A lack of trust and technical know-how are holding back legal firms from digitising their workflows — but finding the right tools can be half the battle
For most UK law firms, the 2020 pandemic drove home the power of digitalisation. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: Debunking the myths holding back digitalisation”
Deals are becoming more complex as companies increasingly use mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to pursue ambitious strategic goals and new stakeholders disrupt the market. Successful M&A lawyers must be able to combine excellent legal knowledge and process management skills with in-depth business awareness to support clients in complex transactions.
PRAGER DREIFUSS has extensive experience and a longstanding tradition in supporting clients in complex M&A transactions, including acquisitions and sales, mergers, spin-offs and joint ventures. They are part of the firm’s core business. PRAGER DREIFUSS will take the client through the entire process, from structuring the deal to its execution. Its lawyers conduct legal due diligence at a target company, negotiate the necessary agreements, set up acquisition vehicles and optimise the capital and tax structure of the deal. Throughout this process, the firm can call upon excellent interdisciplinary knowledge. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: M&A: Agility is key to support clients in complex transactions”
Join a firm where PEP means Performance Equals (more) Pay
The last two years have seen enormous growth in the legal market. With reports of record profits for many firms, particularly in the top 100, equity partners have enjoyed a considerable boost to their earnings. However, the need to resource this surge in demand for legal services has created a battle for talent and a consequent increase in the salaries of employees and non-equity partners, in order to attract and retain that talent. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: Concerned about your PEP in market uncertainty?”
Managing partner, Malcolm Simpson, explains how Walker Morris’ ambitious growth strategy has driven success
Walker Morris achieved record results last year, with a turnover of more than £60m, ending 30 April 2022, compared to £55.2m the year before. This follows four years of strong growth, with revenue increasing by almost 50% since 1 May 2017. Managing partner Malcolm Simpson explains how this follows the launch of the firm’s new strategy and what we can expect from the firm in the coming years. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: Walker Morris achieves record results through new growth strategy”
The commercial aviation sector has proved to be remarkably resilient, having weathered monumental periods of disruption in close succession with the grounding of the Max, and then the worldwide fleet as a result of the pandemic as well as the ongoing Ukrainian conflict. The effects of these crises are still with us, but air traffic numbers have been recovering quicker than many predicted, with airlines struggling to cope with passenger demand over the summer (something readers in Dublin will be all too familiar with).
However, there are undoubtedly additional headwinds facing the industry with rising interest rates, increasing fuel prices, the impact of inflation and recessionary fears likely to erode demand for travel this winter. These were some of the themes discussed at the Airline Economics Growth Frontiers London conference this September where I chaired the Banking Panel to discuss challenges, opportunities and risks for aviation banks in the current market. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: The challenges and opportunities facing the aviation sector”
Shoosmiths, Travers Smith and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners were among the major winners at the 2022 Legal Business Awards, which welcomed more than 800 guests to the Grosvenor House hotel on 27 September.
Before the Awards, in-house guests gathered for a reception to mark the launch of our annual GC Powerlist, with key representatives from FTSE 100 companies such as Adobe, FT and Vodafone in attendance. Continue reading “LB Awards and GC Powerlist UK 2022: A night to remember”
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Limited version Continue reading “Access your print copy online – LB310”
Many of the City’s lateral recruiters may have taken a half term break this week, as disputes and IP were the busiest areas in a sluggish market domestically and overseas.
The headline arrival came at Gibson Dunn, which has recruited the current president of the European Court of Human Rights, Robert Spano (pictured), into its London disputes team. Spano, who will join the firm as of counsel from the beginning of 2023, will provide expertise in digital rights, having handed down a number of landmark judgments in relation to online content moderation and freedom of expression, while his practice will also span public international law and investor-state arbitration. Continue reading “Revolving doors: Gibson Dunn hires human rights president as OC adds two London litigators”
Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) and BDB Pitmans are continuing to pursue a strategy of development through consolidation, having confirmed they are in talks over a potential merger.
After RollOnFriday broke the news of the merger talks today (21 October), the firms said in a joint statement: ‘Leading transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson and leading UK firm BDB Pitmans confirm that they are in early discussions around a potential merger. Both firms regularly review opportunities to advance the best interests of their clients and their respective firms. Womble Bond Dickinson and BDB Pitmans are focused on where they see the greatest opportunities for a merged business, including those offered by complementary practice areas and office locations. Continue reading “Womble Bond Dickinson and BDB Pitmans table merger”
Earlier this year, Legal Business sat down with Freeths’ disputes partner James Hartley to relive the headline-grabbing Post Office litigation.
The litigation was born out of a high-profile scandal, in which more than 700 postmasters and sub-postmasters were handed convictions after a computer software system, called Horizon, incorrectly reported missing money in various Post Office branches between 2000 and 2014.
Kirkland & Ellis has cemented its commitment to building its European infrastructure practice with its fourth magic circle hire in two months.
Clifford Chance’s co-head of infrastructure Toby Parkinson is the latest of the City elite to move to the US rival to bolster its infrastructure coverage. This follows the arrivals last month of Allen & Overy’s former global co-head of infrastructure, Sara Pickersgill, and infrastructure funds partners James Boswell and Paul Sampson from Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy, respectively. Continue reading “Revolving Doors: Kirkland secures another Magic Circle head as US class action specialist launches Manchester boutique”
Mere weeks after being declared Management Partner of the Year at the Legal Business Awards, Osborne Clarke (OC) has today (19 October) announced that longstanding UK leader Ray Berg is being replaced by corporate partner Conrad Davies.
Davies, who is also international head of OC’s urban dynamics group, will assume the position of UK managing partner on 1st January 2023 after being elected by the firm’s partnership.
Continue reading “‘I’ll do it my way’: OC elects Davies as UK leader, replacing much-admired Berg”
There is a globetrotting feel to this week’s lateral hires roundup, as global moves in India, US and Canada offset a more muted London market.
The headline City arrival came at Proskauer Rose, where Frazer Money joined the tax department. A partner for five years at Kirkland & Ellis, Money adds to the firm’s expertise in tax issues relating to private investment funds. In particular, his focus is advising asset managers on tax and structuring issues. Continue reading “Revolving Doors: Proskauer brings in Kirkland tax partner as Dentons secures India tie-up”
DLA Piper has appointed IP litigation partner Ruth Hoy as its next London managing partner, succeeding the longstanding Tom Heylen.
The move came during a considerable time of change for DLA after the firm last week announced that German partner Benjamin Parameswaran would be replacing the respected London partner Bob Bishop as global co-chair of its corporate practice. Continue reading “New brooms for DLA as Hoy named London managing partner and Bishop replaced as corporate co-chair”
Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) has been called up to a new-look legal team for Qualcomm as it defends itself from a class action brought by UK consumer charity Which?.
The dispute hinges on a Which? claim that wireless technology company Qualcomm breached competition law, and in doing so inflated the royalties paid by smartphone manufacturers for Qualcomm’s technology, which in turn led to increased prices for customers. Continue reading “NRF called to Qualcomm’s £480m class action defence as Quinn’s London team drops out”
It’s been a busy week for London laterals, as firms have bolstered their transactional and regulatory teams.
King & Spalding has strengthened its London corporate, finance and investments practice with the additions of Amit Kataria from Morrison & Foerster and private equity partner Paul Barron, a rare departure from Scottish corporate firm Dickson Minto. This continued the firm’s push to boost its City transactional practice following the hires of energy sector partner Nina Howell and finance partners Richard Kitchen and Amin Doulai from Paul Hastings in August. Continue reading “Revolving doors: King & Spalding adds two in London as City firms bolster financial regulatory expertise”
In its latest attempt to stave off financial turmoil, Ince Gordon Dadds has agreed to sell its Gibraltar business to two employees for £700,000.
The firm has conditionally agreed to sell Ince Gibraltar Limited and Ince Consultancy Gibraltar to Peter Howitt, director of Ince Gibraltar, and Heather Adamson, head of fiduciary for Ince Gibraltar. The pair have already paid £300,000 upfront as a deposit, with the rest to follow in four equal quarterly payments, providing the sale is finalised. Continue reading “Ince to divest Gibraltar business, Germany and Singapore arms up for restructure”
More than 1,100 law firms have secured spots in the latest UK Legal 500 rankings, which rank the best law firms and lawyers across the nation.
The Legal 500 UK Solicitors 2023 rankings, which launched yesterday (28 September) after months of extensive analysis of the UK legal market involving thousands of interviews, show 1,119 firms have achieved rankings, 550 of which are ranked in London. Continue reading “Clifford Chance, HSF and A&O score most individual lawyer rankings in London as Legal 500 2023 Solicitors Guide launches”
