Taylor Wessing has lost two senior London partners as UK telecoms head Patrick Clark moves to head the legal team at one of the firm’s clients, City-headquartered global e-invoicing network OB10, and longstanding construction heavyweight Helen Garthwaite joins LB100 firm Wedlake Bell. Continue reading “Taylor Wessing City duo leave to head legal at client OB10 and boost construction at Wedlake Bell”
‘Difficult quarter’ for Citigroup as it discloses 33% increase in Q1 2014 legal spend
Citigroup has joined a raft of global financial institutions that have declared a substantial rise in their legal spend, up by 33% in the first quarter of 2014 compared to the same time last year, according to the bank’s financial report released yesterday (14 April). Continue reading “‘Difficult quarter’ for Citigroup as it discloses 33% increase in Q1 2014 legal spend”
ABS latest: Kent Legal Services to open the bidding in search for a JV partner this summer
Kent County Council‘s legal arm is seeking ‘expressions of interest’ from potential alternative business structure (ABS) joint venture partners in advance of a formal procurement exercise to launch this summer as part of the council’s wider programme to raise funds.
With an external legal spend in excess of $1bn since 2010, BP launches panel review
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.
Firms have been asked to tender for a place on the FTSE 100 company’s new roster, pending the expiry in May of a three-year panel put in place in 2011. The review will be completed towards the middle of 2014.
With an external legal spend in excess of $1bn since 2010, BP launches panel review
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”
Adviser reviews: Irwin Mitchell replaced by Shakespeares on National Grid’s UK panel after review
Top 30 LB100 firm Irwin Mitchell has lost its place on energy giant National Grid’s legal panel, following a review by UK general counsel and company secretary Karen Clayton. Continue reading “Adviser reviews: Irwin Mitchell replaced by Shakespeares on National Grid’s UK panel after review”
Clydes, Kennedys and Auntie Beeb latest to back legal apprenticeship drive
Today (7 March) marks the end of the 7th National Apprenticeship Week, an initiative coordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, which this year has seen announcements about the launch or expansion of legal training programmes by Clyde & Co, Kennedys, the BBC and Oldham Council.
Continue reading “Clydes, Kennedys and Auntie Beeb latest to back legal apprenticeship drive”
Eyes on the prize: RFU to commence first law firm panel overhaul in six years
The Rugby Football Union (RFU)’s legal spend may be overshadowed by the majority of City clients but the prestige of advising a major sporting body means sports practices in the City are likely to be lining up when it launches its first panel review in over six years.
The review, which will be led by recently-promoted head of legal Angus Bujalski, will take place soon after the RFU has completed the hire of an additional commercial lawyer to its team. Bujalski took over as head of legal in November after previous incumbent Polly Handford left for sports boutique Couchmans.
Continue reading “Eyes on the prize: RFU to commence first law firm panel overhaul in six years”
PwC forms new law firm in Canada one month after obtaining ABS status
In the first major development since PricewaterhouseCoopers last month received authorisation from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to become an alternative business structure (ABS), the accounting giant announced on 1 March that it has formed a new law firm in Canada by tying up with Toronto immigration outfit Bomza Law Group.
The new firm will be called PricewaterhouseCoopers Immigration Law, and Christopher Kong, national managing partner of PwC Canada’s tax services said: ‘With a range of global employment opportunities and the related complexities to employees and employers, an immigration law firm affiliated with PwC provides an opportunity to help our clients with the mobility of their people.’ Continue reading “PwC forms new law firm in Canada one month after obtaining ABS status”
BT selects Axiom for global legal outsourcing and analytics contract
Jobling steps aside as head of volume business BT Law
An innovator long at the vanguard of transforming the traditional in-house legal function, BT in February entered into a three-year contract with Axiom to provide the telecoms giant with legal outsourcing and analytics services across the UK, US, Africa, Middle East and Asia, replacing and extending a contract formerly held by legal process outsourcing (LPO) provider UnitedLex.
All work previously undertaken by UnitedLex, which includes 30% of BT’s global services division’s legal work in the UK, transferred to Axiom on 1 February after a successful tender process that concluded towards the end of 2013.
Continue reading “BT selects Axiom for global legal outsourcing and analytics contract”