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”
Linklaters, Davis Polk & Wardwell and Baker McKenzie are advising as L’Oreal looks to sell The Body shop for €1bn to Brazilian cosmetic company Natura.
Berrymans Lace Mawer (BLM) is looking to cut up to 50 secretarial and support roles across the firm, totalling 15% of BLM’s overall business support roles, following the firm’s investment in technology and flexible working among lawyers.
Continue reading “BLM to cut more business support roles with up to 15% of staff at risk”
Fieldfisher is advising the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) on the contractual agreements for the provider which will eventually assist the SRA in delivering the new Solicitors Qualification Examination (SQE), also known as ‘the super-exam.’
Continue reading “Fieldfisher advises SRA on outsourcing contract for delivering new super-exam”
Angry shareholders, rising demands for transparency, tougher regulation, declining trust in business and the need to access new markets. Just some of the reasons why a growing number of plcs are moving to improve their focus on long-term performance and ethical standards… and calling in their general counsel (GCs) to help. Continue reading “GCs take on corporate sustainability briefs as plcs strive to protect brands”
For my sins I committed Legal Business to a lengthy piece on the 2015 general election, focusing on the policies impacting the City, business and law, back in an era that now seems a decade away. You may remember that one: the Conservatives were to deliver stability against those Labour mavericks on the assumption that its pledged Brexit referendum was in the bag. Continue reading “Election comment – Many a slip between cup and hardcore Brexit”
The Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has today (9 June) cleared Leigh Day and three of its lawyers accused of professional misconduct relating to allegedly pursuing false damages claims of torture and murder made by Iraqi civilians against British troops in Iraq. Continue reading “SDT clears Leigh Day and three of its lawyers in high-profile Iraqi claims misconduct prosecution”
With City law firms braced for Brexit-related shocks, the first 2016/17 results from a major London practice will ease Square Mile nerves with Simmons & Simmons today (8 June) confirming a 7% hike in revenues and an emphatic rise in partner profits.
At the debate I recently attended on future of law-type stuff everything was proceeding to plan. Once the panel finished on artificial intelligence (AI), the law firm model and partners being useless, conversation turned to the Big Four. You know the gist: HERE THEY COME – GLOBAL – SLICK – WAY-AHEAD-OF-LAW-FIRMS.
Continue reading “Comment: The Big Four – they’d have done it by now if they cared”
Ashurst’s hopes of stabilising its European practice have been dealt a body blow with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher today (8 June) recruiting a four-partner team from its Paris arm. The move – which comes just months after a five-partner corporate team quit Ashurst’s Paris outpost for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer – sees a team led by litigation and restructuring partner Jean-Pierre Farges decamp to the US-based giant.
Partners at Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) will vote on a merger with Australian law firm Henry Davis York within the coming months, after both firms confirmed they were in late stage discussions.
The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) has hit the Law Society with a costs order of up to £230,000 to pay an online training provider after finding it breached competition law in a ruling published this week, while the first CAT opt-out consumer class action was withdrawn.
