In a week that has seen several high-profile moves within the in-house community, Kingfisher group general counsel (GC) Clare Wardle has been recruited by new soft drink entity Coca-Cola European Partners as GC and company secretary. Continue reading “Kingfisher legal chief Wardle joins newly-merged Coca-Cola bottler”
‘Not thought through’: City partners call on Government to protect impartiality of Land Registry
Senior lawyers have called on the Government to protect the independence of the Land Registry following proposals to privatise its operations.
‘Right not to rush’: SRA extends consultation over super-exam for trainees
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has acknowledged strong opposition as it extends its consultation on its controversial plans to introduce a unified exam for assessing trainee solicitors.
Continue reading “‘Right not to rush’: SRA extends consultation over super-exam for trainees”
A new triangle: Fieldfisher targets three key sectors in latest strategy
Echoing its trademarked ‘virtuous triangle’ strategy of the past, Fieldfisher has picked three sectors to ‘turbocharge’ as it rolls out its latest three-year business plan, dubbed ‘Our Future Refocused’.
Continue reading “A new triangle: Fieldfisher targets three key sectors in latest strategy”
KWM cutbacks hit 37 support staff in the City
King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has made 37 business services jobs redundant in London as part of wide-reaching cutbacks across its European arm.
Continue reading “KWM cutbacks hit 37 support staff in the City”
A&O hires Simmons IP star Noor in patent court play
In preparation for the new Unified Patent Court (UPC), Allen & Overy (A&O) has strengthened its life sciences practice with the hire of Simmons & Simmons IP partner Marjan Noor.
Continue reading “A&O hires Simmons IP star Noor in patent court play”
Here come the accountants: PwC Legal hires former Milbank partner to head City finance division
PwC Legal has hired former Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy partner Laetitia Costa to run its banking and finance team in London.
Norton Rose opens in San Francisco with entire Sidley Austin public finance team
Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) is to expand its public finance practice and open up a new office in San Francisco by taking on a team of lawyers from Sidley Austin. Continue reading “Norton Rose opens in San Francisco with entire Sidley Austin public finance team”
BAT appoints new legal chief following internal team overhaul
British American Tobacco (BAT) has appointed Irish lawyer Ronan Barry as its new legal chief to succeed incumbent Benoit Belhomme (pictured), following an internal shake-up of the company’s legal division.
Continue reading “BAT appoints new legal chief following internal team overhaul”
‘Evolution, not revolution’: New A&O management team sets sights on US, Europe and China growth
Continued and steady growth is the key focus for Allen & Overy‘s new management team, with senior partner Wim Dejonghe and managing partner Andrew Ballheimer setting their sights on growth in the US, China and Europe.
Remuneration revamp: Clifford Chance hikes NQ salaries
Clifford Chance (CC) is the latest Magic Circle firm to reveal its 2016/17 pay bands for newly-qualified (NQ) lawyers. Having taken effect last month (1 May), the inclusion of bonuses sees a rise in NQ pay at £85,000 compared to £70,000 before bonuses in 2015.
Continue reading “Remuneration revamp: Clifford Chance hikes NQ salaries”
BHS inquiry latest: Olswang remains in focus as MPs probe fees
As the inquiry into the sale of BHS continues, Work and Pensions committee chair Frank Field has asked Olswang to reveal details of its fees paid during the purchase of the retailer for £1 last year.
Continue reading “BHS inquiry latest: Olswang remains in focus as MPs probe fees”
Ashurst shakes up global management team with appointments across City and Australian offices
Ashurst has introduced a series of new roles to its global management team following the appointment of new Sydney-based global managing partner Paul Jenkins (pictured), who officially assumed his role yesterday (June 1). Continue reading “Ashurst shakes up global management team with appointments across City and Australian offices”
Ghost in the machine: AI, law, ethics – what does it mean for you?
There’s change afoot out there in the world, a world in which any remaining Luddites can no longer sit with their hands over their ears in a state of denial. We are in a period of digital technology which is so disruptive that the only thing that comes close to it in human history has been the first industrial revolution. That movement overturned the trajectory humans had been on through various contemporaneous developments in mechanical engineering, chemistry, metallurgy, and other disciplines, and its advancements altered the landscape of human history. Our digital revolution will effectively lay waste to that landscape created by the first industrial revolution and something entirely new will have to take its place.
Continue reading “Ghost in the machine: AI, law, ethics – what does it mean for you?”
In-house life: Ton van den Bosch, International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
When I joined ICTSI two and a half years ago as their first GC, we recruited additional in-house counsel around the globe. One of the biggest challenges remains the different time zones. When we open for business in Manila on a Tuesday morning, our colleagues in Latin America are getting ready for dinner on their Monday evening, but with planning, continuous communication and frequent meetings, this can be managed.
Continue reading “In-house life: Ton van den Bosch, International Container Terminal Services, Inc.”
Dissenting perspectives
This Spring, GC magazine and RPC teamed up for a series of innovative events bringing provocative, and often downright maverick, business perspectives to an audience of in-house lawyers in London.
The view from the top
‘I have relied upon lawyers so much in my commercial career; it is important you understand how much your peer group have bailed me out of the crap I have found myself in, accidentally or otherwise. I want to highlight the attributes I think are remarkable (and also those that are unhelpful) in steering a company towards success.
Let’s talk business: part two
Tim Murphy has worked for MasterCard for 16 years. Starting out as an in-house lawyer, he then spent over ten years in non-legal business roles, serving as president of the U.S. region and chief product officer. In 2014, he stepped back into legal to assume the mantle of general counsel. In the second of a two-part interview, GC caught up with him to hear how the integration of the legal and business teams are impacting the company’s programmes.
Crouching tiger, dwindling dragon
Broadly speaking, the economies of Asia comprise the largest financial and population bloc in the world. Throughout the Global Financial Crisis, many of Asia’s strongest economies remained surprisingly resilient, thanks in no small part to the staggering growth rates China sustained throughout the period.
GC Powerlist: Australia and New Zealand
Australia and New Zealand are Oceania’s two largest economies and have strong links beyond a feeling of shared culture and geographical proximity. The two countries enjoy extremely close economic and trading ties underpinned by legislation including the 1983 Closer Economic Relations agreement, which allows for free trade in goods and services, while the 1973 Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement is an informal agreement allowing free movement of citizens between the two countries. Despite these connections, both economies have different vulnerabilities to the winds of global economic change.