Home entertainment company Virgin Media has completed the overhaul of its executive following its £15bn acquisition by Liberty Global in 2013, announcing Mine Hifzi as its general counsel today (17 March).
Numbers game – Freshfields awards 15 partner promotions across Europe, Tokyo and New York
In the latest round of partnership promotions, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has made up 15 new partners to its ranks. While that figure does not represent a return to 2011 and 2012 levels, when 20 partners were made up, it is a slight increase on last year, when the number fell to 14. Continue reading “Numbers game – Freshfields awards 15 partner promotions across Europe, Tokyo and New York”
Comment: American without tears – succession planning at the increasingly transatlantic DLA Piper
So the experiment ends as a qualified success. News of the early-timed succession planning at DLA Piper confirmed that well-regarded IP and technology partner Simon Levine is to assume Nigel Knowles’ role as co-chief executive, with Knowles next year taking on the role of co-chair in place of Tony Angel. Continue reading “Comment: American without tears – succession planning at the increasingly transatlantic DLA Piper”
Comment: Paradigm shift vs recession – responding to a sceptical reader
We recently posted a comment piece addressing the issue of whether the forces impacting on the legal market represent a permanent structural shift or are just the result of a horrendous recession. Dry stuff that will leave the professional pulse unmoved for most, but still pretty fundamental to whether law firm leaders should start launching their Lawyers on Demand rip-offs and outsourcing anything that moves in a desperate attempt to future-proof their business.
One professional observer felt I was underplaying the level of permanent change facing the profession, and was kind enough to send me some research they have produced in the area. Continue reading “Comment: Paradigm shift vs recession – responding to a sceptical reader”
Comment: Where do you want your firm to be in 2020? How short-termism has come to define the modern law firm
To judge from the way law firms behave – it’s helpfully instructive to ignore what they say – the answer to the rhetorical question of the above headline is: ‘Who gives a fig?’
Consider the following facts and ask yourself what philosophy of management underlies and ties all law firms together:
Axiom hires new UK MD from LexisNexis in senior leadership reshuffle and BT fills competition GC role
In the wake of its latest high profile outsourcing deal with BT, Axiom, arguably the most touted alternative legal services provider, is to boost its senior management team with the hire of LexisNexis’ director of legal markets, Nick West, as incumbent Al Giles moves into a more senior role as executive vice president, head of regional markets.
West is to take the role of managing director of the UK business at Axiom, which Giles, who will continue to be UK-based, has held since he was brought in from Linklaters to launch the US group’s London office in 2007. Continue reading “Axiom hires new UK MD from LexisNexis in senior leadership reshuffle and BT fills competition GC role”
FTSE 100 leadership: BG Group’s Vinter takes over as head of GC100 as Centrica’s Dawson steps down
Recognised as a heavyweight among in-house advisory and lobbying groups, BG Group’s general counsel (GC) Graham Vinter has taken over as chair of the GC100 group, which brings together the most senior legal representatives from over 80 of the UK’s FTSE 100.
Vinter, who succeeds fellow energy giant Centrica’s GC and company secretary Grant Dawson, was voted in on 14 January and will now head a high-level executive committee responsible for the overall strategic direction of the GC100. Continue reading “FTSE 100 leadership: BG Group’s Vinter takes over as head of GC100 as Centrica’s Dawson steps down”
Guest post – Client retention: give credit where credit’s due
Winning a new client for the firm—there’s little that can match that for excitement, sense of accomplishment and visible contribution to the firm. More so if the client is big or prestigious. A pitch is often a hard-fought battle against many worthy foes. There are numerable, maddening unknowns in pitching a new client: which lawyers at which levels should be presented? What’s the optimal pricing? What services will distinguish your firm from the others? etc., etc. Continue reading “Guest post – Client retention: give credit where credit’s due”
In-house: Shell finds internal replacement for Rees as it picks Ching as legal head
Energy giant Royal Dutch Shell has this time found an in-house replacement legal director Peter Rees QC, today (10 February) announcing former Singapore legal head Donny Ching as its new legal director with immediate effect.
UK-qualified Ching, whose most recent role was general counsel for Shell’s project and technology business replaces litigator Rees, who surprised many when he announced his departure last month – three years after joining Shell from Debevoise & Plimpton.
NRF unveils rise in bank loans to £55m but drop in net debt as South African partner appointed as global chair
Norton Rose’s last pre-Fulbright & Jaworski merger limited liability partnership accounts reveal that the top 10 LB100 firm’s bank loans rose from £47m to £55m during 2013, with the amount repayable within one year up from £3.3m to £16m, although its net debt has been cut by over two thirds.
The firm, which this week named South African chairman Sbu Gule as its new global chairman, was in 2013 due to repay £34m of bank loans in between two and five years, up on a figure of £4,830 in 2012. Continue reading “NRF unveils rise in bank loans to £55m but drop in net debt as South African partner appointed as global chair”