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HSF removes Australian partner for social media posts directed at Jewish lawyer

Herbert Smith Freehills

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has removed an Australian partner from the firm following an internal investigation into a social media post directed at a Jewish lawyer at another firm.

The controversy stems from a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) by corporate partner Damien Hazard referencing Jeremy Leibler, a Jewish lawyer at Australian firm Arnold Bloch Leibler. The online interactions were in relation the recent fire at Melbourne synagogue, which is being investigated as a terrorist arson attack.

According to reports in the Australian media, the post read: ‘Never too soon for @jeremyleibler to just invent a link with anti-genocide protests,’ and went on to accuse Leibler of ‘cynically politicising this crime’ and sowing a ‘life long disinformation campaign’ conflating the ‘genuine evil of anti-semitism with the basic humanism of condemning Israeli genocide’.

HSF chair and senior partner Rebecca Maslen-Stannage said in a statement that HSF’s council had resolved to remove Hazard, and that that notice had been issued to him.

Hazard had been with HSF and legacy Australian firm Freehills – which merged with the UK’s Herbert Smith in 2012 – for almost three decades.

Maslen-Stannage also underlined the firm’s commitment to supporting its Jewish network, stating: ‘We have reached out to leaders of our firm’s Jewish network to ensure they feel supported at this difficult time.’

The move comes at a critical time for HSF, as it is gearing up for a partnership vote on its proposed tie-up with US firm Kramer Levin, a firm which has strong Jewish connections. Name partner Ezra Levin was inducted into the Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame in 2016 and is known as an advocate for the civil and social rights of Soviet Jews.

If the merger goes ahead as expected, it will create Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, a global firm with more than $2bn in revenue and over 2,700 lawyers, significantly expanding HSF’s presence in the US.

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The most highly recommended: new L500 Net Promoter Scores reveal the firms clients vouch for

When it comes to rating and ranking the best law firms, there’s no shortage of metrics to choose from.

Whether it’s revenue, partner profits, headcount or law firm rankings (and there are well-worn arguments about the relative merits of all of these), the information is out there for market-watchers to make their assessments.

But what is less immediately available – and arguably more valuable – is quantitative data on how clients rate the service they get from law firms.

Over recent years, Legal 500 has collected data from hundreds of thousands of clients on this subject by asking them how strongly they would recommend the firms they use to others, with responses ranging from 0 (not at all likely) to 10 (extremely likely).

We’ve used this data to calculate a Net Promoter Score (NPS) – a market research metric devised by Bain & Co – for every firm, which means we can re-order the firms in Legal Business’s Global 100 by a completely new metric.

While some law firms already collect their own NPS data for internal purposes, we are uniquely able to see how firms stack up against each other – and breaking down the data into more specific groups reveals some interesting insights on which firms are the most highly recommended.

For UK heritage firms, Slaughter and May has the highest score with 79.9%, followed closely by Freshfields (78.9%). Fellow magic circle firm Linklaters is fourth with 77.1%, and those three outscore Clifford Chance (75.4%) and Allen & Overy on 74.9% (our data predates the merger with Shearman & Sterling, which scores 75.6%).

The top five UK heritage firms also include Hogan Lovells in third with 77.6%, and CMS in fifth place with 76.3%.

However, all of those are outscored by the elite Wall Street firms, led by Paul Weiss on 89.6%, followed by Cravath, Sullivan & Cromwell, Davis Polk and Simpson Thacher.

How the scores are calculated

Respondents that score firms nine or 10 are categorised as ‘promoters’, with those scoring 7 or 8 defined as ‘passives’ and those scoring their firms with six or less categorised as ‘detractors’. The NPS score is then calculated by deducting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters.

For example, if 100 clients are surveyed and 80 provide a score of 9-10 (promoters), with a further 10 passively scoring the firm 7-8 and the final 10 detractors scoring it 0-6, then the firm ends up with an NPS score of 70%.

This reordering of the global hierarchy shines a light on some firms that, while less well-known, appear to be making the right impression with clients.

Philadelphia-headquartered firm Cozen O’Connor scores highest with 96%, just ahead of Canada’s McCarthy Tetrault (95.3%) and Washington DC’s Venable (91.7%). Paul Weiss is fourth overall, just ahead of Chicago’s Seyfarth Shaw (89.6%).

For more information about our NPS scores and to find out more about how your firm ranks, please contact [email protected]
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“Net Promoter®, NPS®, NPS Prism®, and the NPS-related emoticons are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., NICE Systems, Inc., and Fred Reichheld. Net Promoter ScoreSM and Net Promoter SystemSM are service marks of Bain & Company, Inc., NICE Systems, Inc., and Fred Reichheld.”
https://www.netpromotersystem.com/resources/trademarks-and-licensing/

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‘We need more lawyers with a green conscience’ – the net zero partner fighting for sustainability

Steve Gummer, head of net zero at Sharpe Pritchard, was recently named as one of Legal 500’s new UK Green Ambassadors. In this Q&A, he discusses the rise of ESG, career highlights, and how law can be a force for social and environmental change Continue reading “‘We need more lawyers with a green conscience’ – the net zero partner fighting for sustainability”

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Revenue generated by UK legal services rises almost 8% to £47bn, report finds

City of London

The total revenue generated by UK-based legal services increased by 7.7% last year to a total of £47.1bn, according to a new report released today (10 December).

The report, ‘UK legal services 2024: Legal excellence, internationally renowned’, is the 13th annual report from industry body TheCityUK, which represents UK-based financial and professional services businesses, and is produced in partnership with Barclays.

Continue reading “Revenue generated by UK legal services rises almost 8% to £47bn, report finds”

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‘How hard are you prepared to work?’ – partners who’ve made it on how they built a book of business

‘If anyone had all the right answers, they’d be getting all the work in the City,’ jokes Cleary London private equity partner Michael James, when asked for tips on how junior partners should start building up the books of business needed to guarantee their long-term success.  

In an industry as competitive as the top-end London legal market, with no shortage of talented lawyers and firms ready to undercut prices, the reality is that getting that initial book of business off the ground – and keeping it – can be tough.  

Continue reading “‘How hard are you prepared to work?’ – partners who’ve made it on how they built a book of business”

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‘We know which lanes we want to run in’: Latham’s new City chief on pay, practice priorities and partner moves

‘As a firm, we are driven, ambitious and innovative, and we thrive in competitive markets like London,’ says Latham & Watkins’ new City head Ed Barnett, as he sits down to discuss his first 100 days in the role and his vision for the future of the office.

Since taking over from Stephen Kensell in September, Barnett – who joined the US firm from Allen & Overy eight years ago – has had his hands full; juggling not only his M&A practice and new leadership role but also managing an out-of-character knock to Latham’s London play – a series of high-profile partner exits.

Continue reading “‘We know which lanes we want to run in’: Latham’s new City chief on pay, practice priorities and partner moves”

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Dealwatch: US trio lead on $3.8bn Anglo American coal sale as Apax seals £700m professional services buyout

Crane carrying coal

Latham & Watkins, Jones Day, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz are advising on Anglo American’s sale of its Australian steelmaking coal business to US coal mining company Peabody Energy, in a deal worth up to $3.775bn.

The transaction value comprises $2.05bn at completion, deferred cash consideration of $725m over four years after completion, a price-linked earnout up to $550m, and a further $450m contingent on the reopening of the Grosvenor mine. Continue reading “Dealwatch: US trio lead on $3.8bn Anglo American coal sale as Apax seals £700m professional services buyout”

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Paul Weiss joins ranks of US firms scaling back in China with Beijing exit

Paul Weiss is set to close its Beijing office by the end of the year, becoming the latest in a series of major US law firms to scale back operations in China.

The New York-headquartered firm has had an office in Beijing since 1981, which marked its first office outside the US. The firm will continue to operate Asia offices in Hong Kong and Tokyo, which opened in 1983 and 1987 respectively.

‘We remain committed to having a strong presence across Asia, including in Hong Kong and Tokyo, and will continue to provide the highest-quality service to our clients in all of our global offices,’ a spokesperson for the firm said in a statement.

According to the firm’s website, the Beijing office currently has one partner, one counsel, and two associates. The Hong Kong office has eight lawyers, while the Tokyo office is staffed by ten lawyers.

Many other international law firms have been reducing their presence in China, citing geopolitical tensions, strict data privacy laws, and regulatory challenges. Just last month, WilmerHale closed its Beijing office following similar moves by Dechert, Morrison Foerster, Weil and Akin, all of which closed their Beijing offices in the past year.

Paul Weiss chair Brad Karp told Legal Business in October that the firm was ‘continuing to monitor Asia closely.’ While there has been speculation about a potential launch in Singapore, Karp confirmed that there are no current plans to open a new office in Asia.

The firm has been expanding internationally over the past year and a half, re-launching its London office and opening an office in Brussels. It now has 10 offices worldwide, including five in the US.

For more on Paul Weiss’ international strategy, see LB’s feature Late bloomer: how Paul Weiss made up for lost time on the global stage.

[email protected]

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BDB Pitmans rebrands as Broadfield as discussions over US tie-up continue

headshot of John Hutchinson

BDB Pitmans has completed its rebrand as Broadfield, joining as the founding member of a planned global network of mid-market firms established by US turnaround firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M).

Broadfield officially launched this week (2 December) after signing up BDBP as its first earlier member this summer.

BDBP, which has four offices in London, Reading, Cambridge and Southampton, was formed by the 2018 combination of Bircham Dyson Bell and Pitmans. It is known to have been considering expansion options for some time, including holding merger talks with Womble Bond Dickinson.

Broadfield UK managing partner John Hutchinson – who became managing partner at BDBP last October after 30 years at the UK firm – told Legal Business that Broadfield is now expecting to announce a second member firm in the first quarter of 2025, and that it ‘may well be’ a US firm.

Earlier this year, he told LB that discussions with a New York firm were underway, and it is understood that those talks are still ongoing.

Hutchinson estimated that there would be a period of around six months between a firm agreeing to join Broadfield and becoming an official member, although this could vary depending on the firms involved.

The Broadfield venture was unveiled this July. An A&M subsidiary, SHP Legal Services (SHPLS), has been set up to support the Broadfield network. In a statement announcing the launch, Broadfield said that SHPLS will provide ‘management services to law firms joining Broadfield in the areas of technology, operations and talent acquisition.’

Member firms will have access to a technology stack maintained by SHPLS, although Hutchinson confirmed that while some tech improvements would be immediate, full access to the stack would not be available until a period within the next financial year.

In a statement, Broadfield said that SHPLS will provide management services to law firms joining the network “in the areas of technology, operations and talent acquisition.”

SHPLS  is led by former McDermott Will & Emery chair Peter Sacripanti as CEO, alongside US lead John Hendrickson, also a former McDermott partner, with former EY financial services UK managing partner Christopher Price leading UK and EMEA operations.

In an interview earlier this year, Price told LB that Broadfield is hoping to add three other firms to the network – including at least one in the US and another UK firm – in the first twelve months.

With the exception of the US, there will be only one Broadfield firm per jurisdiction; as such, any UK firms that join would merge into Broadfield UK.

Firms signing up to the network will retain their own governance, although there will be planning boards that determine the overall direction of Broadfield.

For more on the deal, see Broadfield of dreams: BDB Pitmans signs up for new Alvarez & Marsal legal venture

[email protected]

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Covington picks up Sidley’s Cheveley as HFW, DLA hire in London and CRS expands in Europe

Royal Exchange, London

Topping this week’s major moves, Phil Cheveley has joined Covington & Burling’s cross-border M&A practice group in London as a partner. Cheveley departs Sidley Austin, bringing a wealth of experience from top firms, including legacy Shearman & Sterling, where he served as EMEA and Asia M&A head, as well as his previous role as M&A head at Travers Smith.

Continue reading “Covington picks up Sidley’s Cheveley as HFW, DLA hire in London and CRS expands in Europe”

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Kirkland & Ellis and A&O Shearman advise as Northvolt begins Chapter 11 proceedings

Kirkland & Ellis and A&O Shearman are advising Swedish battery maker Northvolt as it enters Chapter 11 restructuring proceedings, with court filings stating that a total of $5.84bn in total funded debt obligations has left the company in a ‘dire’ liquidity position. 

Continue reading “Kirkland & Ellis and A&O Shearman advise as Northvolt begins Chapter 11 proceedings”

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Green Ambassadors: The Legal 500 unveils new research into the lawyers fighting for a sustainable future

‘All lawyers need to be ESG lawyers in one form or another’, says Gilly Hutchinson, head of ESG regional development in Asia at Linklaters in Hong Kong. In contrast, others argue that there is no such thing as an ESG lawyer. 

In practice, these conflicting views are really two sides of the same coin as both acknowledge that ESG has permeated such a vast range of practice areas that no practitioner remains unexposed. All lawyers are ESG lawyers, and therefore no lawyers are ESG lawyers. 

Whatever your personal view there’s no doubt that law firms are actively building up ESG practices with teams of sustainability professionals. 

As Wynne Lawrence (pictured), who founded Clyde & Co’s climate risk and resilience practice, says: ‘we are growing the first generation of dedicated ESG lawyers in a corporate world that increasingly requires true ESG experience and understanding of business sustainability and its implications.’ 

While some firms and lawyers may be more interested in the fee potential from ESG, for others sustainability is a personal passion.  

‘I believe in walking the talk’, states Werner Grau, partner at Pinheiro Neto in São Paulo. 

‘The ESG field is one where I can make a true difference’, comments New York-based senior counsel Lauren Bachtel, a member of Linklaters’ global ESG team. 

Steve Gummer, head of net zero at Sharpe Pritchard in London, goes further still when discussing the E of the ESG acronym: ‘addressing climate change isn’t a choice; it’s an existential necessity.’ 

Champions for change 

With the growing focus on ESG comes a fear for some that ESG is losing its purpose and turning into little more than a glorified tick-boxing exercise. Lawrence, for example, raises a ‘ concern that a shift in focus to compliance could be detrimental to meaningful action’. 

But amid the ever-increasing ranks of sustainability-focused lawyers are some who are true champions for change; fighting for sustainability beyond a nice-to-have. 

The Green Guide’s brand new research recognises some of the top lawyers championing sustainability in major regions and markets across the world. Moving on from our previous firm-wide approach, we’re now shining a light on the individuals who not only demonstrate a strong sustainability-related work portfolio but also show engagement with climate change and ESG issues which goes beyond their client-facing work. These lawyers are advocates for sustainability: Legal 500’s new Green Ambassadors. 

Read more about the Green Ambassadors in each region:

Green Ambassadors: United Kingdom
Green Ambassadors: Latin America
Green Ambassadors: Asia Pacific
Green Ambassadors: United States

In addition to demonstrating involvement in pace-setting sustainability mandates, these lawyers are committed to driving change either inside their own firms or in the wider market. 

Alongside their involvement in developing their firms’ ESG service offerings for clients, they are also pushing for increased sustainability within their firms’ internal operations. Thought leaders in the space, they contribute to legal education, knowledge sharing and ongoing dialogues via publications and speaking engagements. They are also active members and key voices in relevant industry bodies, alliances and networks. 

All have been chosen as a result of extensive research carried out as part of our latest Green Guide US, Latin America, UK and Asia Pacific research, which was released last week (14 November). 

A challenging field 

In our Green Guide research over the past three years, we have observed an increasing number of firms embedding green purpose into their business, with much of this development being driven by individuals. 

So, why are more and more practitioners dedicating their legal career to sustainability matters? 

For Gummer (pictured), it was a realisation that ‘traditional legal frameworks and firms weren’t just outdated; they were part of the problem. Many law firms claim to do green work but still handle oil and gas deals – that contradiction doesn’t sit right with me.’ 

Part of the appeal is that ‘the path to real change isn’t set yet and the tools for the journey aren’t built yet’, says Gummer. As a result, in his view it’s a field that can ‘challenge and expand your thinking.’ 

Indeed, a common thread which emerges when speaking to some of our ambassadors is the challenging and fast-evolving nature of the work. 

‘The ongoing challenge with climate and ESG work is that it is constantly evolving. That is also what makes it so exciting and interesting; the ability to see norms, regulations and jurisprudence in action and in development’, adds Lawrence. 

Claire Rogers, head of ESG at King & Wood Mallesons in Sydney, agrees that ‘not only is it incredibly important, it’s intellectually engaging, always changing and gives me an opportunity to engage with a wide variety of clients and stakeholders.’ 

Meanwhile, London-based Heather Gagen, head of Travers Smith’s ESG and impact group, adds that ‘it’s a fascinating area to work in as a lawyer because it is never standing still and it is intrinsically linked to some of the most complex issues facing the world today.’ 

A powerful tool for a powerful profession 

‘Law is a powerful tool for social and environmental change’, states Gummer before voicing his biggest concern; that change isn’t happening fast enough. ‘Progress over the last two decades has been seismic, but it’s still not enough. We need to go faster and further.’ 

For Gummer: ‘The world doesn’t need more lawyers; it needs more lawyers with a green conscience.’ Those with passion and commitment who are willing to take action and push boundaries.

It’s a position that Susan Mac Cormac (pictured), San Francisco-based co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s ESG + Sustainability group, agrees with. She points out: ‘lawyers that focus solely on advising companies and investors on regulation and compliance will not have a positive impact in the long run; in 10 years, we will still be heading for the cliff that is climate change’. 

So, by showcasing some of the leading private practice lawyers who do have  a green conscience, the Legal 500 hopes to inspire other lawyers to play an active part in building a more sustainable future. Because after all, as Lawrence suggests, ‘every lawyer has a role to play in sustainability, whether through engaging with clients on sustainability issues, or within their company or firm, or with suppliers’. 

Taking this a step further, Mac Cormac insists that ‘lawyers need to help lead the way’ given the urgency in the fight against climate change and its impact on poverty and inequality. 

She believes it is imperative for the profession that lawyers act as agents of change. As Yves Hayaux du Tilly, partner at Mexican firm Nader, Hayaux & Goebel, explains  it is a personal way to ‘assume the responsibility of serving society as a lawyer’. 

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‘With an open checkbook, they’ll likely target top talent’ – Davis Polk London scale-up turns heads

Compared to some of its flashier US rivals, it’s fair to say Davis Polk has not taken the fastest route to building up in the City.

Despite having an office in London for more than five decades, the firm only started practising English law in 2012, and has been relatively cautious about lateral recruiting ever since. Until now.

With the addition of four partners in London over the last six months, the firm has overhauled its strategy in the City, helping to take London lawyer count above 60.

Continue reading “‘With an open checkbook, they’ll likely target top talent’ – Davis Polk London scale-up turns heads”

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‘All options are on the table’: HSF’s CEO on why they chose Kramer – and whether more mergers could follow

‘We want to use this combination to forge a new global elite,’ Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) CEO Justin D’Agostino tells Legal Business as he discusses the firm’s ambitious merger plans with New York’s Kramer Levin.

Heralding the planned union as ‘the first real transatlantic and transpacific merger’, D’Agostino stresses that the deal offers ‘a winning trifecta: global disputes and global transactions on day one, a high-quality US law firm, and alignment over ambitions for growth.’ Continue reading “‘All options are on the table’: HSF’s CEO on why they chose Kramer – and whether more mergers could follow”