Posted on

The Last Word: The clients’ view

Interviewed for our annual in-house report, general counsel at leading companies give us their views on diversity, ethics and joining the c-suite

 

LOOKING GOOD

‘When I was a young lawyer, I remember working with an outside counsel and I said to him: “What’s your job versus my job?” He said: “My job is to make you look good.” My thoughts at the time were that there has to be more to it than that, but for firms that have focused on that mission, there’s been an upside for me and them. Those with no clue, who are just looking to build their book of business, have not fared well with me.’

Wanji Walcott, senior vice president, managing counsel, American Express

 

Continue reading “The Last Word: The clients’ view”

Posted on

Calling time at the Bar – Quality fears for English judges are growing as top QCs turn away from the bench

Disillusionment within the England and Wales judiciary was laid bare by the findings of the UK Judicial Attitude Survey in February this year. Pay freezes, pension cuts and increased workload have evidently soured the mood at the bench.

The survey, carried out by the UCL Judicial Institute, indicated that 86% of judges who had been in the post for at least five years believed that working conditions had worsened since 2010. And nearly a third of judges are considering leaving their positions early in the next five years. Perhaps even more worryingly, a high proportion of judges said that reduced pension benefits (76%) and a reduction in income in real terms (69%) would discourage people from joining the bench.

Continue reading “Calling time at the Bar – Quality fears for English judges are growing as top QCs turn away from the bench”

Posted on

Fine wine and classic cars don’t necessarily make vintage investments

Chris Cole at Towry advises on financial planning.

Knowing where to invest your money can be a challenge, especially if you don’t have the time to be on top of what’s happening in the financial markets. It can therefore be tempting to invest your savings in areas
where you have a keen interest, in things like wine, art, classic cars or even violins as I heard recently.

However, while mixing hobbies and investment together may seem like a good idea, it can actually involve quite a lot of risk and may not help you achieve your long-term financial goals. Continue reading “Fine wine and classic cars don’t necessarily make vintage investments”

Posted on

News in brief – November 2015

SLAUGHTER AND MAY WIPES £600M OFF BA SUIT

Litigators at Slaughter and May have successfully struck out around £600m from a claim against client British Airways. The airline is one of several airlines facing a cartel damages action from flower importer Emerald Supplies and 564 other shippers. In October the Court of Appeal disagreed with Justice Peter Smith’s decision to adjourn a strike-out application against the economic tort claims and reduced the £1bn claim to £400m.


Continue reading “News in brief – November 2015”

Posted on

Economic recovery will not lead to decline in the disputes sector

We are delighted to sponsor the Disputes Yearbook, which now forms a central part of Legal Business’ wide-ranging and insightful disputes coverage.

There is no doubt that litigation continues to be a dynamic and rapidly developing sector of the legal market. Although there is a possibility that the improving economic climate will have a negative impact on a sector that is, to some degree, counter-cyclical, it is the rise in regulation and enforcement, and the rise in international arbitration, which show no signs of slowing and continue to drive the market.

Continue reading “Economic recovery will not lead to decline in the disputes sector”

Posted on

Legal privilege: the ripples flow on still from Three Rivers

Colin Passmore assesses a key ruling in the increasingly contentious area of legal privilege.

In June this year, the Hong Kong Court of Appeal held that the English Court of Appeal decision in Three Rivers (No.5) [2003] does not represent Hong Kong law. This is, of course, the 2003 English Court of Appeal decision well-known for the challenges it presents companies who wish consultations with their legal advisers to benefit from the protection of legal advice privilege.

Continue reading “Legal privilege: the ripples flow on still from Three Rivers”

Posted on

Latham & Watkins: Masterminding a fraud claim – the English courts as a magnet forum?

Simon Bushell

London chair of litigation, Latham & Watkins

[email protected]

The world is an increasingly small place: money travels far and fast across seemingly invisible borders converting from cash into assets, back into cash, and then back into yet further assets at the click of a button.

Continue reading “Latham & Watkins: Masterminding a fraud claim – the English courts as a magnet forum?”