Both Pinsent Masons and CMS Cameron McKenna have missed out on spots as nine firms were awarded places on the Scottish government’s legal services framework which is open to public sector bodies across Scotland.
In-house: Royal Mail’s GC Harnby to leave role by end of the year
Royal Mail’s general counsel (GC) Neil Harnby is due to leave his role by the end of this year, nearly two years after the postal services’ high profile and controversial initial public offering (IPO).
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Raft of firms bag spots as Deutsche Bank finalises legal panel arrangements
A host of law firms have been awarded positions as Deutsche Bank’s go-to advisers with the lender having finalised its global legal panel after kicking the process off at the end of last year.
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Teva’s $40bn generic-drug buy sees Latham & Watkins and Sullivan & Cromwell lead
Cross-border teams from Sullivan & Cromwell and Latham & Watkins have landed the lead roles on the $40bn takeover of Allergan’s generic-making business by Teva that has seen the Israeli pharmaceutical powerhouse also abandon its bid for Mylan.
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Revolving doors: Pinsents and Irwin Mitchell both hire from CRS as Gateley brings in two new partners
With the summer break fast approaching, there was a flurry in the lateral market among law firms last week as they looked to sign off key appointments. Pinsent Masons and Irwin Mitchell both turned to Charles Russell Speechlys (CRS) partners for strategic appointments while Gateley made two laterals.
Brodies’ rise continues with fifth year of revenue growth and profits up 14%
Scottish firm Brodies has once again turned in a strong financial performance, reporting a double-digit growth in both revenue and profits per equity partner (PEP) in its audited accounts for the 2014/15 financial year.
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Dealwatch: Slaughter and May and Ashurst win big on Ladbrokes £2.3bn merger with Gala Coral
As consolidation continued apace in the gambling sector following the merger of 888 Holdings and Bwin.party last week, Slaughter and May and Ashurst won key roles on Ladbrokes £2.3bn tie-up with bookmakers Gala Coral.
Bar Council finds gender parity for barristers ‘unlikely to ever be achieved’ on current trends
The Bar Council has published two reports into gender diversity at the Bar highlighting challenges facing female barristers and finding that on current trends gender parity in Queen’s Counsel (QCs) ranks will not be reached in ‘the foreseeable future’.
Charles Russell Speechlys unveils first financials post-merger as Withers sees 9% rise in revenue
On the back of speedy internationalisation plans in recent months, private client firm Withers has posted an 8.7% increase in revenues to £134m from £123m for the 2014/15 financial year while Charles Russell Speechlys has recorded combined revenues of £135m in its first financials post-merger.
Baker & McKenzie bolsters disputes with ex-Barclays financial crime chief Jonathan Peddie
Jonathan Peddie, charged with handling Barclays’ raft of litigation and government investigations work in the aftermath of the financial crisis, has been hired by Baker & McKenzie in London as a partner.
‘Tantamount to selling justice like a commodity’: MoJ looks to hike court fees again
Despite ongoing tensions from the profession over legal aid cuts and court reforms, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) continues to push its cost cutting agenda having yesterday (22 July) confirmed a fresh consultation on further court fee increases just months after raising certain civil court fees by 660%.
Insurance specialists face tough times as Ince & Co’s revenues fall 8% and Kennedys flatlines
Dealwatch: Skadden and Freshfields make the news on Pearson’s FT sale
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have both won lead roles advising on Pearson’s £844m sale of the Financial Times.
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Guest post: Who’s afraid of IBM Watson? Machine learning and the future of law
Recently in New York, Adam Smith Esq had the opportunity to invite a couple of dozen law firms to ‘An Introduction to IBM Watson’ at the brand new $1bn IBM Watson facility down on Astor Place. This is not going to be a report on that event, except insofar as it helped advance our thinking on the general concept of ‘machine learning,’ which was also the topic of a lead article in the current McKinsey Quarterly.
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Trowers UK revenues support 3% turnover growth as international offering goes into reverse
UK top-50 firm Trowers & Hamlins has recovered from the mixed set of financial results last year but is yet to match previous form as the firm posted revenues of £79.4m for the 2014/15 financial year – up on last year but still down 11% on a five year view.
Former News International adviser Abramson found in breach of solicitor practice rules as Chapman cleared
Having been plagued by allegations of cover-ups in the high profile phone hacking scandal, former News International adviser Lawrence Abramson has been found in breach of the Solicitors Practice rules by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) on one out of three accounts, while all allegations against the newspaper group’s former legal director Jonathan Chapman have been dismissed.
Frontrunners emerge at Linklaters in race for managing partner
Finance & projects head Michael Kent and global banking chief Gideon Moore have emerged as the frontrunners to succeed Simon Davies (pictured) as managing partner of Linklaters with a replacement set to be elected by November.
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A&O boosts Spanish office ranks as it hires Ashurst’s banking head
After having launched a second office in Spain last year, Allen & Overy (A&O) has continued to build its offering in the country by recruiting finance partner Juan Hormaechea from Ashurst, where he most recently led the Spanish banking and international finance department.
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Supreme Court finds conditional fee agreements in line with human rights treaty
In a decision providing certainty to recovering litigation costs, the Supreme Court has ruled that the costs regime put in place by the Access to Justice Act 1999 (AJA) complies with European Convention on Human Rights.
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Guest post: Enforcing a patent is an abuse of process, except where it isn’t
Last week the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered its judgment (16 July) in Case C-170/13 Huawei Technologies v ZTE on a matter of great concern to the standard-essential patent (SEP) community.
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