Osborne Clarke (OC) has elected incumbent UK managing partner Ray Berg (pictured) to a second term in a ‘glowing endorsement’ of the firm’s growth.
But he has cautioned there is still plenty to achieve in ensuring OC was adaptable to tougher times ahead. Continue reading “OC’s Berg prepares for rockier roads following re-election to managing partner”
Paul Rawlinson (pictured) has stepped back from his responsibilities as Baker McKenzie global chair due to a personal medical issue.
The firm’s executive committee announced to the partnership today (22 October) that Rawlinson will be taking a leave of absence based on the advice of his doctor and in response to exhaustion. Continue reading “Baker McKenzie chair Rawlinson temporarily steps back due to ‘exhaustion’”
Could it be your year? Nominations are now open for the most prestigious showcase of talent in the industry, the Legal Business Awards 2019.
The event will take place on Thursday 28 March 2019 at The Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London. You have until 16 November to provide submissions in any of the 25 categories open to teams or individuals. Continue reading “Time to shine: nominations open for the Legal Business Awards 2019”
The High Court has dismissed an appeal by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) which challenged the decision to exonerate Leigh Day of misconduct related to the Iraq War.
Last June, the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) cleared the firm and three of its lawyers accused of pursuing false damages claims of torture and murder made by Iraqi civilians against British troops in the region. The SRA appealed that decision. Continue reading “‘Don’t start a war you can’t win’: High Court throws out SRA’s Leigh Day misconduct appeal”
Competition for access to legal tech start-ups is heating up as global multimedia giant Thomson Reuters and City blueblood Slaughter and May tool up for legal tech incubator launches early next year.
Thomson Reuters is accepting applications for its first dedicated legal tech incubator until the end of this month, with further details expected to be announced in December. The company is shifting its focus towards legal tech, having also hosted a fintech incubator in Zurich, following the sale its financial risk business earlier this year. Continue reading “Expectations high as Thomson Reuters and Slaughters ramp up legal tech incubator competition”
After years of internal debate Kirkland & Ellis is to launch in Paris with the hire of one of Linklaters’ key corporate partners.
In a market largely defined by star individuals, Vincent Ponsonnaille has quit the Magic Circle firm alongside fellow corporate partner Laurent Victor-Michel to spearhead the launch of Kirkland’s second outpost on the continent. Continue reading “World’s top-billing law firm Kirkland finally makes Paris debut with Linklaters corporate duo”
Baker McKenzie has announced plans for its third low-cost centre two weeks after putting what is thought to be more than 300 City business staff under consultation in a global efficiency drive.
The firm’s new global hub in Tampa, Florida, will be operational in 2020 and create more than 300 roles – a similar headcount to the firm’s London professional and business services (PBS) staff put under review earlier this month. Continue reading “Bakers launches low-cost hub in Florida… just after redundancy consultation with 300 City staff”
Partners are departing at a rate of knots from Ince & Co ahead of its proposed Gordon Dadds merger, with a pair of veteran Singapore-based partners the latest set to join Stephenson Harwood.
Making the switch is Ince’s managing partner for the Singapore region, John Simpson, and regional finance team head, Martin Brown. Simpson is set to move on 1 May 2019, while Brown will join on 1 November 2018. Stephenson Harwood has taken three partners from Ince this week. Continue reading “Further losses at Ince as Singapore head leaves for Stephenson Harwood in double exit”
City laterals were busy last week as an array of firms strengthened their London benches, while Dentons led the way abroad with a new Düsseldorf office.
Omar Al-Ali joined Reed Smith’s London office in the firm’s energy and natural resources group. Previously a partner at Simmons & Simmons, Al-Ali specialises in structured trade and commodities finance. He also counts ten years’ experience at Magic Circle firm Linklaters. Continue reading “Revolving Doors: busy City recruitment round sees moves from Reed Smith, DLA, and Eversheds”
Ashurst has become the latest City firm to review its trainee and newly qualified (NQ) salaries for the second time this year, upping the latter’s basic pay to £82,000.
The changes, which take effect on 1 November, give NQs a £6,000 salary hike from the £76,000 given during the last review in May, while a performance-related bonus could bolster compensation to £94,300. Continue reading “Ashurst seeks competitive edge with second new lawyer salary increase of 2018”
The trend of large firms dismissing partners for wrongdoing following internal investigations continues with Clyde & Co today (12 October) announcing the dismissal of a senior partner after investigating complaints of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ from two female lawyers.
The partner – based outside the firm’s City HQ – was dismissed by the firm on 28 September following an internal investigation. Legal Business understands that no non-disclosure agreements (NDA) have been signed in relation to the complaints, and that the firm has self-reported to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Continue reading “Clydes sacks veteran partner after ‘inappropriate behaviour’ investigation”
White & Case has promoted 41 lawyers to partner in its largest ever promotion round, with London seeing more promotions than the whole of the US.
The promotion round, effective from January next year, represents a 32% increase on last year, when 31 were minted. London sees 13 promotions, up from seven last year, and ahead of the 12 in the US. The overall round is one up on the firm’s previous record of 40 two years ago. Continue reading “London gets lion’s share of White & Case’s largest ever partner promotions round”
An under-wraps independent review of Baker McKenzie’s approach to a sexual misconduct incident six years ago has concluded there were ‘a number of shortcomings’ but details are scarce.
Bakers appointed Simmons & Simmons in February to review the way the firm had handled accusations that one of its London partners sexually assaulted an associate in 2012 . Continue reading “Review of Baker McKenzie #MeToo incident finds ‘shortcomings’ but details scant”
High-profile litigation funder Vannin Capital has shelved its planned initial public offering (IPO) only one month after announcing its intention to float, blaming volatile equity markets.
The move is a blow for the fast-growing litigation funder, which in September hired Allen & Overy veteran David Morley (pictured) as chair to spearhead the October listing, which would have seen £70m of new shares issued and some shares held by existing shareholders sold. Continue reading “Vannin Capital shelves IPO as volatile market knocks Aston Martin and Funding Circle listings”
White & Case’s aggressive sweep on the City lateral market has continued with the hire of Herbert Smith Freehills infrastructure partner Simon Caridia.
The high-profile Caridia joined Herbert Smith as a partner in May 2015 from Magic Circle firm Linklaters, where he worked for nearly ten years, latterly for two years as counsel. He started his career at CMS, and is expected to start at White & Case by the end of the year. Continue reading “White & Case continues City hiring spree with Herbert Smith infra heavyweight”
The recent influx of cash into legal tech start-ups shows little sign of abating, after deal platform Legatics and property transaction platform Thirdfort both announced sizeable funding rounds to accelerate growth.
For Legatics, a member of Allen & Overy’s last two Fuse innovation hub cohorts, the investment gives the company a £3.14m valuation. Its £500,000 investment came from a combination of angel investors and venture partners. Continue reading “Another £900k for legal tech start-ups as Thirdfort and Legatics secure new funding”
Staffordshire-based Knights has dipped into its IPO ‘war chest’ again, acquiring Leicester’s largest law firm in a multi-million pound deal.
It marks Knight’s second buyout since its £103.5m listing on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in June – the largest UK firm listing to date – with a deal for Manchester independent Turner Parkinson announced shortly after floating. Continue reading “Knights builds on IPO acquisition strategy with £8.5m deal for Leicester law firm”
Slaughter and May and Kirkland & Ellis have led on the $12bn combination of UK Plc offshore drilling companies Ensco and Rowan Companies as Travers Smith and Eversheds Sutherland wrap up Legal & General’s £2.4bn buyout of Nortel Networks UK Pension Plan.
The drilling merger – an all-stock deal and a court-sanctioned scheme of arrangements – will see the shareholders of Ensco and Rowan own 60.5% and 39.5% respectively of the combined business. Continue reading “Deal watch: Slaughters and Kirkland drill into giant $12bn offshore plc merger as Travers and Eversheds maximise L&G’s pensions buy-out”
DLA Piper international managing partner Simon Levine has been re-elected for another four years following an uncontested election.
Levine’s reappointment was confirmed today (8 October) after nominations for any challengers closed on Friday (5 October). Continue reading “Levine goes unopposed to win second DLA managing partner term”
NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) has named 28 firms to act on its new shared business services panel, with Clyde & Co and Hogan Lovells among those winning a spot.
NHS SBS is a joint venture between French IT services company Sopra Steria and the Department of Health, offering back office services such as payroll, pensions and recruitment to the NHS. Its revamped roster is slated to save the public sector around £500,000 over the next four years, after ensuring what it called ‘value-for-money’ tariffs during the selection process. Continue reading “Clyde & Co and Hogan Lovells win spots on NHS business services panel”
