The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) this week opened to tender its search for an assessment provider to deliver the new Solicitors Qualification Examination (SQE), also known as the ‘super-exam.’
Continue reading “SRA opens tender for ‘super-exam’ provider with 1 September deadline”
Mishcon de Reya has appointed Withers’ co-head of European wealth planning Filippo Noseda, who joins Mishcon Private on Monday (19 June).
Continue reading “‘Fantastic addition’: Mishcon hires Withers’ wealth planning co-head”
Compiling our second annual Euro Elite report this month reminded me of when the late Rodrigo Uría, then managing partner of Spanish leader Uría Menéndez, recounted how he ended a heated meeting with Linklaters’ irascible former managing partner Terence Kyle by pointing out the armed guards at the entrance to his firm’s Madrid office. Back in the late 1990s, the UK elite was desperate to get into Europe. Continue reading “Comment: Royaume-Uni, nil points – why the true Eurovision is independence”
Vinson & Elkins (V&E) has hired London Clifford Chance (CC) finance partner John Dawson, as the US firm strengthens its push into the City.
Continue reading “Clifford Chance loses City finance partner to Vinson & Elkins”
Slater and Gordon (S&G)’s UK subsidiary has served a £637m claim form on Watchstone Group in London’s High Court, for fraudulently misrepresenting the company on its 2015 buyout.
While there is a body of writing on how to run an in-house legal team, much of it is dominated by US authors. Aiming to fill the void, Bjarne Tellmann, the outspoken general counsel (GC) of FTSE 100 publishing empire Pearson, has just published Building an Outstanding Legal Team. Tellmann discusses the book with Tom Baker.
Hogan Lovells is to merge with Boston-based litigation and investigations firm Collora on 1 September, taking on all of its 15 partners in a move to bolster the firm’s life sciences offering in the US.
Continue reading “Hogan Lovells to open new Boston office in Collora buyout”
Merger talks between Addleshaw Goddard and German outfit Luther have ended after Luther called off the deal, Legal Business understands.
Continue reading “It’s over: German firm Luther calls off Addleshaws merger talks”
Pay rises continue to ripple through the top-end legal services market despite the uncertain outlook for the City. The latest to go is London giant Linklaters, which has nudged up its base rate for junior lawyers by £1,000, handing newly-qualified (NQ) solicitors £82,000.
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has secured full funding from Therium Capital for its £3.9bn competition damages class action against truck manufacturers fined the highest-ever sum for a price-fixing cartel, as it seeks more UK claimants to join the case.
Continue reading “RHA secures Therium funding for claimants in £3.9bn trucks cartel class action”
Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) has delayed its US merger with New York firm Chadbourne & Parke due to a ‘few material conflicts’.
Continue reading “Norton Rose Fulbright delays Chadbourne merger due to a ‘few material conflicts’”
Solicitors’ bulging code of conduct looks set to be drastically slashed in length and further liberalisation of legal services ushered in under proposals from the UK’s largest legal watchdog.
Continue reading “Key law watchdog slashes rulebook and pushes for more market liberalisation”
Forget the casual observer, even some keen observers are bemused by the current passion for reforming legal education displayed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) with plans to tear up the framework for legal training.
Continue reading “Comment: Legal education – not broke, fat chance the super-exam will be a fix”
In a significant improvement on last year’s financials, Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) has posted an increase in global revenues of over 20%.
Continue reading “‘Strong result’: Watson Farley posts 20% rise in global revenues”
Partners at Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) and Australian law firm Henry Davis York have formally agreed to merge less than a week after it was confirmed they were in late-stage discussions.
Continue reading “NRF votes through Henry Davis York Australian merger in second tie-up this year”
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s London office has appointed Herbert Smith Freehills’ (HSF) global energy co-head Anna Howell as a partner, bolstering the firm’s fast-growing global energy practice.
Law firms have continued to grow their London ranks, with Reed Smith and Haynes and Boone LLP hiring in the City, while K&L Gates boosted its Washington office. Continue reading “Revolving doors: Reed Smith, Haynes and Boone hire in London, K&L Gates in Washington”
For some time, I have known how I would start my inevitable blogpost about Leigh Day’s disciplinary hearing. Win or lose, I would want to state unequivocally my prior belief, my starting point. That starting point is best indicated by what I told a legal magazine when asked three years ago which lawyer I most admired and why? I thought for a bit and then told them Martyn Day. There were, from memory, two reasons.
In a fourth successive non-lawyer appointment to the role, former House of Commons leader David Lidington has been appointed Lord Chancellor, taking up his role on 11 June. Continue reading “‘A pity’: lawyers react as non-lawyer David Lidington appointed Lord Chancellor replacing Truss”
Pinsent Masons has finally announced plans to launch in Dublin in what will be the firm’s fourth international office opening in the last 18 months.
Continue reading “Ireland launch: Pinsents finally reveals plans to open in Dublin”
