The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has come under fire in parliament after widespread IT disruption wrought chaos on the functioning of the justice system.
The meltdown, which saw several IT systems repeatedly crash over the last few days, prompted difficult questions from Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi to under-secretary of state and conservative MP Lucy Frazer in parliament today. Continue reading “MoJ faces parliamentary grilling over IT network meltdown”
Eversheds Sutherland has added to its suite of sole adviser relationships with a deal for Dyson’s global privacy mandate.
Eversheds has been a leader on sole adviser mandates since its first in 2006 with Tyco, a relationship which continued after the security provider merged with industrial company Johnson Controls in 2016. The firm’s sole adviser role for Dyson’s global privacy work will run for a three-year term. Continue reading “In-house: Eversheds brokers Dyson sole adviser deal alongside fresh FSCS appointment”
What is it like to work as a lawyer in the fast-paced, risk-laden, tech-driven ‘disruptive’ company? How do general counsel find the right level of resource in a company where legal is viewed as anathema to impatient entrepreneurs? When is a lawyer not a lawyer? Continue reading “Beyond the cookie cutter”
As a long-term observer of the legal profession, I view the development of GCs with an oxymoronic mix of admiration and cynicism. Admiration because common claims about the dramatic improvements in the calibre and size of the talent pool in the in-house profession are that rarest of beasts: a received wisdom that turns out on inspection to be largely true. Cynicism because those strides are often mixed with unwillingness to tackle the ethical and practical implications that come with increased clout. Continue reading “The GC outlook: more for more and more to come”
As a long-term observer of the legal profession, I view the development of GCs with an oxymoronic mix of admiration and cynicism. Admiration because common claims about the dramatic improvements in the calibre and size of the talent pool in the in-house profession are that rarest of beasts: a received wisdom that turns out on inspection to be largely true. Cynicism because those strides are often mixed with unwillingness to tackle the ethical and practical implications that come with increased clout. Continue reading “The GC outlook: more for more and more to come”
Lloyds Banking Group is looking at slimming its UK roster with a number of firms set to jostle for places in 2019. Currently the core panel comprises CMS, Eversheds Sutherland, Herbert Smith Freehils, Hogan Lovells, Addleshaw Goddard and Magic Circle duo Linklaters and Allen & Overy. The bank’s last panel review was in 2016, when Norton Rose Fulbright and DLA Piper lost their places. Group GC Kate Cheetham is expected to lead the process, with a further reduction in size anticipated. Continue reading “Significant matters – Winter 2019”
Lloyds Banking Group is looking at slimming its UK roster with a number of firms set to jostle for places in 2019. Currently the core panel comprises CMS, Eversheds Sutherland, Herbert Smith Freehils, Hogan Lovells, Addleshaw Goddard and Magic Circle duo Linklaters and Allen & Overy. The bank’s last panel review was in 2016, when Norton Rose Fulbright and DLA Piper lost their places. Group GC Kate Cheetham is expected to lead the process, with a further reduction in size anticipated. Continue reading “Significant matters – Winter 2019”
‘Forgive my ignorance, can you tell me what you mean by PRIME? What is it exactly?’ asks one partner at a top-25 UK law firm, a partner charged with responsibility for overseeing apprenticeships at a firm with membership to that same cross-industry group. Continue reading “Whatever happened to PRIME?”
‘Forgive my ignorance, can you tell me what you mean by PRIME? What is it exactly?’ asks one partner at a top-25 UK law firm, a partner charged with responsibility for overseeing apprenticeships at a firm with membership to that same cross-industry group. Continue reading “Whatever happened to PRIME?”
What are the key priorities and challenges in the first 100 days of being a GC? This was the main discussion point of a recent panel debate before an audience of more than 50 senior in-house lawyers gathered at the South Place Hotel in London. Continue reading “Cutting teeth”
What are the key priorities and challenges in the first 100 days of being a GC? This was the main discussion point of a recent panel debate before an audience of more than 50 senior in-house lawyers gathered at the South Place Hotel in London. Continue reading “Cutting teeth”
Being risk savvy and commercially aware is the equivalent of ‘leaning in’ for today’s in-house lawyer. Can one do this and retain the mantle of professionalism? Or rather, how can one do that? That is the central concern of our book, In-House Lawyers’ Ethics: Institutional Logics, Legal Risk and the Tournament of Influence. We interviewed dozens of in-house lawyers and surveyed 400, mainly from business but also from government and the third sector, to shed light on the ethical dimensions of in-house practice and risk management. Our central lessons? Organisations matter. Individual lawyers matter. Ideas about the in-house role and professionalism matter. Talking about professionalism and good decision making openly and frankly matters. Continue reading “Under the influence”
Being risk savvy and commercially aware is the equivalent of ‘leaning in’ for today’s in-house lawyer. Can one do this and retain the mantle of professionalism? Or rather, how can one do that? That is the central concern of our book, In-House Lawyers’ Ethics: Institutional Logics, Legal Risk and the Tournament of Influence. We interviewed dozens of in-house lawyers and surveyed 400, mainly from business but also from government and the third sector, to shed light on the ethical dimensions of in-house practice and risk management. Our central lessons? Organisations matter. Individual lawyers matter. Ideas about the in-house role and professionalism matter. Talking about professionalism and good decision making openly and frankly matters. Continue reading “Under the influence”
Sabine Chalmers was concerned about coming back to the UK. Absent for more than two decades, most recently in the US as chief legal and corporate affairs officer at drinks giant Anheuser-Busch InBev, she had built a reputation as one of the leading lights of the general counsel community. But when she first left the UK, the GC role lacked stature, particularly in contrast to the US. ‘I was concerned about how a UK role would compare to the experience I’d had in the US.’ Continue reading “From monkey to organ grinder”
Sabine Chalmers was concerned about coming back to the UK. Absent for more than two decades, most recently in the US as chief legal and corporate affairs officer at drinks giant Anheuser-Busch InBev, she had built a reputation as one of the leading lights of the general counsel community. But when she first left the UK, the GC role lacked stature, particularly in contrast to the US. ‘I was concerned about how a UK role would compare to the experience I’d had in the US.’ Continue reading “From monkey to organ grinder”
When Brent Irvin joined Tencent as group general counsel nine years ago, the Chinese upstart was already a tech wunderkind, boasting revenue close to RMB20bn. But few foresaw the trajectory it would take from there: with dramatic growth in 2017, the company is now valued at more than $477bn. Continue reading “Tencent on the dollar”
When Brent Irvin joined Tencent as group general counsel nine years ago, the Chinese upstart was already a tech wunderkind, boasting revenue close to RMB20bn. But few foresaw the trajectory it would take from there: with dramatic growth in 2017, the company is now valued at more than $477bn. Continue reading “Tencent on the dollar”
Andrew Trahair, Allen & Overy’s (A&O) former banking co-head, has been enlisted to head the firm’s Advanced Delivery technology and consulting group a week after its Peerpoint chief executive stood down.
Trahair, who was co-head of A&O’s banking practice from 2008 to 2016, will lead the firm’s dedicated resources and technology services group, which includes flexible lawyering platform Peerpoint and tech innovator Fuse. Continue reading “Former banking chief Trahair takes the helm of A&O’s consulting and tech arm”
The January shopping spree is well underway with firms making moves at home and abroad last week, most significantly in City dispute specialists Signature Litigation crossing the channel to open shop in Paris.
Kirkland & Ellis, meanwhile, continued its expansion in the City with a tax hire and Mishcon de Reya filled the gap left by Alison Levitt QC in London. Continue reading “Revolving Doors: Signature Litigation launches in Paris while Kirkland and Mishcon make City moves”
Expansive global giant Dentons is positioned for another regional merger, with Norton Rose Fulbright’s (NRF) 26-lawyer strong Venezuelan practice the new addition, as Dentons moves to bolster its offering in the Caribbean and Latin America.
The Caracas-based practice is spearheaded by labour partner Juan Carlos Pró-Rísquez, who became managing partner for NRF in Venezuela in 2018. Pró-Rísquez will now lead the office under the name of Despacho de Abogados miembros de Dentons. Currently, the office is in a transitional structure, which sees it associated with Dentons’ Colombian business in Bogotá. However, it will be fully integrated into the firm’s verein-backed structure in the coming weeks subject to a vote from the Dentons partnership. Continue reading “Globe-trotting Dentons primed to secure Norton Rose’s Venezuela business”
