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Law Society CEO Des Hudson announces summer retirement following calls for resignation

Law Society chief executive Des Hudson has today (14 March) announced he is retiring in July after the society’s annual general meeting, just days after members of the profession called for both Hudson and current Law Society president Nicholas Fluck to resign.

Hudson joined the Law Society as chief executive in September 2006. He has led numerous high-profile campaigns, including the introduction of initiatives such as the Law Society’s conveyancing quality scheme; risk and compliance service; and the wills and inheritance quality scheme. Continue reading “Law Society CEO Des Hudson announces summer retirement following calls for resignation”

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Berlin office closure for King & Wood following partner departures and ‘strategic review’

Following signifcant movement within the German arms of major international firms of late, King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin (KWMSJB) has pointed to a strategic review of its German operations for the decision to close its Berlin office, after venture capital duo Frank Vogel and Jan Dirk Heerma resigned with the intention to set up their own boutique. Continue reading “Berlin office closure for King & Wood following partner departures and ‘strategic review’”

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Freshfields arbitration practice sees more exits as trio set up boutique in Germany

Disputes partner Christian Borris is leaving Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer‘s Cologne office at the end of April to set up a local arbitration boutique.

His former two associates, Rudolph Hennecke who left the firm a month ago, and Sebastian Kneisel who relocated from its Cologne office to Frankfurt last year, will be joining Borris as partners to set up the new practice, Borris Hennecke Kneisel, which will launch on 1 May. Continue reading “Freshfields arbitration practice sees more exits as trio set up boutique in Germany”

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Numbers game – Freshfields awards 15 partner promotions across Europe, Tokyo and New York

In the latest round of partnership promotions, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has made up 15 new partners to its ranks. While that figure does not represent a return to 2011 and 2012 levels, when 20 partners were made up, it is a slight increase on last year, when the number fell to 14. Continue reading “Numbers game – Freshfields awards 15 partner promotions across Europe, Tokyo and New York”

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‘The message from clients is clear’ – BLP chief on the thinking behind its latest New Law venture

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) this week unveiled a bold attempt to re-enforce its credentials as a ‘New Law’ pioneer, announcing the launch of a multi-strand venture that includes the launch of a new Manchester hub as part of a drive to create a comprehensive suite of options to reduce costs and improve flexibility for clients.

The ‘four-pronged approach’ will see the 786-lawyer firm consult its clients on how to improve its work processes; roll out its already successful Lawyers on Demand (LoD) service to include virtual transactional teams to back BLP clients; offer an extension of its current outsourcing and project management services, including deploying its Managed Legal Services (MLS) division; and provide the option of a low-cost centre in Manchester as an extension of its 11 existing offices. Continue reading “‘The message from clients is clear’ – BLP chief on the thinking behind its latest New Law venture”

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The student view: Davis Polk’s Will Pearce talks deal lawyering at Wall Street’s finest

London may have caught New York-based giant Davis Polk & Wardwell’s eye as early as 1973, but it’s only two years ago that the firm’s UK office launched an English law practice, following the January 2012 hire of former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer corporate partner Simon Witty and tax partner Jonathan Cooklin. Continue reading “The student view: Davis Polk’s Will Pearce talks deal lawyering at Wall Street’s finest”

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Chartered legal execs to stand on a par with solicitors in conveyancing and probate after Grayling approval

In a further step towards breaking down the traditional restraints on delivering legal services, chartered legal executives have been given the go ahead to practise independently on probate and conveyancing matters after justice secretary Chris Grayling approved the proposal last week. Continue reading “Chartered legal execs to stand on a par with solicitors in conveyancing and probate after Grayling approval”

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Tanks off our lawn – BLP aims to retake future of law turf with huge expansion of ‘New Law’ services

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has today (11 March) launched an innovative package of services for clients, which includes rolling out a lower cost team in a new Manchester office early this summer.

The four-pronged model, dubbed the Integrated Client Service Model, will see the firm analyse the systems and processes that clients need; offer them virtual transaction teams as an extension of its existing Lawyers on Demand (LoD) business; offer third parties an outsourcing service based on the type of managed legal services offering currently provided to clients including Thames Water; and access to a ‘large pool of high quality legal staff’ in Manchester.

Continue reading “Tanks off our lawn – BLP aims to retake future of law turf with huge expansion of ‘New Law’ services”

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Comment: American without tears – succession planning at the increasingly transatlantic DLA Piper

So the experiment ends as a qualified success. News of the early-timed succession planning at DLA Piper confirmed that well-regarded IP and technology partner Simon Levine is to assume Nigel Knowles’ role as co-chief executive, with Knowles next year taking on the role of co-chair in place of Tony Angel. Continue reading “Comment: American without tears – succession planning at the increasingly transatlantic DLA Piper”