Can you remember a time when there was so much talk of more BigLaw firm failures? I can’t.
Count yourself a believer or a sceptic (and there are hard core advocates on both sides, including gleeful cheerleaders in the first camp and diehard deniers in the second camp), this is a new phenomenon on our landscape. Continue reading “Guest Post: Three Leading Indicators of Failure”
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) structured finance partner Lucy Oddy is set to join Latham & Watkins, representing a further City partner hire for the acquisitive US firm and further fallout from BLP’s beleaguered finance team. Continue reading “Latham bolsters City arm with hire of partner Lucy Oddy as BLP finance departures keep coming”
With the global arbitration market currently powered by a string of high stakes energy disputes, Thirty Nine Essex Street Chambers looks to have secured itself a trophy tenant with the London set this morning announcing the arrival of former legal director of Royal Dutch Shell Peter Rees QC. Continue reading “Former Shell legal head Rees joins Thirty Nine Essex Street”
The tally of City firms calling on salaried partners to increase their capital investment in response to new HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) rules is growing as Weightmans and Addleshaw Goddard this week confirmed they are in the process of significantly raising contribution levels. Continue reading “Capital call on salaried partners at Weightmans and Addleshaws in response to impending LLP tax overhaul”
With the blurring between criminal and civil law becoming ever more prominent, Mishcon de Reya announced last week that Alison Levitt QC, the principal legal adviser to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of England and Wales, is to join the firm as a dispute resolution partner, as other firms to announce key hires over the past few days include TLT, DWF and BrookStreet des Roches. Continue reading “Revolving Doors: Key hires for Mishcon, Penningtons Manches, DWF and TLT as NRF loses head of planning”
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has brought in a former chief executive of Cheshire and Kent County Councils, Sir Michael Pitt to succeed David Edmonds CBE as chairman when his second term expires on 30 April 2014. Continue reading “New chair for Legal Services Board at ‘key point in development of legal services market’”
Transatlantic mid-market private equity firm and UK pub owner GI Partners has announced the appointment of new general counsel (GC) and chief compliance officer (COO) David Smolen, who joins from US technology investor Silver Lake, where he was senior counsel and COO. Continue reading “Transatlantic private equity house GI Partners appoints new general counsel”
Barclays’ in-house legal team is to offer around 80 work experience placements to students from socio-economic groups under-represented in the legal profession in partnership with its panel law firms this summer. Continue reading “Barclays to offer 80 work experience places as high street bank mulls apprenticeship scheme”
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has lost another two City banking partners, with real estate finance duo Andrew Flemming and Jo Solomon set to join top 10 LB100 firm Hogan Lovells. Continue reading “Further BLP banking departures as real estate finance duo set to join Hogan Lovells”
National Express has appointed Burges Salmon’s head of corporate and financial institutions Sandra Forbes as group general counsel and company secretary, becoming the second partner at the Bristol firm to leave for a major transport role in the last few months. Continue reading “Burges Salmon’s head of corporate takes the National Express’ top legal role”
The Supreme Court will next week preside over a precedent-setting case to decide if partners of limited liability partnerships (LLPs) are entitled to whistle blower protection, following a claim brought by former Clyde & Co partner Krista Bates van Winkelhof. Continue reading “Clyde & Co alleged whistleblower case to see Supreme Court decide if partners are afforded protection”
CMS Cameron McKenna and Dundas & Wilson have placed 60 support staff roles at risk following the duo’s recently announced union. Continue reading “CMS and Dundas to cut up to 60 jobs ahead of May merger”
With the impact of the latest cuts to legal aid yet to bite, the number of practising solicitors in the UK in 2014 was revised down by 3,189 between January and February 2014, according to the latest figures from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Continue reading “End of the lawyer glut? Latest stats show fall of 3,000 working solicitors amid profession in flux”
Litigation boutique Stewarts Law has moved to rebuild its employment capability with the hire of longstanding Dentons employment partner Richard Nicolle, who joined the firm last week. Continue reading “Stewarts Law moves to rebuild fledgling employment practice with senior Dentons hire after early setback”
The long-trailed 2014 budget yesterday (19 March) brought few surprises to the legal business community, although nonetheless some disappointment, as it confirmed that changes to the way limited liability partnerships (LLPs) are taxed will be pushed through in April. Continue reading “A budget for retiring partners and firms moving offices, but disappointing news for LLPs”
While talks of the giant south-east combination between Blake Lapthorn, Boyes Turner and Morgan Cole to create a £100m firm fell through late last year with Boyes Turner withdrawing, Blake Lapthorn and Morgan Cole have announced the two will merge on 1 July to form Blake Morgan, a 120-partner firm with a joint revenue of £72m.
Continue reading “Due south: Blake Lapthorn and Morgan Cole announce July merger”
Energy giant BP, which has paid around $1bn in external legal fees in relation to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010, has announced a review of its UK law firm adviser line-up. Continue reading “With an external legal spend in excess of $1bn since 2010, BP launches panel review”
Two multi-million pound regional deals have been announced in the past week, as Wragge & Co advises Birmingham City Council on the sale of the iconic National Exhibition Centre (NEC) for around £300m and DLA Piper’s Manchester office leads on the £560m float of local success story Boohoo.com. Continue reading “Regions cash in on corporate spike as Wragges sells NEC and DLA Piper floats Manchester’s Boohoo”
Olswang has made a further senior TMT lateral on the Continent, boosting its Brussels and Paris practices with the hire of former Linklaters TMT head Sylvie Rousseau. Continue reading “Olswang brings in ex-Linklaters Paris TMT head in further hire on the Continent”
Boasting an extensive international network to push its financial services credibility, Baker & McKenzie is also extending its links with industry regulators with its latest City hire of RPC’s head of financial services and regulatory (FSR) group Steven Francis. Continue reading “Bakers bolsters City financial services and regulatory capability with hire of RPC team head Steven Francis”
