West End firm Hamlins has enhanced its media offering with the recruitment of BBC lawyer Julian Ward, who after a decade in-house, will join the firm’s media and entertainment practice as a partner.
Continue reading “Hamlins boosts media offering with senior BBC lawyer hire”
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has established a formal alliance with Singapore firm Prolegis, almost two years after it chose not to renew its licence to practise locally.
Continue reading “Herbert Smith Freehills renews commitment to Singapore with local firm alliance”
Corporate crime specialists are divided over the likely impact of Lord Justice Leveson’s approval of the UK’s Serious Fraud Office’s deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with ICBC Standard Bank (formerly Standard Bank).
Continue reading “Mixed reviews over impact of first SFO deferred prosecution agreement”
Days after announcing its fifth merger of 2015 with Luxembourg outfit OPF Partners, Dentons has today (30 November) announced it will launch a presence in Latin America and the Caribbean, and is considering combining with Colombia’s Cárdenas & Cárdenas, and Mexico’s López Velarde, Heftye y Soria (LVHS).
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) is advising ICBC Standard Bank on its deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) – the first deal to be struck since DPAs came into force in February 2014.
Continue reading “Plea pioneers: HSF advises bank on first deferred prosecution agreement with SFO”
Those of you who follow my work closely (*hello mum and dad*) will observe that I am a cautious proponent of innovation but – because the day job demands it and because it is interesting – I also spend some time talking and writing about the ethics of innovation.
Continue reading “Guest post: Innovation makes you dodgy. Discuss”
As part of yet another review of how it manages the profession, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is mulling a ‘fundamental shift away from prescriptive rules’ with a proposal to allow practising solicitors to give advice from unregulated firms.
Continue reading “Free agents: SRA could allow solicitors to practise outside regulated firms”
After six months of talks national firm Irwin Mitchell and LB100 firm Thomas Eggar have voted to approve their union, creating an £250m firm with plans to establish a leading private wealth business.
Addleshaw Goddard‘s leadership has floated a major shake-up of its partnership terms and governance structure in what promises to be a sensitive process as the firm holds merger talks with Maclay Murray & Spens.
Many of us watched the Chancellor’s Spending Review speech because of controversial proposals such as cuts in tax credits for the low paid. He gave us a pleasing U-turn on that. Then he surprised us all with an attack on lawyers and victims of accidents. Don’t ask me what this had to do with a review of public spending.
Continue reading “Guest post: Osborne’s bizarre personal injury proposals”
Australian-listed Slater & Gordon (S&G), which makes 80% of its UK revenue from personal injury claims, lost half its stock market value yesterday (25 November) after the UK government announced plans to limit the number of personal injury claims.
Allen & Overy (A&O) has posted a 4% revenue increase for the first six months of the 2015/16 financial year. Turnover rose to £642m rising 3.6% from the same period last year.
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and its client the Royal Bank of Scotland have been criticised for their role in a ‘less than compelling’ and ‘unfocused’ disclosure process in the long running £4bn shareholder dispute against the bank.
It is two years and one month since the coalition government decided not to raise the small claims limit for personal injury (PI) from £1,000 to £5,000.
Continue reading “Guest post: Where now for personal injury lawyers?”
Profit at top-25 firm DWF fell 7% for the year ending 30 April 2015 from £50.4m to £46.7m, which the firm has attributed to a ‘focus on the integration of our people as well as consolidation following our mergers and acquisitions’.
Seven of the eight promotions to partner at Weil, Gotshal & Manges were made in New York and London this year, as the firm carried out a slimmed down promotions round.
Continue reading “Partner promotions: Weil Gotshal focuses on New York and London in reduced round”
Addleshaw Goddard is in talks to merge with Scots law firm Maclay Murray & Spens in a deal that would create a national practice with combined revenues of around £230m and offices in eleven locations, including London, Manchester, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Hong Kong.
A buyout team comprising the founders of the now-defunct Parabis Group has formally acquired its defendant insurance firm Plexus Law, in a deal that will see the transfer of over 900 staff, supported by a £4.2m loan.
Continue reading “Parabis founders take £4m loan to complete Plexus MBO”
Dentons has announced its fifth merger of 2015 and today (25 November) confirmed a tie-up with Luxembourg firm OPF Partners, a deal which will add 34 lawyers including nine partners to the roster and incorporate the latter firm into Dentons’ European LLP.
Continue reading “Dentons continues international expansion with Luxembourg tie-up”
While a decision to backtrack on tax credit cuts stole the limelight in the Autumn Statement today (November 25), Chancellor George Osborne revealed further cuts to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), plans to close 91 courts and curbs on aggressive PI firms pursuing road accident claims.
