Disputes Yearbook 2014
City departures continue for Edwards Wildman as Osborne Clarke recruits IP partner
Osborne Clarke has become the latest firm to dip into Edwards Wildman Palmer’s dwindling London partnership, and has recruited IP specialist Ben Goodger who is understood to have resigned from the US firm last week.
‘With our deep gratitude’: Olswang’s CEO Stewart resigns
Olswang’s chief executive officer David Stewart has stepped down from his role after seven years leading the firm, either as chief executive or managing partner, and is currently considering his options.
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Baker & McKenzie ups its bet on Saudi Arabia with second office
Baker & McKenzie and its Saudi Arabian association Legal Advisors, Abdulaziz I Al-Ajlan & Partners, are set to open a second office in Saudi Arabia with a launch in the country’s commercial centre Jeddah.
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‘More flexible models’: Simmons launches contract lawyer service with Adaptive
Simmons & Simmons has become the latest firm to jump on the innovation bandwagon with the launch of a high-end contract lawyer service for its major clients.
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News in brief – October 2014
LORD CHANCELLOR ACTED ‘UNLAWFULLY’ IN LEGAL AID CONSULTATION
Kingsley Napley and 11 KBW last month acted for the London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association and the Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association in their successful challenge against the Lord Chancellor’s failure to disclose the contents of two reports during the legal aid reforms consultation process. The Treasury Solicitor instructed Blackstone Chambers’ James Eadie QC and Fraser Campbell, and 4 New Square’s Richard O’Brien on the case.
The partnership dilemma – A special report on leadership in law in the age of disruption
Life During Law: Jeremy Hoyland
I always wanted to be an architect. Unfortunately I’m very messy and that’s a bad combination. Building useful things, such as bridges and roads, would be a great job.
My father was a history teacher and my favourite subject was history, but I knew I was never going to be a history teacher as I could see what it was like for him. I did law to keep my options open and was offered a job by Simmons, which felt like a phenomenally well-paid job. It wasn’t my life plan.
Revolving Doors: Pillsbury and K&L Gates expand international corporate and finance practices, while Pinsents and TLT focus on UK
Outside the UK, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman and K&L Gates have expanded their corporate and finance practices respectively, while in the City, Pinsent Masons boosts its energy team while TLT grows corporate.
‘We cannot take things for granted’- jobs at risk as Shepherd and Wedderburn acquires Tods Murray from administrators
Scottish LB100 firm Shepherd and Wedderburn has acquired out of administration the business and assets of 158-year old Tods Murray, in a deal closed late on Friday (3 October).
Serious misconduct increasing – SRA disciplinary matters facing solicitors rise by half
An increasing number of solicitors are facing disciplinary matters with the Solicitors Regulation Authority opening 90 new disciplinary proceedings from January to August this year, compared to 58 during the same period last year.
Guest post: Full of sound and fury on human rights – the Conservative’s British Bill of Rights
The Conservative plan for a ‘British Bill of Rights and Responsibilities’ is finally being made clear today. The tone of the proposals is harsh and uncompromising, and politically calculated to be. Lawyers will be shocked, and yes, some of their clients will be worse off. Tory Eurosceptics and tabloids will be jubilant, and potential UKIP voters impressed.
‘A critical step’: Paul Hastings takes top Milbank high yield partner as it builds leveraged finance team
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy’s high-yield finance lawyer Peter Schwartz is leaving to join Paul Hastings in London, in a bid to boost the firm’s capital markets and leveraged finance capability in Europe.
Lateral hiring in the Caribbean and the Channel Islands
Philip Jennings of JLegal discusses these key jurisdictions and the opportunities (and challenges) of moving offshore.
The first thing to state is that the sub-heading above defines the importance of Cayman, Bermuda, BVI, Jersey and Guernsey. These are key jurisdictions in the global legal market and the original locations for the major offshore law firms which now have offices in myriad other locations, including in Asia and the Middle East. They are still where those firms have most of their lawyers and where most of their work originates from. The transactional and contentious work carried out under, and sometimes because of, the laws and regulations of these countries is always high value and cross-border, involving the Magic and Silver Circle firms on a regular basis. Sometimes the premier City or US firms will instruct the offshore firms on part of a deal or case but also some of the most prestigious clients directly instruct the offshore firms, including global banks and financial institutions, ultra high-net worth individuals, trust companies and funds.
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The Friday Edit: Geffen quits Appold St, the accountants are coming again and human rights factions mainline the moral high ground
Welcome to the latest instalment of our weekly recap of interesting things that happened in law land this week.
‘Chinese law firms are underestimated’: Q&A with Roger Parker, managing partner for EMEA at Reed Smith
Reed Smith’s managing partner for Europe, Middle East and Asia, Roger Parker, discusses international expansion, Chinese law firms and trying to get more corporate work.
‘We can minimise the gap between business advisers and legal counsel’: EY admits Singapore boutique into network
As Big Four accountancy giant EY continues to grow its legal services offering, it has today (2 October) announced it has brought Singaporean boutique firm PK Wong & Associates into its global network as an independent member.
An attractive proposition
MARKET VIEW – ARBITRATION
Manfred Heider, secretary general of VIAC, talks to Zeiler. Partners’ Gerold Zeiler about how recent changes to the institution’s rules will maintain its position as a key location for European disputes
Gerold Zeiler, zeiler.partners: With a growing number of arbitral institutions, why should a party use your institution?
Manfred Heider, Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC): The VIAC is one of Europe’s leading arbitral institutions and serves as a focal point for the settlement of commercial disputes in the regional and international community. VIAC was founded in 1975 as a permanent arbitral institution of the Austrian federal economic chamber and has since then enjoyed a steadily increasing caseload from a diverse range of parties spanning Europe, the Americas and Asia. Situated in a neutral country in the heart of Europe, VIAC offers its services for the settlement of international disputes. The arbitral proceedings are individually designed according to the parties’ requirements and meet the highest quality criteria.
Three years after Northern Rock, A&O and Freshfields lead on Virgin Money IPO
Magic circle duo Allen & Overy (A&O) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have won roles to advise Virgin Money on its forthcoming London initial public offering (IPO).
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