While the replacement of the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights was delayed, the Queen’s Speech today (27 May) laid out the new Conservative government plans for the next year including transferring tax and spending powers to Scotland, plans for an in-out EU referendum and the resurrection of the Snoopers’ Charter after being mothballed by the Liberal Democrats in 2012 during coalition.
Asia: KWM relocates partner trio to launch in Singapore as Quinn opens in Shanghai
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has hired Kirkland & Ellis partner Samuel Williamson as it looks to launch an office in Shanghai targeting Chinese enforcement work while King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) also expanded in the region, officially opening in Singapore.
Weightmans’ growth slows but still manages 2.5% revenue increase to £89.2m
National firm Weightmans today (26 May) announced a modest revenue increase of 2.5% for the 2014/15 financial year to £89.2m from £87m, demonstrating a slowing growth rate compared to last year.
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Revolving doors: Simmons welcomes back a partner from Cadwalader as Nabarro hires from McGuire Woods
Last week saw a range of firms bolstering key practices areas with a capital markets partner returning to Simmons & Simmons, Nabarro building its disputes resolution group, Jones Day hiring a team in The Netherlands while Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) made a significant appointment.
Linklaters reveals NQ salaries of £68,500 – under Slaughters but tops it with 3 year PQE band
Linklaters has revealed its salary bands for junior lawyers in London with newly-qualifieds (NQs) receiving a £3,500 pay bump to £68,500 while those with three year post-qualified experience (PQE) had a 5% increase to £98,500.
Shakespeares and SGH Martineau confirm merger for 15 June – set to create new £75m national player
Creating Shakespeare Martineau, Midland firms Shakespeares and SGH Martineau have confirmed they will merge on 15 June with Andy Raynor (pictured, right) acting as chief executive.
EY’s legal march continues with former Addleshaws managing partner Devitt and corporate specialist Thomas
Just over a year after Paul Devitt stood down early as managing partner of Addleshaw Goddard, he is due to leave the firm along with fellow corporate partner Richard Thomas for big four accountancy firm EY.
A $5.7bn settlement: Bank quintet admit market manipulation guilt
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) yesterday afternoon announced that five major banks have made a collective settlement of $5.7bn (£3.6bn) to bring a close to investigations which have seen a raft of firms pick-up work including Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Clifford Chance.
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Guest post: HMRC – Taking stock and keeping public confidence
Back in February Labour announced that it would, if it took power, begin an ‘immediate and independent review into the culture and practices of HMRC with regard to tax avoidance.’ This politicisation of the question whether HMRC retained public confidence diffused the logic of the demand.
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Launching in Luxembourg: Bird & Bird targets Unified Patent Court work with new office
Bird & Bird has made an application to open in Luxembourg as it targets work heading to the new European Unified Patent Court (UPC).
‘A city of significant interest’: Reed Smith launches in Frankfurt with raid on US rivals
Nearly a year in planning, Reed Smith has opened its second German office with seven partners arriving from Mayer Brown; Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe; Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Jones Day to launch the firm in Frankfurt.
Moving to Manchester: Freshfields signs lease on Arndale House and appoints centre director
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed Anup Kollanethu as centre director for its combined legal and business services centre in Manchester having signed a lease for space in Arndale House.
Strike action: Network Rail turns to Eversheds for legal challenge over rail workers’ looming walkout
Eversheds has been instructed by Network Rail on its legal challenge to the TSSA union in an attempt to limit disruption should talks regarding a planned rail strike this bank holiday weekend fail.
CMA seeks permission to appeal after RPC-client’s victory in Eurotunnel case
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said it will seek permission to appeal a decision by the Court of Appeal last Friday (15 May) which overturned a ban on Eurotunnel-owned and RPC-client MyFerryLink’s right to operate between Dover and Calais.
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Financial results 2014/15: Dentons UKMEA sees revenues rise by 6% as net profits climb 18%
Dentons UKMEA LLP is understood to have increased its revenues by 6% to £155m in the 2014/15 financial year, while net profit rose by 18% to £34m.
£70,000 NQ salary: Hogan Lovells matches Slaughter and May as legal salary race reaches new heights
Hogan Lovells has bumped up the salaries of its newly qualified lawyers by £5,000 to £70,000 in a move that will see it again match the salary on offer at Magic Circle firm Slaughter and May.
Financials 2014/15: Browne Jacobson posts second year of double digit growth with 17% rise in turnover
Browne Jacobson has, for the second year in a row, posted a rise in turnover of over 10% with the firm generating £58.9m in the 2014/15 financial year – up 17% from last year’s £50.2m
Harnessing ‘new technologies’: Dentons launches NextLaw Labs to boost innovation
Dentons has launched a collaborative venture, NextLaw Labs, focused on developing, deploying and investing in new technologies and processes for the legal profession in a bid to ‘drive innovation in legal services, more responsiveness and greater value’.
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Taking off: Luton airport appoints TFL’s Swati Paul as new general counsel
London Luton Airport has appointed TFL’s Swati Paul as its new general counsel, the first in-house appointment since Spanish airport operator Aena acquired the UK’s fifth biggest airport in 2013.
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Guest post: An EU referendum Bill – what would it entail?
It is reported that the government’s EU Referendum Bill will be published the day after the Queen’s Speech – see, for example, The Guardian 19 May. This Bill will not be the first Bill to seek a referendum but, this time, it is a government commitment and was a clear manifesto commitment.
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