Dechert is to appoint Kirkland & Ellis banking and finance partner Rob Bradshaw, returning to the Chicago-bred firm’s London office for recruitment for the second time in the last six months. Continue reading “Dechert returns to Kirkland for second finance hire in six months”
Litigation specialist Enyo Law has announced the creation of tax and insolvency practices, following the hires of Fiona Walkinshaw and Louise Bell as partners. Continue reading “‘What we really needed’: Enyo Law launches tax and insolvency practices with Deloitte and Olswang hires”
After losing a number of finance partners in the last 12 months, Ashurst has made moves to re-strengthen its City offering and is developing a European high-yield offering for the first time. Continue reading “‘It has been an obstacle’: Ashurst launches European high-yield practice”
In a push into disputes innovation, Taylor Wessing has started working with legal tech provider Brainspace for UK litigation analysis. Continue reading “Taylor Wessing engages machine learning provider Brainspace for UK disputes”
There is a wider range of opportunities for women in business than ever before. To maintain and increase the momentum that’s been built over several decades, it’s incumbent on senior leaders across all industries to continue pushing for sustainable improvements.
In the legal sector, we are making progress towards gender equality, but few firms would say they have done enough. A critical component to closing the gender gap is transparency – including annual public reporting that details the progress being made. At Clifford Chance, our goal is to have women make up at least 30 percent of our partnership. As of today, that proportion is 18 percent globally, though with significant variations in regions, with our London office at 22 percent and Asia Pacific at 28 percent. We’re on a path forward but there is still a lot more for us to do.
Sustainable progress will only be achieved by taking a holistic approach to gender equality. Generational change will help us shift the balance, but we cannot wait on that.
Clear policies should be the starting point. They must be actively and openly endorsed by senior leadership. Education should also be a priority, especially training programs that address unconscious bias and other gender and diversity issues. Law firms and legal departments must work to support managers and colleagues in creating a truly inclusive and meritocratic environment.
The reason we joined with The Legal 500 and GC magazine in publishing this book is a profound belief that more role models, like the women profiled on the following pages, are needed to help advance the cause. We hope everyone who reads this book will benefit from the experiences of others who have been there before them – particularly when faced with career-forming decisions. We also hope the ideas and examples shared will provide a “road map” that lays out different ways for younger lawyers to reach their chosen destinations.
My advice for law school students and junior lawyers is to seek out outstanding role models and make them your mentors. Develop a strong support network that will help you succeed. And feel empowered to make your own way in the world.
Laura King
Global Head of People and Talent, Clifford Chance
Fieldfisher has given its personal injury team a boost with a hire from Irwin Mitchell, while Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and Gordon Dadds have all made appointments across the globe. Continue reading “Revolving doors: Fieldfisher takes from Irwin Mitchell as Quinn launches in Perth”
Eversheds Sutherland‘s longstanding chief executive Bryan Hughes is to depart the firm in October following a six month stint in project management for the firm. Continue reading “Longstanding leader Hughes to exit Eversheds Sutherland in October after project management stint”
Mishcon de Reya, Allen & Overy (A&O) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer were among the major winners at the 2017 Legal Business Awards, with Macfarlanes’ senior partner Charles Martin recognised as Management Partner of the Year.
Continue reading “Mishcon, A&O and Freshfields major winners at 2017 Legal Business Awards”
Linklaters has hired Goldman Sachs managing director Sarah Mook into the firm’s restructuring team. Mook joins the global restructuring and insolvency practice at the end of June. Her practice includes expertise in special situations, financing and distressed M&A. Continue reading “‘Unique opportunity’: Linklaters takes on Goldman restructuring specialist Sarah Mook”
Formula One team McLaren Honda has extended its sole adviser mandate with Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) for another two years. Continue reading “Norton Rose in pole position for renewed McLaren partnership”
Stephenson Harwood has re-appointed its management team with Sharon White staying on as the firm’s chief executive while Roland Foord has been re-elected as senior partner. Continue reading “‘We’ve set out our vision’: Stephenson Harwood reappoints management duo”
Barely into 2017 and it has already been an eventful year for verein-based law firms, with King & Wood Mallesons meeting a painful end in Europe while, in happy contrast, Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) has just secured its second substantive US merger in the shape of Chadbourne & Parke. Continue reading “Comment: NRF’s New York merger – the trade-offs of federalism”
Latham & Watkins’ global co-head of international arbitration Sophie Lamb (pictured) discusses Lord Goldsmith, Latham and the impact of Brexit with Georgiana Tudor. Continue reading “Q&A: Latham’s Sophie Lamb on life in chambers, practice and the danger of post-Brexit immigration policy”
In its second office closure in a week, DLA Piper will shut down its Georgia operations with all fee earners, including two partners, departing for Dentons. Continue reading “Dentons takes entire Tblisi office from DLA Piper as firm closes in Georgia”
Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) is to axe a further 22 legal roles as part of a further restructure of the bank’s legal team. In addition, a total of c.5.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) roles will be created. Continue reading “‘People are really upset’: Lloyds to axe 22 legal roles as part of further restructure”
Debevoise & Plimpton posted a 3% drop in global revenue to $735m as profits per partner also slumped by 8% to $2.4m. The New York-headquartered firm lost $21.2m from its top line in 2016, after growing revenue by $41.6m last year. Continue reading “‘Consolidating growth’: Debevoise posts global revenue and profit drop”
What are we to make of the most aggressive raid between top ten City firms since Allen & Overy helped itself to the bulk of Norton Rose’s leveraged finance team back in 2002? In some ways, news this month that Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is to ship in a productive five-partner buyout group from Ashurst seems even more notable. Continue reading “Comment: Hot private equity money is remaking Europe’s legal market”
Given the multiplicity of channels available to money launderers and the increasingly sophisticated methods they use to cover their tracks when routing dirty money, claimants in asset-tracing cases face many barriers to recovering funds.
BLP confirmed today (21 March) that nine of its lawyers, including intellectual property (IP) head Simon Clark and head of the brand management and trade marks group Ian Gruselle, are leaving the firm for TMT specialist Bristows.
As the firms prepare for their three way merger, 300 support staff roles at CMS Cameron McKenna, Olswang and Nabarro are set to be cut following a redundancy consultation. Continue reading “Consolidation: CMS Olswang and Nabarro to cut roughly a third of support staff jobs ahead of merger”
