With the hue and cry about big data, artificial intelligence and law being accentuated by all the talk around Watson/Ross, I was interested to see this thoughtful, carefully carried out and documented piece of research into the qualities of brief writing before the US Supreme Court from US political scientist Adam Feldman.
Trainee retention: Allen & Overy keeps on 86% of autumn 2015 cohort as Linklaters manages 46 out of 55
Rounding out the Magic Circle retention rates, Allen & Overy has announced an 86% retention rate for the trainee intake qualifying in September 2015 while Linklaters is keeping on 84%.
Dealwatch: Freshfields and Arthur Cox line up on Paddy Power and Betfair’s merger
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Arthur Cox have taken the lead roles today (26 August) as Paddy Power and Betfair announced they had agreed a possible merger in a £5bn deal.
Continue reading “Dealwatch: Freshfields and Arthur Cox line up on Paddy Power and Betfair’s merger”
Marriott Harrison emerges as suitor for McClure’s London corporate partners
City firm Marriott Harrison is in talks with a team of London corporate partners at McClure Naismith as more firms emerge as possible homes for lawyers at the beleaguered Scottish outfit.
Continue reading “Marriott Harrison emerges as suitor for McClure’s London corporate partners”
On a roll: BPP picks up another client as White & Case switches from ULaw
In a further blow to its client roster, White & Case has ended its training contract deal with The University of Law (ULaw) and switched to rival BPP Law School.
Continue reading “On a roll: BPP picks up another client as White & Case switches from ULaw”
Guest post: The truth about corporate welfare
Students of the relationship between business and society will, of late, have encountered a new discourse, that around corporate welfare.
Continue reading “Guest post: The truth about corporate welfare”
Ashurst rebuilds in the City with Skadden’s former global private equity co-head Lascelles
Having lost a string of London-based corporate stars in the last two years, Ashurst is making efforts to enhance its offering once more with the hire of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom’s former global private equity co-head Shaun Lascelles.
Dealwatch: Slaughters and Freshfields lead as Zurich bids £5.6bn for UK’s RSA
Magic Circle duo Slaughter and May and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have won roles as Switzerland’s Zurich Insurance Group bids to buyout its FTSE-100 listed rival RSA for £5.6bn.
Continue reading “Dealwatch: Slaughters and Freshfields lead as Zurich bids £5.6bn for UK’s RSA”
We don’t need no education: Kaplan Law School to close in 2016
After having seen several clients turn to other legal practice course providers, Kaplan Law School has announced that it is set to close at the end of 2016.
Continue reading “We don’t need no education: Kaplan Law School to close in 2016”
In-house: Barclays picks Simon Croxford to fill expanded deputy GC post
Less than six months after returning to Barclays‘ HQ in Canary Wharf, Simon Croxford has been selected to replace the banking giant’s outgoing deputy general counsel (GC) Michael Shaw.
Continue reading “In-house: Barclays picks Simon Croxford to fill expanded deputy GC post”
‘We are not where we wanted to be’: Bakers falls behind DLA as revenue drops $100m and PEP dives 12%
Baker & McKenzie has fallen behind rival firm DLA Piper in the stakes to be the biggest global law firm after its worldwide revenues dropped 4% to $2.43bn in the fiscal year ending 30 June 2015.
A&O, Fieldfisher and Squires lose out as National Grid unveils new slimmer legal panel
Energy giant National Grid has revealed a new legal panel, further slimming down its roster to just 12 firms – a reduction of nearly 50% over its last two reviews.
Trainee retention: CC keeps on 96% of trainees as three of BLP’s cohort take places internationally
Clifford Chance (CC) has revealed a trainee retention rate which outpaces its Magic Circle rivals to have announced so far with the firm keeping on 96% of its cohort. Meanwhile Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) managed a rate of 71%.
Revolving Doors: Norton Rose Fulbright takes Hogan Lovells partner as Squires builds in Germany and BLM makes a senior hire
Despite the summer break being upon us, law firms have continued to invest in their recruitment strategies. Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) continued to build its Hong Kong offering by hiring a partner from Hogan Lovells, while Squire Patton Boggs turned in-house and BLM scored a ‘major coup’.
Completing the set: Morgan Lewis takes another two partners from K&L Gates in City structured finance push
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius has recruited two further partners from K&L Gates, adding to the three already to have made the move in July, as the US firm builds its City securitisation offering.
Strike no more: Solicitors call off legal aid protest after 52 days
Solicitors and barristers have called off their legal aid strike after 52 days as a ‘gesture of goodwill’ to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) following discussions over further cuts to fees.
Continue reading “Strike no more: Solicitors call off legal aid protest after 52 days”
City moves: BLP looks to broaden insurance offering with Clyde & Co’s Quirk
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has boosted its insurance practice and expanded its regulatory offering by recruiting Clyde & Co’s leading insurance partner Geradline Quirk.
Continue reading “City moves: BLP looks to broaden insurance offering with Clyde & Co’s Quirk”
Scottish stalwart McClure Naismith looks for merger as it ‘lacks the scale needed to compete’
One of Scotland’s oldest commercial legal practices, the Glasgow-based McClure Naismith, is looking for a white knight merger as it reviews its options after finding the firm ‘lacks the scale needed to compete’.
‘In control of our own destiny’: Burness Paull staff get 7.5% bonus as firm posts double-digit revenue and profit growth
As McClure Naismith reveals its difficulties in the Scottish market today (20 August), Burness Paull has shown it is not all doom and gloom for independent Scottish firms by posting double-digit growth in both turnover and profits, with revenues increasing by 11% to £51.3m and profits up 12% to £23.2m.
After 30 years of Appold Street, Ashurst set for new City location in 2019
Ashurst is set to move its entire London operation to a new location at 1-10 Brushfield Street in Spitalfields in 2019 after having shifted its Sydney-based operations last month.
Continue reading “After 30 years of Appold Street, Ashurst set for new City location in 2019”