New Justice secretary Michael Gove is set for a tussle with City lawyers after floating a plan to impose a multi-million pound tax on commercial law firms to pay for the abolition of a controversial criminal court charge on guilty defendants.
Hogan Lovells wins landmark judgment in Ablyazov Supreme Court fraud case
Hogan Lovells has won a landmark judgment for its client BTA Bank in one of the largest fraud trials ever to come before the English Courts.
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Value added: report rebuffs presumptions about judicial review
While UK Prime Minister David Cameron has led a recent attack over judicial review decisions and the cost of the process, a new report has found that restrictions to legal aid have harmed the process, judicial review itself has led to improved services by public bodies and clarified the law in 86% of cases.
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Macfarlanes taps Ashurst for another real estate hire
With Macfarlanes having a made a virtue of broadening its service lines post-recession to contribute to its impressive financial performance in the last five years, it has expanded its real estate practice further with the hire of Ashurst real estate partner Gerald Kelly – its fourth real estate lateral from Ashurst in as many years.
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Linklaters and Eversheds fuel TDR Capital’s £1.3bn stake in Euro Garages
Eversheds and Linklaters have won key roles on TDR Capital’s £1.3bn investment in Euro Garages, one of the UK’s largest privately-owned forecourt operators.
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U-turn: White & Case’s LLP reverses the trend with UK/Africa offices posting 12% rise in turnover
White & Case‘s most recent limited liability partnership (LLP) accounts filed at Companies House show turnover at its UK and Africa offices increased 12% in the financial year ending December 2014.
Guest post: Out of the shadows: are institutional clients influencing lawyers to the detriment of others?
Steven Vaughan and Claire Coe have conducted a study of senior commercial lawyers for – but independent of – the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The study concentrated on ‘high impact’ [i.e. high risk in SRA terms] commercial firms working.
Herbert Smith Freehills launches first African office with Johannesburg opening
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has become the latest firm to launch in Africa with a four-partner office opening in Johannesburg.
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Dewey & LeBoeuf case could go to a retrial after jury fails to reach verdict
While acting Supreme Court Justice Robert Stolz has declared the criminal proceedings against the former executives of now defunct firm Dewey & LeBoeuf a mistrial after three weeks of jury deliberations, the case may now be headed for a retrial.
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Slater & Gordon to put non-exec director pay rise to vote at AGM
Australian listed firm Slater & Gordon will ask shareholders to vote on a pay increase for its four non-executive directors at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) next month.
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Linklaters cashes in on Chinese bond sales with central bank’s international debut
The capital markets team at Magic Circle firm Linklaters has secured four bond issue mandates from Chinese banks as China’s president, Xi Jinping, makes his first state visit to the UK.
Guest post: introducing The Legal 500 Client Intelligence Report
The world’s largest legal market survey is now live. Following months of data collection, research, interviewing and analysis, the Client Intelligence team is proud to present the most detailed ever review of the global market for legal services.
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Guest post: Selling the bill – a method to help lawyers get rid of write-offs
A few years ago the managing partner of a mid-sized London firm said to me ‘The most important role a partner has is to sell the bill to the client.’
He went on to say that most of his firm’s write-offs were due to partners doing good work for a client without the client being convinced that the work should have been done.
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Allen & Overy and Ashurst team up for Softcat listing
In another busy week for initial public offerings (IPO), Allen & Overy (A&O) and Ashurst have won key roles on the prospective IPO of UK IT infrastructure provider Softcat.
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Clifford Chance acts for UEFA head Platini in Blatter payment dispute
Clifford Chance Paris-based litigation partner Thibaud d’Alès is acting for FIFA presidential hopeful and current head of UEFA Michel Platini in a dispute over a payment Platini received from FIFA president Sepp Blatter in 2011.
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King & Spalding’s London revenues up 16% as legal headcount lifted by 40%
Revenue at the London branch of US firm King & Spalding (K&S) surged 16% to £27.2m in 2014 as the firm rapidly expanded its legal team.
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Revolving Doors: Pinsent Masons, Dentons and Mishcon make key appointments
Pinsent Masons, Dentons, Mishcon de Reya, and Crowell & Moring are among a raft of firms which have made key appointments in past weeks.
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Dechert hires insolvency partner Fleming from DLA Piper
US firm Dechert frequently turns to DLA Piper for its City hires and has done so again, recruiting insolvency partner Paul Fleming.
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A royal departure: Crown Estate general counsel Vivienne King to leave amid business restructure
The Crown Estate’s high profile general counsel and director of business operations, Vivienne King is leaving as the company undergoes a restructure of the business which will create three new executive roles.
On the move: Ince & Co cuts costs by downsizing office space
Ince & Co has signed a new 17 year office lease and will reduce costs by moving into a smaller office in Algate Tower at the end of March 2016.
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