PROFILE: Tom Kilroy – Misys

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The software firm’s legal head shares his unique viewpoint after a temporary stint as chief executive.

Tom Kilroy stands out in several notable regards from the ranks of prominent general counsel (GC). For one, the down-to-earth legal head of software firm Misys is one of a very select band of senior in-house counsel who have turned to social media as a means of communicating with peers.

As such, his ‘GC’s Eye View’ blog has built a considerable audience on the back of witty pieces on the realities of legal practice and the management of an in-house team, though work pressures have meant that in recent months Kilroy has turned more to commenting on the legal industry via Twitter, where he has amassed well over 2,000 followers.

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BT and Carillion to expand external legal services

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BT and Carillion have separately extended their legal arms recently to offer more external legal services.

BT Law launched in early March after the telecoms giant received an alternative business structure (ABS) licence from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). BT Law will provide services to customers in the motor claims market and will expand into other areas such as employment law and public liability.

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Barclays law chief gets £3.7m share award

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If there was any remaining doubt that the lot of the modern general counsel at a major bluechip is a challenging but increasingly well rewarded role, news last month of a controversial bonus round at Barclays should put that to rest.

The bank announced on 20 March that it was awarding nine executives a total of £40.2m in shares, with outgoing group general counsel Mark Harding receiving shares worth over £3.7m.

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Barclays begins search for new general counsel

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Barclays, one of the UK’s largest banks, has started its hunt for a new general counsel (GC) following the retirement of Mark Harding.

Harding’s decision to step down was announced in early February and comes after ten years at the bank. In a statement, the bank’s chief executive Antony Jenkins said that the rationale behind the move was ‘grounded in wanting to do what is best for the bank’.

Barclays is now looking for someone to replace Harding and to head up its group in-house department, which has over 200 lawyers. Because of the seniority of the role, Barclays said the process could take a considerable amount of time, however speculation is already rising over where the bank will find its next recruit. Continue reading “Barclays begins search for new general counsel”

Rising clout means a new kind of corporate politics for GCs

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Oxymoronic as it sounds, news that Barclays general counsel (GC) Mark Harding is to depart has been received as startling and yet not entirely a surprise. Barclays had been engulfed in a series of escalating controversies in recent years spanning mis-selling, tax advice, and – most damagingly – allegations of rigging institutional interest rates. While there has been no suggestion that Harding or Barclays’ legal team shoulders any blame, incoming chief executive Antony Jenkins has gone out of his way to signal a total break with the culture under predecessor Bob Diamond, who last year stood down as the Libor investigation generated a record fine against the bank.

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Jonathan Watmough – RPC

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Jonathan Watmough, Managing Partner, RPC

Increasingly I realise just how easy some of us in private practice have it compared to general counsel (GC) and in-house lawyers.

Law firms and their lawyers are inclined to be change resistant. Professional experience has conditioned them to be sensitised to the potential downsides arising from a course of action in preference to embracing the likely upsides. And even when they do accept that change is inevitable, often it’s a painfully slow process to effect – it’s hard enough to halt the progress of a supertanker, let alone change its course.

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The Legal Business GC Power List 2013

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Welcome to our inaugural GC Power List: a collection of 100 of the most interesting and influential in-house lawyers in business today.

This report provides a snapshot of some of the most powerful legal advisers to companies across ten key business sectors. In compiling this report, we spoke to an array of leading law firms that specialise in each industry sector and canvassed the opinion of hundreds of partners. We have not ranked individuals in order of preference, or provided subjective views on ability, but simply identify ten lawyers in each sector that every private practice lawyer should know.

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Paul Jenkins QC – The Treasury Solicitor’s Department

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Paul Jenkins QC

Her Majesty’s Procurator General and Treasury Solicitor

The Treasury Solicitor’s Department

 

Much of The Treasury Solicitor’s Department’s work consists of highly specialised public law, legislative work and providing advice to ministers. Most of this is done within its huge in-house team of 1,000 individuals, including 800 lawyers. However Paul Jenkins QC, one of the most high-profile lawyers in the country, does use a wide range of external law firms for other work, from claims handling of personal injury through to major commercial projects. TSol is currently in the process of reviewing its 48-strong panel of law firms, which has been ongoing since the end of 2011.

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Anthony Inglese – HM Revenue & Customs

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Anthony Inglese

General counsel and solicitor

HM Revenue & Customs

 

Anthony Inglese oversees a large team of 400 staff, of which around half are lawyers. He has historically used private practice solicitors for litigation and commercial work but has reduced this considerably to cut costs over recent years. However, external legal spend at HM Revenue & Customs currently stands at around £20m, with any spend on law firms being first approved by the Attorney General.

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Mark Hynes – London Borough of Lambeth

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Mark Hynes

Director of governance and democracy

London Borough of Lambeth

 

Mark Hynes is proud of his 40 lawyer-team; particularly the way he says it has embraced new technologies and cultural change, which has reduced costs, increased output and improved staff morale. He loves the political environment the public sector offers and enjoys working alongside politicians and council officers on a wide range of issues.

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