1 August 2011
The Lawyer
Arab Spring clean for Trowers’ IT
The revolution in Egypt earlier this year has led Trowers & Hamlins to overhaul its IT disaster recovery systems.
Arbitration ruling shields London status
There was a collective sigh of relief last week as the Supreme Court overturned an appellate court ruling to find that arbitrators cannot be classed as employees and therefore are not subject to UK equality rules.
Ashurst pushes for ‘yes’ vote on Blakes tie-up
Ashurst is edging closer to a merger with Australian outfit Blake Dawson as the UK firm’s management presses for a vote in early autumn.
Ashurst, Dickson Minto, Weil secure £579m ERM purchase
Ashurst, Dickson Minto and Weil Gotshal & Manges all landed roles on Charterhouse Capital Partners’ $950m (£579m) acquisition of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) from Bridgepoint Capital.
Because they’re worth it? Why firms use buy-backs
Buy-backs can be an effective tool to retain partners. But as Joshua Freedman asks: are they just bodge-it jobs?
Burger this
“Why tarrieth thou in McDonald’s?” was what one of Tulkinghorn’s spies asked himself as he cooled his heels in the Chancery Lane branch of the well-known burgermongers recently.
Capsticks’ expansion continues in Leeds
Capsticks is set to open an office in Leeds, representing the latest move in the healthcare specialist firm’s national expansion strategy.
Centre of attention
Singapore is holding its own in the competitive South East Asia market, as evidenced by a steady stream of law firm arrivals. Joanne Harris reports
Dechert, DLA Piper sign off Moonpig takeover deal
Dechert and DLA Piper were the lead firms advising on PhotoBox’s £120m purchase of online cards retailer Moonpig.com.
FFW to overhaul board as Europe remit grows
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has launched a constitutional review to revamp its members’ agreement and reflect its growing European footprint.
Firms agonise over pitching as NHS squeezes panel rates
Low partner rates have emerged as a key issue in a panel review for one of the NHS’s largest consortia covering London and the Midlands.
Government legal roster put on hold as services review delayed
The Government Procurement Service, formerly known as OGC Buying Solutions, has delayed a review of its legal services framework agreement by 11 months, with the new roster now due to come into place in May next year.
Herbies keen on South Korea launch
Herbert Smith has emerged as a hot favourite to be among the first international firms to open an office in South Korea after sending a high-level delegation of M&A and energy partners to explore opportunities in the country.
Home broker
Charles Winter maintains that self-insurance is a viable option for law firms
Howard Kennedy finally bares all
Howard Kennedy chief executive Mark Dembovksy is pushing through what he calls a strategy of “openness and trans-parency”, which has seen the firm release its financial results for the first time.
Independents lose out as lateral hiring spree reshuffles German law firm pack
Independent and international firms have been waving farewell to a large number of partners in a month of heavy lateral hiring in Germany.
Kennedys partner sacked as police probe alleged £1m theft
A partner at Kennedys has been dismissed from the firm and is facing a police investigation following allegations that he stole close to £1m from a client.
L’Afrique, c’est chic
It’s foothold time in Africa.
Lexcase
LexCase is designed around innovation.
Market value
With PI rates remaining within reach for the majority of law firms, Sandra Neilson-Moore fights the corner for a commercial insurance market when the ARP is scrapped in 2013
McGrigors lays foundations for Sheffield regeneration project
McGrigors has advised a pair of housing companies on a joint venture with Sheffield County Council that will see 2,500 homes built across 19 sites.
Medicine man
Simon Rajgopaul is the sole cure for all the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s legal ills.
On the move
Southampton firm Paris Smith has bulked up its offering with two new partners.
Professional indemnity
Law firms of all sizes, and in particular smaller practices, will have to be fully armed with transparent, firm-specific information on their risk profiles once the PI revolution takes effect.
Quinn-win situation
Quinn Emanuel has taken the litigation market by storm since its City launch - but attaining the next level is going to be the real test for the US giant’s London outpost
Renewal policy
Firms need to embark upon a voyage of self-discovery in preparation for their PI renewal dates. Martin Ellis and Colin Taylor reveal the measures required to satisfy the increasingly picky underwriters
SJ Berwin admits fault for student all-nighter
he Lawyer’s exclusive story last week about the SJ Berwin summer student who was ’asked’ to work until the early hours of the morning has divided opinion across all levels of the legal sector.
Solicitor takes time out to pull for glory
A couple of weeks ago on the cool, green waters of Switzerland’s Lake Lucerne, four men made history.
Specialist firms break with tradition to take on banks
Upstarts step out of the ’conflict shadows’ to boldly go where the magic circle fears to tread
Unwelcome gifts
The SRA’s decision to defer scrapping the ARP is a hammer blow to the profession, says Mark Casady
US trio digs deep for BHP Petrohawk buy
US heavyweights Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Sullivan & Cromwell have lined up to advise on BHP Billiton’s $12.1bn (£7.4bn) purchase of Petrohawk Energy Corporation.
Work for friends or family should be business as usual
Work Life Quiz: Richard Smith, Manches
What was your first-ever job? A multi-tasking summer job in a department store in Watford involving waste collection and disposal, operating the customer lift and being a sales assistant in the linens department. I won Employee of the Month.
