The rise of boutiques has been yet another development shaping the legal industry that no-one predicted. Conventional wisdom for years held that law firms should go global or specialise but that was largely in the context of mid-tier players becoming more tightly defined around a handful of profitable practice areas (which pretty much hasn’t happened either).
Continue reading “Comment: Legal boutiques – unheralded, thriving and coming after your lunch”
After looking externally for a permanent replacement for former chief executive David Stewart, Olswang has turned internally and elected intellectual property partner Paul Stevens (pictured) to the role.
Continue reading “Replacing Stewart: Olswang picks IP partner Paul Stevens as new chief executive”
Trowers & Hamlins’ former head of Bahrain construction Paula Boast has returned to Charles Russell Speechlys (CRS) as its Middle East head of construction, after spending almost nine years at Trowers’ Bahrain office.
Though one is always on dangerous ground in suggesting that anything was clear or uncomplicated in the Financial Services Authority’s Handbook and its successors, one could comfortably say that in-house lawyers were not regarded as significant influence function-holders requiring approval under the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) 2000.
Within months of announcing a combination with one of China’s biggest law firms, Dacheng, Dentons is closing down its Singapore practice as it plans to rely on its new partner’s presence in the country.
Energy giant National Grid has launched its first UK wide panel review for five years and is considering shrinking its current roster, Legal Business has learned.
Continue reading “In-house: National Grid launches UK panel review in bid to shrink roster”
Greenberg Traurig has hired real estate teams from both Allen & Overy (A&O) and Norton Rose Fulbright as it bolsters its practice in Warsaw with 12 new lawyers.
The insurance legal market continues to be hard pressed with Hill Dickinson confirming it is set to start a 30-day consultation tomorrow (14 May) which places around 30 jobs at risk.
Continue reading “Redundancy watch: Hill Dickinson starts consultation regarding 30 insurance jobs”
Gateley has revealed the details of its planned initial public offering (IPO) including its board and lock-in provisions as it publishes an intention to carry out an IPO on the London Stock Exchange this morning (12 May) and applies for admission of its ordinary shares to trade on AIM.
Continue reading “‘First mover advantage’: Gateley reveals details of IPO as it launches UK float”
In the latest round of LB100 firm promotions, Kennedys made a 75% female promotions round as three out of four of its new partners were women while both Bond Dickinson and Kingsley Napley bolstered their practices with a trio of new partners.
2014 was a year that saw the number and value of private equity (PE)-backed exits reach unparalleled highs globally. More benevolent economic and market conditions, including an increase in global M&A activity, created renewed confidence in the industry.
Osborne Clarke (OC), after being the fastest growing firm in the LB100 last year with a 26% rise in revenue to €169m, has consolidated that increase and posted another strong result for 2014/15 of €195m, up a further 15%.
EY Law is set to launch a financial regulatory practice in the City with the hire of Baker & McKenzie financial services partner Steven Francis, alongside an 11-strong team of lawyers.
After Australian-listed Slater & Gordon demonstrated the benefits of greater access to capital by using a share offer to part fund its £637m Quindell acquisition, Gateley has confirmed it is set to gain the same advantages by floating on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM listing this year.
Continue reading “Taking the plunge: Gateley set to be UK’s first firm to float”
King & Spalding’s recent recruits in the City have helped handle Californian biotech company Verseon £300m stock market listing in London while Covington & Burling advised from San Francisco.
Continue reading “Listing in London – King & Spalding carries US biotech to AIM listing”
The in-house profession has doubled in size in the UK over the last 15 years and gained once unthinkable levels of influence in delivering legal services to corporate Britain. And what have the profession and its watchdogs done to recognise that seismic shift in the legal industry, with all its far-reaching ethical implications? Pretty much nothing.
Continue reading “Comment: Going native – ethics and the modern GC”
Former education secretary Michael Gove has replaced Chris Grayling (pictured) as Secretary of State for Justice as part of Prime Minister David Cameron’s post-election reshuffle while Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher partner, Lord Falconer, has been named as the Labour Party’s opposition spokesperson for the ministry.
Scottish firm Simpson & Marwick’s well-regarded, 15-strong, family law team, including its current head Shaun George, has quit the firm to join Brodies.
Continue reading “Hiring the team: 15-strong group exits Simpson & Marwick to join Brodies”
Following the failed merger attempt between Scottish firm Simpson & Marwick and Kennedys in 2013, UK top-20 firm Clyde & Co is hoping to seal the deal this time having confirmed it is in advanced merger talks with the Scots outfit.
Continue reading “Can Clydes seal the deal? Firm in advanced merger talks with Simpson & Marwick”
Securitisation has taken a battering in recent years. A complex financing technique, little understood by the public, it was an easy scapegoat as a principal cause of the global financial crisis. For a while after the crisis it seemed as if various supervisory authorities would regulate it to the point of extinction.
