Tim Coleman, a Washington DC-based disputes partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, died suddenly yesterday (3 November), after almost six years at the firm.
Continue reading “Freshfields mourns death of veteran US litigator Tim Coleman”
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.
Maly departs Latham to join former colleague Sloan at MoFo
US firm Morrison & Foerster has hired from Latham & Watkins‘ London corporate team again, this time appointing partner Vladimir Maly. The move follows the recruitment of former Latham private equity heavyweight Graeme Sloan in July.
Continue reading “Maly departs Latham to join former colleague Sloan at MoFo”
US laterals arrive like buses for Linklaters as New York hires second partner in a week
Linklaters’ New York office is on a lateral hiring spree by its own standards, with the Magic Circle firm following up its first US lateral in two years with its second in a week.
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”
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.
Sharing the pie: DLA Piper launches meritocratic remuneration review
While other major firms break their locksteps to bring in high-profile recruits, DLA Piper is going the opposite way, launching a review of its remuneration structure to encourage greater cross-selling throughout the firm.
Continue reading “Sharing the pie: DLA Piper launches meritocratic remuneration review”
BT kicks off strategy review to overhaul internal function
BT’s in-house legal team has begun a wide-reaching strategic review on how to change its internal structure to bring its lawyers closer to the business, while the telco also prepares for its next panel review.
Continue reading “BT kicks off strategy review to overhaul internal function”
AI and the law tools of tomorrow: A special report
Global 100 quartet line up as Shire continues acquisition spree
Ropes & Gray, Slaughter and May, Davis Polk & Wardwell and Sullivan & Cromwell have all picked up advisory roles as pharmaceutical group Shire moves to buy US firm Dyax.
Continue reading “Global 100 quartet line up as Shire continues acquisition spree”
Dentons to vote on new union with Australian and Singaporean firms
Dentons announced last night (2 October) it intends to create a tripartite union with Australian firm Gadens and Singaporean firm Rodyk & Davidson, subject to partner approval.
Continue reading “Dentons to vote on new union with Australian and Singaporean firms”
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”
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”
Brodies hires Freshfields partner Fountain amid double corporate hire
Scottish firm Brodies is taking its private equity offering up a gear by hiring Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Karen Fountain as part of a double lateral hire into its corporate group.
Continue reading “Brodies hires Freshfields partner Fountain amid double corporate hire”
Moore chosen as Linklaters’ next managing partner
Global head of banking Gideon Moore has been selected as the next managing partner of Linklaters, pipping dispute resolution head Michael Bennett and Asia managing partner Marc Harvey to the post.
Continue reading “Moore chosen as Linklaters’ next managing partner”
Ropes & Gray promotes two new London partners in global round of 17
Having been increasingly focused on growing its City offering through lateral hires and expanding into new practice areas, Boston-based Ropes & Gray has promoted just two associates or 12% to its City partnership ranks from a reduced global round of 17.
Continue reading “Ropes & Gray promotes two new London partners in global round of 17”
Latham & Watkins: Masterminding a fraud claim – the English courts as a magnet forum?
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.
CMS: Crowdfunding litigation – power to the people?
When the people of France gave the Statue of Liberty to the US in 1886, they left it to the people of the US to fund the acquisition of a site and build the pedestal. Fundraising proved difficult until the publisher of the New York World started a campaign that attracted over 120,000 donations, most of which were less than a dollar.
Harneys: British Virgin Islands positioned to become an international arbitration centre
The British Virgin Islands’ (BVI) Arbitration Act 2013 came into force on 1 October 2014. It is a landmark piece of legislation which is expected to propel alternative dispute resolution in the BVI into high gear. The BVI is now well-positioned to become a leading jurisdiction for international arbitration. The Act incorporates these main features:
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan: Party-appointed arbitrators, impartiality and a perceived need for change
It is an old adage that the quality of any arbitration as a method of dispute resolution is only as good as the arbitrators themselves. The lack of substantial scrutiny over the arbitrators’ decision rests on the assumption that the parties wish to avoid any extensive review of the arbitral award by the courts at the seat of the arbitration (or indeed anywhere else).