Michael Gove’s performance before the justice select committee on Wednesday was a skilful one. Thoughtful, reasonable, non-dogmatic – two months into his time as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, he continues to win plaudits simply by virtue of not being Chris Grayling.
WilmerHale review set to shut City branch to refocus on Mayfair arbitration team
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr is set to close one of its two London offices, with its 10-lawyer transactional outpost in the City currently being reviewed amid expectations that the office will be wound down. The review is likely to result in the US law firm refocusing its London practice heavily around its arbitration team at its existing Mayfair office, according to two current partners.
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KWM downplays Europe in 36-strong partnership round with only two made up in the City
King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has made up just two London partners, focused on boosting its real estate offering, in an expanded global promotions round this year that saw 36 lawyers join the partnership.
Dealwatch: Herbert Smith Freehills leads on winning bid for £4.2bn Thames super-sewer project
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) have advised the consortium picked to deliver a £4.2bn super-sewer stretching 15 miles under London to prevent untreated sewage flowing into the Thames.
Bird & Bird’s turnover climbs 6% to €325.5m but stays flat in sterling
Tech specialist Bird & Bird, despite stating that it has faced ‘challenging economic conditions in many of our major markets’, has posted a 6% rise in revenues to hit €325.5m.
Continue reading “Bird & Bird’s turnover climbs 6% to €325.5m but stays flat in sterling”
Strike action: Criminal Bar Association votes to support solicitors in legal aid protest
The Criminal Bar Association of England and Wales (CBA) has voted to support solicitors in their strike action over the 8.75% cut to legal aid fees that was imposed at the start of July this year.
Legal Services Act to be reviewed as Gove says regulators are in danger of ‘falling over each other’s feet’
In an appearance in front of the Justice Select Committee this morning [15 July], Lord Chancellor Michael Gove (pictured) has confirmed plans to review the Legal Services Act 2007 as he pitched what he would like to achieve as Justice Secretary.
Shearman boosts arbitration practice with partner hires in London and Hong Kong
In a fillip to its international arbitration practice, Shearman & Sterling has hired the US Department of State’s Jeremy Sharpe (pictured) in London and Nils Elisasson in Hong Kong from Nordic firm Mannheimer Swartling.
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‘We need to harness the best of our people to really drive profitability’: DLA Piper appoints its first UK managing partner from the regions
Birmingham-based Sandra Wallace (pictured) has been appointed DLA Piper’s next UK managing partner, the first time that the position has gone to a partner outside the City.
‘The BSB needs to be unafraid to be radical’: Bar regulator looks to overhaul training
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is looking to carry out the ‘most sweeping reforms to Bar training in a generation’ after research found that parts of the current system were viewed as ‘an absolute disgrace’ and ‘exploitative’.
Greenberg Traurig lands Olswang’s Berlin office to open in Germany
Greenberg Traurig has launched its first office in Germany with the mass hire of Olswang’s 50-strong lawyer team in Berlin.
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Getting a grip on the ‘slippery ladder’ – Reed Smith’s Tamara Box on women and law
Imagine, in sequence, a football player, a surveyor, a figure skater and a managing partner of a law firm – all without gender association. Were you able to do that? Now imagine a carpenter. When you have that image settled in your mind, tell me the colour of her hair.
Revolving doors: Magic Circle duo lose international players while Morgan Lewis continues City advance
The past week has seen Allen & Overy (A&O) and Clifford Chance (CC) lose senior lawyers internationally as Morgan Lewis & Bockius bulked up in London with a three-partner hire from K&L Gates. Continue reading “Revolving doors: Magic Circle duo lose international players while Morgan Lewis continues City advance”
Comment: The Gospel according to Matthew – can CC live up to the legacy?
Will the real Clifford Chance (CC) stand up? It is, after all, a key moment for what was not that long ago the world’s most influential law firm but working out what it stands for now can be a challenge.
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200 judges claim discrimination over UK government’s planned pension cuts
Some 200 judges have taken the first step towards suing the UK government, claiming that changes to the judicial pension scheme that will cut the amount paid to those born after 1 April 1957 are discriminatory.
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Shoosmiths grows revenues 10% to pass £100m mark and return to pre-financial crisis high
National firm Shoosmiths has returned to its pre-financial crisis highs, breaking the £100m mark in revenues for the 2014/15 financial year and profit per equity partner (PEP) jumping 44% to £416,000.
Travers Smith posts record results as turnover crosses £100m boundary and PEP reaches £935k
City outfit Travers Smith has become the latest UK law firm to post strong results for the past financial year, registering a 9% rise in revenue to break the £100m boundary.
O’Melveny hires new European corporate head from White & Case as it makes moves in burgeoning private bond market
With €31bn in debt having been issued through private placements (PP) in Europe in 2014, O’Melveny & Myers has made a strategic move in the sector by hiring White & Case PP specialist Andrew Weiler to heads up its European M&A and corporate finance practice.
Guest post: The innovation perspective – get the right end of the telescope
Innovation is a word much bandied around in the law without always a clear idea of what it means. Many lawyers or PR people have called me up over the years to proclaim their latest exciting innovation, only for me to point out that plenty of people have been doing the same thing for ages.
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UK to strengthen global grip on financial disputes with autumn launch of specialist banking court
Given that it has long been a part of the sales pitch for English courts that they have the specialist judges to handle complex commercial matters – and London’s status as one of the world’s leading finance centres – it’s strange that it has taken this long. But it has been confirmed this week that the UK is to create a financial court to handle major banking disputes at The Rolls Building in London.