Cyber incidents, data privacy, rising regulation, litigation funding, and shareholder activism are putting corporate leaders under more pressure than ever to fall foul of investigations and prosecutions over alleged wrongdoing, a new report has found. Continue reading “Study finds executives at risk due to increasing anti-corporate litigation culture”
In-house: Balfour Beatty sticks with Pinsents as sole adviser until 2018
Global infrastructure giant Balfour Beatty has renewed its sole adviser mandate with Pinsent Masons until the end of 2018, Legal Business has learned. Continue reading “In-house: Balfour Beatty sticks with Pinsents as sole adviser until 2018”
Squires continues German growth with three-partner Frankfurt team from WilmerHale
Transatlantic firm Squire Patton Boggs has recruited three litigation and competition partners from US firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr, including the firm’s former Frankfurt office head. Continue reading “Squires continues German growth with three-partner Frankfurt team from WilmerHale”
RBS group action settles with Quinn, Stewarts and Mishcon claimants as Signature prepares for trial
The long running saga that is the £4bn shareholder group action against the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has reached a decisive stage, as claimants represented by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, Stewarts Law and Mishcon de Reya have settled their case while thousands of claimants represented by Signature Litigation will press ahead for trial next spring. Continue reading “RBS group action settles with Quinn, Stewarts and Mishcon claimants as Signature prepares for trial”
Private equity: Weil and Freshfields act as OMERS sells V.Group to Advent
Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have won roles on OMERS Private Equity’s first European exit as it sells V.Group to Advent International. Continue reading “Private equity: Weil and Freshfields act as OMERS sells V.Group to Advent”
Allen & Overy PE heavyweight Bernhardt joins Milbank in Frankfurt
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy has confirmed private equity (PE) partner Michael Bernhardt will join the firm’s corporate department in Frankfurt from Allen & Overy (A&O). Continue reading “Allen & Overy PE heavyweight Bernhardt joins Milbank in Frankfurt”
Guest post: Why lawyers aren’t selling what clients are buying
Demand is flat or falling at large law firms, says the newest Wells Fargo survey released earlier this week. Revenue is now being driven solely by hourly rate increases, the last remaining income enhancement button that law firms can press and one they will presumably continue to press until it no longer responds. Continue reading “Guest post: Why lawyers aren’t selling what clients are buying”
Dentons Australia combination goes through at last after three offices break away
Dentons long-awaited tie up with Australian law firm Gadens has officially gone through, although three of the firm’s offices will split off and not take on the Dentons branding. Continue reading “Dentons Australia combination goes through at last after three offices break away”
‘A landmark for the industry’: BLP and Nabarro advise CBRE on £1.4bn flagship property fund merger
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and Nabarro acted opposite Eversheds and Mayer Brown on CBRE Global Investors’ merger of its UK Property Fund with the Electricity Supply Pension Scheme (ESPS), creating a £1.4bn property fund called the CBRE UK Property PAIF. Continue reading “‘A landmark for the industry’: BLP and Nabarro advise CBRE on £1.4bn flagship property fund merger”
H1 2016/17: Watson Farley achieves 14% growth as DAC endures a slower first half
Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) has reported strong first half results for the 2016/17 financial year as DAC Beachcroft saw its turnover grow just over 1%. Continue reading “H1 2016/17: Watson Farley achieves 14% growth as DAC endures a slower first half”
Linklaters and DLA Piper advise on City’s tallest skyscraper 1 Undershaft
The second tallest building in Western Europe is set for the City, as Linklaters and DLA Piper picked up key real estate mandates advising on the new skyscraper. Continue reading “Linklaters and DLA Piper advise on City’s tallest skyscraper 1 Undershaft”
Controversial snoopers charter receives royal assent despite risk to legal privilege
The controversial Investigatory Powers Bill received Royal Assent this week, after being passed by both houses of parliament earlier this month. This was despite the fact that signatures on a petition calling for it to be repealed passed the 130,000 mark, meaning that it must be considered for parliamentary debate. Continue reading “Controversial snoopers charter receives royal assent despite risk to legal privilege”
In-house: Standard Chartered takes Barclays heavyweight as new divisional GC
Standard Chartered has recruited a top lawyer from Barclays’ legal team, with regulatory lawyer Chris Allen set to join the investment bank as its new general counsel (GC) for clients and products. Continue reading “In-house: Standard Chartered takes Barclays heavyweight as new divisional GC”
Clydes to cut fee-earners in London as part of aviation restructuring
Clyde & Co will downsize its aviation team by three senior associates in a bid to streamline its offering. Continue reading “Clydes to cut fee-earners in London as part of aviation restructuring”
Shoosmiths enters Northern Ireland through takeover of insolvency firm McManus Kearney
The second LB 100 firm to announce a move into Northern Ireland this week, national firm Shoosmiths has confirmed plans to merge with Belfast firm, McManus Kearney. Continue reading “Shoosmiths enters Northern Ireland through takeover of insolvency firm McManus Kearney”
‘Change of direction’: Bevan Brittan refuses to retender for SRA legal panel
LB100 firm Bevan Brittan has declared it will not retender for the Solicitor Regulation Authority’s legal panel, after reviewing the level of investment needed to service the regulatory body. Continue reading “‘Change of direction’: Bevan Brittan refuses to retender for SRA legal panel”
US bonuses: CC and A&O match Cravath reward of up to $100,000 for associates
Magic Circle firms Allen & Overy (A&O) and Clifford Chance (CC) have stepped up to match bonus levels rewarded by leading Wall Street firms. Continue reading “US bonuses: CC and A&O match Cravath reward of up to $100,000 for associates”
A tangled web – innovation, IP and patent trolls
There is no substitute for a good idea
In its most broad sense, that sentiment has been the foundation for intellectual property protections dating back as far as the Ancient Greeks. While not codified in law, the premise held was that by awarding effective monopolies to novel ideas, new concepts and developments could be shared with the world without fear of duplication. That concept evolved over centuries, as the relative protections afforded by intellectual property legislation developed into what we now know as modern patent law.
Continue reading “A tangled web – innovation, IP and patent trolls”
Dissenting perspectives
In September, GC began its latest series of Dissenting Perspectives events, once again held in tandem with RPC. The series aims to take a different angle in considering the role and challenges faced by modern GCs and senior in-house lawyers. For this session we were considering how in-house lawyers can navigate one of the most ubiquitous and tricky concepts of the 21st century – personal brand.
Pioneering not preservation
Have you ever done a Google search for quotes on lawyers? They. Are. Horrible. This quip is fairly typical:
‘It is a pleasant world we live in, sir, a very pleasant world. There are bad people in it, Mr Richard, but if there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.’