1 February 2010
The Lawyer
Farrers hire boosts commercial property
Farrer & Co has beefed up its commercial property arm with the appointment of Richard Peskin as a consultant.
20 Essex St QC joins human rights set Doughty St
Human rights barrister Tim Otty QC has left 20 Essex Street to join civil rights set Doughty Street Chambers.
A&O sets benchmark for part-time work
When Allen & Overy (A&O) announced it would allow part-time equity partners (The Lawyer.com, 21 January) City firms cried that this was nothing new.
Ashurst corporate star quits M&A for MA
Ashurst corporate partner David Kershaw will leave the firm after 28 years to go back to university.
Ashurst works magic for Merlin’s Florida buy
Ashurst has scooped a lead role on a deal that will see the development of a new $100m (£61.8m) theme park in Florida.
BP lures GC from British Gas to head ‘downstream’
Former British Gas general counsel Adrian Morris has been appointed associate general counsel for BP’s global refining and marketing division.
Castrén & Snellman
Castrén & Snellman, Finland’s oldest law firm at 122 years, likes to think of itself as a firm of principles.
City firms pitch in on MoJ law centre scheme
A group of City law firms has helped fund a Ministry of Justice (MoJ) scheme to support the South West London Law Centre (SWLLC).
Claimant media lawyers round on Govt’s 10 per cent CFA cap
Claimant media lawyers are threatening to bring judicial review proceedings against the Government after it unveiled proposals to introduce a 10 per cent cap on conditional fee arrangements in defamation cases.
Cross-selling de rigueur at Weil
New exec partner and female group pursue likeminded business development aims
Dentons introduces de-stressing initiative
All staff at Denton Wilde Sapte are to be given training in stress management in a bid to reduce the cost of ill-health to the firm.
Dewey’s corporate team bags double deal for Bank Audi
Dewey & LeBoeuf has landed lead roles on two major acquisitions by longstanding client Bank Audi.
Drill seekers
Known more for flatlands than its peaks and troughs, you must look west to find all the real energy in Canada’s business landscape.
EBRD counsel joins Saudi’s ACWA Power
ACWA Power International, a Saudi company specialising in major Middle East power and water deals, has hired Juraj Strasser to the newly created role of general counsel (projects).
FFW wins meaty DWP roles on HR, employment
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has picked up the position as sole adviser on employment and HR issues for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Fit for purpose
As legal chief for medical equipment provider and operator Asteral, Antoinette Keane and her team need to consistently prove their worth to sole client the NHS.
Flexible friends
Statistics tell you a lot, but personal stories are often more revealing.
Focus: Flexible Working - Now you see me…
Flexible working is no barrier to promotion, as these women - all working mothers at the top of their game - can testify
Latham raids W&C for banking team
Latham & Watkins has swooped on rival White & Case for a four-partner team of bank finance and capital markets partners.
LawRocks II: double the lawyers get the axe
Rehearsal studios around the country are preparing for an onslaught of lawyers as the largest-ever number of rocking legal talent gears up for LawRocks II.
Linklaters’ Paris office slashes Arcelor cartel fine by 90 per cent
Linklaters’ Paris office has scored a victory in the French Court of Appeal, acting for three subsidiaries of steel giant ArcelorMittal to reduce the fine the company received for acting in a cartel by almost 90 per cent.
Lovells Dubai recruits Hammonds refusenik
Former Hammonds Direct partner Stephen York has moved over to Lovells’ Dubai office to build a Middle East dispute resolution practice as his dispute with his former firm is understood to be ongoing.
Nicola Davies QC becomes High Court judge
Nicola Davies QC has been appointed a High Court judge to sit in the Queen’s Bench Division.
No firm is an island
Appleby enters Guernsey and Conyers Dill & Pearman follows. It’s a classic follow the leader situation right?
Old perceptions die hard as CC struggles to discard its finance tag
After a dire 2009 Clifford Chance is pinning its hopes on its young guns.
On the Move
Napthens has taken on commercial litigation partner Sean Gibbs (pictured), who joins from DWF.
Opinion: UK LEI holders need clarity over right to choose lawyer
A decision made last year by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has shone the spotlight on whether clients are entitled to choose their own lawyer to represent them when they are covered by legal expenses insurance (LEI).
Part-time schemes help firms keep female partners working
Research by The Lawyer shows direct link between flexible working take-up and female partner retention
QC aspirants think again as LSA casts pall over bar
Concerns about the future stability of the bar are having a knock-on effect on the number of barristers applying to become QCs, leading barristers have warned.
Salans elects Chateau as chairman in board rejig
Salans has named New York corporate partner François Chateau as chairman of its seven-strong revamped board, with incumbent Stephen Finch stepping down after five years in the role.
SJ Berwin lands Mazabi after real estate hire
The hire of a Spanish real estate team from DLA Piper has helped SJ Berwin bag a UK hotel deal.
Tulkinghorn: Flights of fancy
Sadly, the recession has put paid to Tulkinghorn’s own once-legendary travel budget, but many a lawyer will have pangs of sympathy for George Clooney’s character in his current hit Up In The Air.
US financial results reflect recovering economy
?Momentum is gathering in the US, with a growing number of firms reporting their 2009 year-end results over the past few days.
Wastepack names new legal director
Wastepack Group has named James Geary as its director of legal affairs and company secretary.
Wealth conscious
Private client lawyers have been proactive in response to the many recent setbacks with the launch of the Family Office Channel. Sarah Cormack and Patricia Milner explain the benefits already gleaned and the many to come from this innovative forum
Wikborg Rein ships in trio for City English law practice
Wikborg Rein has become the first Norwegian firm to practise English law in the City after adding three maritime partners to its London office.
Work Life Quiz: Dominic Griffiths, Mayer Brown
What time do you usually leave the office? Between 8pm and 9pm if I’m lucky.
