‘There are no “diet-coke” partnerships at Freshfields’: Barry O’Brien on a new career at Jefferies

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer former corporate head Barry O’Brien last month (31 March) hung up his Magic Circle boots to move into a client development role at US investment bank Jefferies. Before joining, the former rugby playing high flyer spoke to Legal Business about diet coke partnerships, retirement, and moving away from the Magic Circle.

Continue reading “‘There are no “diet-coke” partnerships at Freshfields’: Barry O’Brien on a new career at Jefferies”

Irwin Mitchell’s departing CEO John Pickering points to ‘the changing legal sector’ as Tucker takes over

Irwin Mitchell’s longstanding head John Pickering has pointed to changes in the legal sector for his decision to step down as group chief executive (CEO), as he prepares to leave the firm and the former CEO of the firm’s personal legal services (PLS) division Andrew Tucker steps into the lead role. Continue reading “Irwin Mitchell’s departing CEO John Pickering points to ‘the changing legal sector’ as Tucker takes over”

‘We’ll see who wants to step up’ – Burch on growth, ambition and managing partners

Francesca Fanshawe talks to Addleshaw Goddard’s senior partner ahead of big strategic decisions

There is a lot riding on the strategy Addleshaw Goddard will finalise this year, with the national thoroughbred still struggling to regain its form five years after the banking crisis severely hit its practice.

Continue reading “‘We’ll see who wants to step up’ – Burch on growth, ambition and managing partners”

Those thoroughly fashionable provinces – vogue for City players to hit low-cost regions becomes the new black

Sarah Downey reports on how a regional arm became the hottest accessory for London firms

How the fashions in professional services can change. Having long disdained moving into lower-cost regions, March saw another two top 20 City players announce ‘northshoring’ ventures, with Hogan Lovells and Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) confirming moves respectively into Birmingham and Manchester.

Continue reading “Those thoroughly fashionable provinces – vogue for City players to hit low-cost regions becomes the new black”

RBS: some recovery in sight but weak demand and 5,000 surplus solicitors still define turbulent legal market

Disaggregated, wrestling with tight margins, reliant on defensive mergers and probably still with more than 5,000 un-needed solicitors in England and Wales – the good news is that there actually is some good news in a new report on the profession from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

Continue reading “RBS: some recovery in sight but weak demand and 5,000 surplus solicitors still define turbulent legal market”

Guest Post: Three Leading Indicators of Failure

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”