA PiperLinklatersPinsent Masons
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DLA Piper’s recent takeover of French corporate boutique Frieh Bouhenic is the most significant development in a spate of activity involving UK-based international firms in Paris at the end of the summer.

The international giant officially joined forces with the corporate firm on 1 October. Eleven-partner Frieh Bouhenic is ranked in the second tier for private equity in The Legal 500 EMEA, with a particular reputation for leveraged buyout work. Recent highlights include advising the consortium comprising Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, AXA Private Equity and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec on the acquisition of SPIE.

Legal Business

It’s all in a name: why branding matters

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Restructuring Clyde & CoCMSPinsent Masons
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Over the past few months CMS Cameron McKenna’s managing partner Duncan Weston has been on a charm offensive. Through lunches and presentations, he has been trying to convince the legal press that the European-wide CMS network is not just a disparate alliance, but is in fact one firm, no different to, say, Norton Rose or Squire Sanders.

Legal Business

Consolidation is the word of the day across Scotland’s firms

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Scotland CMS UKPinsent Masons
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The Scottish market is awash with merger rumours. Perhaps the imminent tie-up between McGrigors and Pinsent Masons has kick-started the recent developments but Scottish managing partners now have consolidation high up the agenda.

The marriage between McGrigors and Pinsents, which is expected to go live in May, will create a national heavyweight with combined revenues of roughly £282m and over 1,500 lawyers, pushing the new venture comfortably into the top 15 of the LB100.

Legal Business

Pinsents and McGrigors tie-up gets rubber-stamped

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Legal mergers Pinsent Masons
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Pinsent Masons and McGrigors confirmed in early February that partners had voted in favour of the two firms merging. The new firm will operate from 1 May as one unified partnership under the Pinsent Masons brand.

Management says that the combination will likely see the creation of a near £300m, 1,500 lawyer business spanning 15 offices, seven of which are outside of the UK.

Legal Business

Eversheds boosts construction practice with McGrigors team

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Property Eversheds SutherlandPinsent Masons
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Eversheds has bolstered its Manchester offering with the hire of an eight-lawyer contentious construction team from McGrigors just months before the Scottish firm is due to tie the knot with Pinsent Masons.

McGrigors’ Manchester chief David Moss and construction disputes partner Paul Giles joined Eversheds in March, along with six additional lawyers. The team provides combined expertise in the energy and utilities sectors.

Legal Business

Round the Houses – Office Moves

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Pinsent Masons
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From upwardly mobile US firms to national practices with ambitious City plans, we analyse the winners and losers of law firm property.

It’s early February, ten days before Pinsent Masons moves in and the final touches are being made to the firm’s new London offices. Carpets are being fitted, a problem with the lift fixed and the IT guys are looking confused in front of their fancy new AV equipment.