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Piecing it together

The proliferation of blockchain technology has led many sectors to re-examine traditional ways of doing business, even if the platform remains shrouded in the fog of confusion and hype. Nowhere is the potential more apparent, or the sector more traditional, than in the negotiation, creation and execution of contracts. If the blockchain evangelists are to be believed, the manner in which parties contract will be changing radically in the not-too-distant future. But while a number of high-profile success stories illustrate the potential of the technology, it is clear that there is a long way to go if it is to ever live up to the rhetoric.

Continue reading “Piecing it together”

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Perfect curveballs

In controlling and protecting their reputations, the internet and social media have made online information critical in determining how individuals and companies are perceived. The old phrase ‘bad news travels fast’ resonates in the modern age. Simultaneously, as the law tries to keep pace with technology through developments in defamation, privacy and data protection, reputation management has become embedded in corporate strategy. Continue reading “Perfect curveballs”

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DWF makes first post-IPO splash with £3m Warsaw office acquisition

Hope floats

DWF is expanding into Poland with the £3m acquisition of K&L Gates’ 11-partner Warsaw office, its first investment since going public in March.

The move, expected to complete later this month, will see 45 lawyers and 31 support staff join DWF alongside the 11 partners in the firm’s first Poland office and seventh in continental Europe. K&L Gates Warsaw managing partner Michal Pawlowski will lead the office, which is expected to generate about £7m in revenue for the year to 30 April 2020. Continue reading “DWF makes first post-IPO splash with £3m Warsaw office acquisition”

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‘Engaged and energised’: Jenkins wins second term as Ashurst global managing partner

In another vote of confidence for Ashurst’s leadership, Paul Jenkins has been re-appointed as global managing partner for a second four-year term.

The appointment by the Ashurst board was the result of extensive consultations with the firm’s partners and staff, with Jenkins’ second run set to start on 1 November 2019. Continue reading “‘Engaged and energised’: Jenkins wins second term as Ashurst global managing partner”

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‘Break the dominance of a single metric’: CC pilots dropping billable hours from performance reviews

Matthew Layton

Clifford Chance (CC) is piloting a radical reform to the way it assesses the performance of its associates and counsel, removing utilisation as a metric when reviewing compensation.

The firm announced today (2 May) it has launched a year-long trial of the new system for 65 lawyers in its Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices, whose base salaries and bonuses will be reviewed based on criteria including time spent on business development, professional growth and engagement with the firm’s innovation strategy. Continue reading “‘Break the dominance of a single metric’: CC pilots dropping billable hours from performance reviews”

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Ashurst makes up eight in the City amid reduced global round as DAC Beachcroft mints 19, RPC six and TLT four

Ashurst

Ashurst has promoted 21 partners globally, including eight in London, after a slightly reduced promotion round which saw Australia and the UK pick up the lion’s share of new partners. DAC Beachcroft, meanwhile, promoted 19 to partner in a significantly bolstered global round while RPC minted six in the UK and TLT promoted four.

In London, Ashurst promoted corporate lawyers Braeden Donnelly, Gaby Jones and Aaron Shute. In tax, meanwhile, the firm promoted Tim Gummer and in competition the firm made up Steven Vaz. Tim Edmonds and Nicholas Hilder were also promoted in global markets and projects respectively, while Emma Johnson was made a disputes partner. Continue reading “Ashurst makes up eight in the City amid reduced global round as DAC Beachcroft mints 19, RPC six and TLT four”

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Flexi lawyering on the up as Linklaters launches Peerpoint-style platform and LOD makes Australasian acquisition

Linklaters

Linklaters has become the latest firm to venture into the ever busier flexible lawyering market after hiring the former director of Ashurst’s innovation arm to lead its new contract lawyer platform.

New Law pioneer Lawyers on Demand (LOD), meanwhile, has expanded its Australasian footprint with the acquisition of legal ops and tech platform lexvoco. Continue reading “Flexi lawyering on the up as Linklaters launches Peerpoint-style platform and LOD makes Australasian acquisition”

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Rosenblatt seeks to flex litigation funding arm as IPO boosts revenue but hits profit

Nicola Foulston

Increased publicity following Rosenblatt’s stock market float has helped lift revenue by 19%, although the IPO’s cost weighed on profit.

Rosenblatt said today (30 April) its revenue for the eight months to 31 December 2018 was £12.5m, up from £10.5m last year. Profit before tax, however, fell slightly to £3m from £3.2m, although EBITDA was up 18% to £4.3m. Continue reading “Rosenblatt seeks to flex litigation funding arm as IPO boosts revenue but hits profit”

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Stephenson Harwood IP co-head replaces CEO Sharon White following decade in charge

Eifion Morris

Stephenson Harwood partner Eifion Morris (pictured) has been appointed the firm’s new chief executive (CEO), replacing long-standing incumbent Sharon White.

White has been CEO at the firm since 2009, leading Stephenson Harwood for more than a decade after her term was extended by another two years in March 2017. The London-based Morris currently co-leads the firm’s intellectual property group and has been at the firm since 2008. He takes charge as of 1 October. Continue reading “Stephenson Harwood IP co-head replaces CEO Sharon White following decade in charge”

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Forsters edges growth forward to £57m as the City looks for good omens

City firm Forsters saw its revenue grow 8% in the last financial year, while profit per equity partner rose 10% to reach £381,000 in a steady year for the firm.

The private client and real estate specialist saw its top line reach £56.8m, despite a much-cited real estate malaise over London, while revenues from its private wealth practice grew 16%, meaning the practice has grown 110% since 2015. The firm’s family team, meanwhile, also saw a strong level of growth, increasing 26%. Continue reading “Forsters edges growth forward to £57m as the City looks for good omens”

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Collaboration all the rage as Slaughters reveals first incubator cohort and Deloitte and Burges Salmon forge tech partnerships

Jane Stewart

Slaughter and May has today (29 April) announced its debut cohort of fledgling technology start-ups to enter its legal tech incubator, Collaborate.

Meanwhile, Big Four accountancy firm Deloitte has allied with software provider UiPath in Bucharest and Burges Salmon has announced a new technology-focused partnership with the University of Bristol. Continue reading “Collaboration all the rage as Slaughters reveals first incubator cohort and Deloitte and Burges Salmon forge tech partnerships”

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Simmons looks to the City in increased partner round as Gowling doubles promotions to ten

David Fennell

Top-25 UK firms Simmons & Simmons and Gowling WLG have followed suit on a series of strong partnership promotion rounds, making up 15 and 10 respectively.

Simmons promoted 15 lawyers to partner, eight of which were minted in London. The round is a significant increase on last year, when nine lawyers were promoted across the firm – a decrease from 12 the previous year – with only four promoted in the City. Continue reading “Simmons looks to the City in increased partner round as Gowling doubles promotions to ten”

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CMS announces largest ever promotion round with women making up half of 49-strong cohort

CMS has added its name to the growing list of firms increasing their partner intake this year, with its cohort up two on last year’s 47.

It was a particularly improved show for gender diversity as 47% of the 49 new partners globally are women. In the UK, 16 of the firm’s 21 promotions across seven offices were women. Continue reading “CMS announces largest ever promotion round with women making up half of 49-strong cohort”

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Fieldfisher merges with top 20 Irish firm McDowell Purcell for Dublin launch

Fieldfisher is continuing its fervent EU expansion with a new Dublin office, launched via a merger with top 20 Irish firm McDowell Purcell.

The 120-year-old Irish outfit, which consists of 16 partners and 50 lawyers, has a flagship regulatory practice, but other specialisms include dispute resolution, employment and insolvency and restructuring. It is led by managing partner JP McDowell (pictured, left). Continue reading “Fieldfisher merges with top 20 Irish firm McDowell Purcell for Dublin launch”

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Clifford Chance mints nine City partners in its largest promotion round of the decade

matthew layton

Clifford Chance has promoted 30 lawyers to partner, confirming a trend which saw Magic Circle firms increase their partner intake this year.

Announced today (25 April) and effective next month, women make up a third of this year’s intake, bringing the total proportion of female partners at the firm to 20%. It is the firm’s largest global promotion round since 2008, when 35 were promoted. Continue reading “Clifford Chance mints nine City partners in its largest promotion round of the decade”

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Burges Salmon expands offering with opening in ‘buoyant’ Scottish market

Bristol-headquartered Burges Salmon  is launching in Edinburgh with a trio of partner hires from Scotland’s leading independent law firms.

The top-50 UK law firm is opening the office in May with eight lawyers, led by the lateral hires of Shepherd and Wedderburn corporate finance partner Danny Lee, Brodies real estate partner Robert Forman, and Burness Paull planning partner Craig Whelton, who has previously worked at Burges Salmon. Continue reading “Burges Salmon expands offering with opening in ‘buoyant’ Scottish market”

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Comment: Innovation needs law firm champions as Axiom doubts emerge

We have at LB Towers something of a reputation for being sceptical of the claims to fresh thinking surrounding much of New Law Land. One exception, though, has been Axiom, the pioneering outfit that pushed lawyering into the mainstream.

Sure, Axiom’s message could be obscured by strangulated attempts to ape Silicon Valley speak, an odd trait given the straight-talking style of founder Mark Harris. But its growth rates and reputation for quality never made you doubt that the outfit was a cut well above most New Law lightweights. Continue reading “Comment: Innovation needs law firm champions as Axiom doubts emerge”