12 November 2007
The Lawyer
Your friendly neighbourhood Law Soc
It appears the Law Society has finally got its act together when it comes to representing the needs of its more commercial members.
A CC world of difference
Why hire an expensive creative agency to botch it up when you can get your own lawyers to do the job for virtually nothing?
A&O and Freshfields boost US associate bonuses
Allen & Overy and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer yesterday announced their new bonuses for US associates.
BAE just wants to comply
When Philip Bramwell inherited BAE Systems' legal team in January it was chaos. It had one of the smallest in-house groups of any FTSE100 company, nobody knew who they reported to and it relied unhealthily on its law firms.
BAE 'resets' legal dept in wake of SFO inquiry
Defence giant BAE Systems has revolutionised its legal team, creating 15 new roles, including the company's first-ever global compliance chief and its first lawyer in Saudi Arabia.
Baker aims to be shaker in Big Apple
Is there no end to the litany of firms chasing “significant” growth in New York? The latest culprit? Baker & McKenzie. Last month, Bakers held its annual partnership conference in London, a recognition of the fact that the city is now home to the super-global firm’s largest office.
BLG hires FSA lawyer for regulatory team
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) has strengthened its financial services regulatory team with the hire of a lawyer from the Financial Services Authority’s (FSA) enforcement division.
BLG scoops Fladgate head of employment
Fladgate Fielder head of employment Adam Lambert is to join Barlow Lyde & Gilbert’s (BLG) employment practice.
Bloxham decision puts paid to Freshfields claim
The last age discrimination claim against Freshfields has been withdrawn after the firm's victory against former partner Peter Bloxham.
BLP plugs gap in market with swoop on Dorsey for tax expert
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has continued its strategy of ramping up its tax practice by hiring star tax partner Liesl Fichardt from US firm Dorsey & Whitney.
Bonelli's new Rome office is fit for a king - and 30 more lawyers
Bonelli Erede Pappalardo has ditched its dual offices in Rome in preparation for a move into a single building at the end of November with space for 30 additional employees.
Cads: hiring, not firing
Any Cadwalader associates out there can, it seems, rest easy. The US firm known for having one of the largest structured finance practices in the country is not looking to lay off anybody. Not now, not later.
Cash in hand
German legislation is being changed in recognition of the importance of cash pooling. Karl Maria Walter and Andreas Lindner explain
CC dedicates £10m of hours to pro bono
Clifford Chance is looking to recruit a full-time pro bono lawyer after dedicating £10m worth of billable hours to pro bono work in the 2006-07 financial year.
CC feels the NY sub-prime pinch
New York's leading structured finance groups were braced for a round of layoffs last week after Clifford Chance let go six associates, as first reported on www.the lawyer.com (6 November).
Chadbourne-Watson Farley merger talks collapse
Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) and US energy powerhouse, Chadbourne & Parke have abandoned merger talks.
Chadwick LJ returns to the bar at One Essex Ct
Court of Appeal judge Lord Justice Chadwick has today (12 November) retired from the bench to rejoin his old chambers One Essex Court.
Cherie Booth QC: Matrix reloaded
She's moved out of No 10, but not out of the limelight. Cherie Booth QC reveals what's next on her agenda
Cherie says 'no' to US special relationship
In her first newspaper interview since leaving No 10 Downing Street, Cherie Booth QC of Matrix Chambers has shunned the lure of the US dollar and pledged her future to the UK legal system.
Clearer definition will help firms' CSR commitments
It intrigues me how people in the legal profession frequently use the terms 'pro bono', 'volunteering' and 'CSR' as an interchangeable commodity.
Cleary's London associates miss out on promotions
The London office of US firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has been overlooked in the firm’s latest round of promotions.
CMS appoints first director of operations
CMS has further integrated its nine firm network with the appointment its first director of operations.
Colour bind
How refreshing to see lawyers from Clifford Chance actually doing some proper work for a change. Around 300 partners, assistants and staff took most of Friday (2 November) off to paint, clean or build stuff in schools in New York and Washington DC. And the next day a bunch of them were at it again.
Dechert builds Paris corporate team with Morgan Lewis raid
Dechert has beefed up its Paris corporate and securities practice with the hire of Morgan Lewis & Bockius partner Stephan Alamowitch.
DLA Liverpool hit by trio of departures
DLA Piper’s Liverpool office will see a wave of departures over the next few weeks, with exits from senior members of the corporate, employment and property litigation teams.
DWS boosts African network with Algerian, Rwandan allies
Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) has underscored its dedication to Africa with the launch of two new alliances on the continent.
Editor's Blog from The Lawyer Summit 2007
Day 2, 3.20pm: Burges Salmon has a lot to answer for. The firm sent all the delegates a nice little freebie last night in the shape of a torch.
Eversheds scoops HSBC credit card disposal
Eversheds has advised HSBC on the £385m sale of two of its credit card businesses, Marbles and Beneficial, to SAV Credit, which specialises in loans to so-called near-prime customers.
FFW grows derivatives with Citigroup head
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has boosted its derivatives practice with the hire of Joseph Carrico, the former head of legal services for trading at Citigroup.
Financial services and pensions
The European financial services market has gone through major change this year with the implementa-tion of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (Mifid). The directive has been making a slow entry in individual member states, something that will hamper its smooth running for a number of years to come.
Financial Services: Passport control
The failure of many EU states to implement Mifid hasn't stopped the European Commission from trying to push through the new regulations, says David Heard
Financial Services: Trading flaw
It's time for the FSA to toughen its stance on insider dealing, say Richard Lissack and Farhaz Khan
Firm profile: iLaw
"We're often asked what the 'i' stands for in iLaw," says managing director Justin Ellis. "It doesn't stand for any individual word, but rather represents a number of concepts that are important to us."
Five partners quit PLMJ after merger strategy row breaks out
Leading Portuguese independent firm PLMJ is bracing itself for the departure of five partners and their entire teams, after a dispute over the law firm's strategy.
Forsters acts on invista development
Forsters has exchanged contracts for long-term client Invista Real Estate on a town centre redevelopment in Carmarthen.
Freshfields and Travers bag roles on Close Brothers buy-out
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Travers Smith have landed key roles on the latest potential union of two City financial institutions.
Germany
Germany's legal market has come of age, particularly for the large Anglo-Saxon law firms that have mostly shed the puppy fat of their former German merger partners and have adjusted to the game.
Germany's equal measures
Germany's Act on Equal Treatment brings discrimination laws under one blanket, but it will potentially increase the burden for companies, warns Michael Leue
Gibson Dunn gives London first promotion for four years
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher’s London office has seen its first promotion to partnership for four years.
Graf overhauls management
Graf von Westphalen, the German independent firm associated with Wragge & Co, has voted to overhaul its management board and to streamline its leadership.
Group calls for regional administrative courts
A judicial working group has recommended that there should be four regional centres of the administrative court outside of London.
Halliwells bolsters private client practice
Halliwells has boosted its private client team with the appointment of Irwin Mitchell partner Paul Hirst.
Hammonds secures acquisition for new client Endless
Hammonds has advised new client Endless on the acquisition of Lancashire Chemical Works via a management buy-in led by Endless candidate Richard Sykes.
Hill Dickinson team defects to Nexus
Nexus Solicitors has snared a Hill Dickinson corporate and insolvency restructuring team. New partner Andrew Tongue, associate Paul Warburton and administrator Alisha Hackney will spearhead a new department at Nexus. The addition of the new team follows Nexus's office expansion in June, which saw the firm double its space in order to accommodate growing staff numbers.
Horizon names first general counsel
Offshore financial services group Horizon has appointed David Ibbotson as its inaugural general counsel, with responsibility for compliance and all client matters.
India: open for business
Som Mandal, managing partner at Fox Mandal, explains why he supports the liberalisation of the Indian legal market.
Irwin Mitchell anticipates good times ahead in shifting legal landscape
PI powerhouse looks to Legal Services Act reforms to improve revenue streams. By Katy Dowell
Jones Day scoops Tao from DLA Piper
Former DLA Piper Beijing managing partner Jingzhou Tao has joined Jones Day’s Beijing office as a partner.
Keeping the US at bay
As the US flexes its muscles beyond its own borders and seeks to enforce its economic sanctions laws in Europe, British businesses face stark choices.
Law Soc steps up campaign against China's AIM restrictions
The Law Society is stepping up its lobbying campaign after unsuccessful talks with the Chinese government failed to change rules that appear to prohibit Chinese companies from listing on AIM.
LG launches Dubai office
LG has become the latest London firm to launch an office in Dubai.
Linklaters names new tax head
Linklaters’ global head of tax Guy Brannan is standing down after two terms in the role, with partner Yash Rupal set to take on the position.
Linklaters reunited with DIC after Freshfields conflicted out
Linklaters reunited with DIC after Freshfields conflicted out" /Linklaters has won back Dubai International Capital (DIC) as a client, completing two mega-deals for the emirate's investment arm in one week.
Links Cologne reopens under Oppenhoff banner
Linklaters' abandoned Cologne operation will relaunch independently as Oppenhoff & Partner.
Loble closes boutique for Collyer Bristow move
Litigation boutique Loble Solicitors has closed after its founder, Steven Loble, quit the firm to join Collyer Bristow.
London shunned in Milbank promotions
The London office of Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy has missed out in the firm’s latest round of promotions.
Lord Goldsmith urges increase in pro bono work
The former attorney general Lord Goldsmith has called on law students and lawyers to make pro bono an inherent part of legal professional life.
Lovells hands Young second term as senior partner
Lovells has re-elected John Young as the firm’s senior partner after he stood unopposed for the position.
Lovells looks to right its rungs
Remember Lovells' lockstep review? Remember how it dragged on and on? Remember how at the end of it all senior partner John Young said: "I've undertaken to partners that we will not be opening this debate up again in the future."?
Lovells moots giving vote to non-equity partners
Lovells is looking at opening its LLP to non-equity partners, effectively giving the entire partnership voting rights within the firm.
Lovells pro bono chief calls for more
The pro bono sector has matured over the past decade to focus on individuals and not-for-profit organisations requiring civil legal advice as well as traditional human rights cases.
Lupton promotes non-lawyer to associate
Leeds firm Lupton Fawcett has promoted one of its former secretaries to associate, capping off an unconventional career path for marketing manager Jackie Parkhill.
Magic circle muscles in on AIM as value skyrockets
Ashurst, Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), DLA Piper, LG and
Matheson establishes electricity market
Irish corporate firm Matheson Ormsby Prentice has worked alongside the UK's Wragge & Co to establish a single electricity market for Ireland.
Michael Mclaren: Fountain Court
What's the best thing about your job?Flexibility of working hours (which, translated, means the ability to choose which anti-social hours to work).
Mining: a new lease of life
South Yorkshire's traditional coal and steel industries are back in vogue, as the demand for energy increases and North Sea gas reaches its end. And local lawyers are reaping the rewards.
Mishcon snares Sears Tooth partner
One half of the partnership at matrimonial boutique Sears Tooth has defected to major rival Mishcon de Reya.
Morgan Lewis scoops Norton Rose partner
Morgan Lewis has snared a corporate finance equity partner from Norton Rose.
Morris wins second term as DWS chief exec
Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) chief executive Howard Morris has been re-elected for a second term.
New leadership for Ashurst's Dubai office
Ashurst has a new managing partner for its Dubai office, with corporate partner Nick Bryans taking over from incumbent Paul de Cordova.
Olswang lands bdo's chiltern purchase
Olswang has acted for longstanding client BDO Stoy Hayward on its acquisition of Chiltern Public Limited Company's tax advisory and consultancy business.
Olswang to make 10 redundant in real estate
Olswang is set to make 10 people redundant from its real estate department.
Osborne Clarke boosts fee income 18 per cent
Income continued to rise at Osborne Clarke, which reported 18 per cent growth in fee income for the first six months.
Pedal tests the mettle
Allen & Overy (A&O) has espoused the 'healthy body, healthy mind' ethos with its new building housing a fancy-pants gym and bike racks and showers for staff who cycle to work.
Penny Francis elected LG senior partner
LG managing partner, Penny Francis, will replace Bill Richards as the firm’s senior partner.
Pensions: Debt tough
Section 75 debts are proving a hard nut to crack for the Department of Work and Pensions. Chris Close reports
People moves
- Former Smithson Clarke lawyer Michael Smithson has launched Smithson Law Firm in Newcastle, which will specialise in commercial property, rural business, joint ventures, debt recovery and service charge collection. Smithson Clarke was dissolved by the partners on 30 September following a decision to establish three new firms from 1 October. The ...
Pinsent Masons hires two to boost regulatory team
Pinsent Masons has hired two associates into its partnership to boost the regulatory offering in the firm’s corporate group.
Pinsents rebounds with double IP hire
Pinsent Masons has recovered from Mishcon de Reya's raid on its IP team with hires from national rival Addleshaw Goddard and the BBC.
Playing the penalty
On Rugby World Cup final day, Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) invited all its international and UK panel firms to a day of boozing and rugby.
Resurgent Camerons prepares to go further under CMS banner
One CAN understand why CMS Cameron McKenna might be suffering from an identity crisis at the moment.
Riding the wave of change
The career ladder of today's successful law firm partner is not linear. Whether it is becoming managing partner, practice leader, new partner or leaving altogether, there are many transition points along the way.
Sets merge in face of legal aid cuts
Criminal and fraud set 15 New Bridge Street is to merge with commercial fraud and money laundering specialists Lombard Chambers before the end of the year.
Shearman & Sterling
With the launch of its organic growth strategy, Shearman & Sterling's London office hopes to offer improved career prospects to associates and trainees.
Silver circle half-year growth outstrips magic circle
Silver circle firms Ashurst, Herbert Smith and SJ Berwin have outperformed the magic circle during the first half of the year.
Simmons boosts revenue 16 per cent
Simmons & Simmons has increased fee income 16 per cent from £143m to £143m at the half-year stage.
Simmons nets Lovells corporate rising star
As part of its strategic focus on equity capital markets (ECM), Simmons & Simmons has scored one of Lovells' up-and-coming corporate partners.
Singapore review group says no to full liberalisation of legal market
Following recommendations by a review committee to the government, Singapore is not expected to give the go-ahead for a full liberalisation of the country's legal services sector.
SJ Berwin appoints new head of real estate
SJ Berwin has appointed partner John Vivian as the new head of the firm’s real estate practice group.
SJ Berwin gets planning go-ahead for Northern Gateway port project
SJ Berwin has helped PD Ports secure planning permission for the Northern Gateway, a £300m deep-sea container terminal in Teesport, North East England.
SJ Berwin in move to address retention
SJ Berwin head of real estate Bryan Pickup is stepping down from his role as departmental chief to head the firm's graduate recruitment and retention efforts.
SJ berwin scores Nordic fund double
SJ Berwin has established Scandinavian funds for Industri Kapital and Segulah, with values of £1.16bn and £375m respectively.
Slaughters and Nabarro bag LandSecs demerger
Slaughter and May is advising Land Securities on corporate aspects of its three-way de-merger that the company announced yesterday (15 November).
Squire Sanders bags Speechly finance head
Squire Sanders & Dempsey has recruited Speechly Bircham's head of finance Andrew Knight.
Stephenson Harwood Asia strategy pays off
Stephenson Harwood has landed a lead role advising on a significant UK investment by an Indian company.
Sue Woodman: Alchemy
Alchemy’s non-traditional approach to private equity keeps its partnership counsel Sue Woodman on her toes. Margaret Taylor reports
SullCrom bags Olivant role on Northern Rock
Sullivan & Cromwell is the latest firm to be drafted in on the Northern Rock saga, with the New York M&A behemoth advising investment group Olivant on the potential purchase of a minority stake in the beleaguered mortgage lender.
Survey reveals fifty per cent slump in individual pro bono hours
The number of hours individual lawyers dedicate to pro bono work has almost halved in the past five years, new research commissioned by the Law Society has found.
Taking the rough with the smooth
The City loves a good old game of golf - great news for corporate lawyers when their clients fancy a day on the fairways. But not so great news for Stephenson Harwood.
Taxing times
German tax reforms will come into play on 1 January next year, but what do the changes mean for business?
Taylor Wessing powered by 55 per cent finance growth
Taylor Wessing posted a 16 per cent growth in its top line to £77.7m for the first half of this year.
TRIC shot
Last week (5 November), The Lawyer revealed news of Norton Rose's new international strategy to focus on Turkey, Russia, India and China.
Up for the downstroke
When you are a respected partner at a firm such as DLA Piper the expectation is that when you move it will be to somewhere with a standing equal to or greater than your current firm.
Web week
In case you missed it, last Wednesday (7 November) was National Ban Bullying at Work Day and National Stress Awareness Day. But celebrating them at the same time is quite stressful, as lawyers at Stephenson Harwood may well know.
WFW enters Athens for renewable energy push
Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) has launched an office in Athens to focus on its global renewable energy capabilities.
Wilberforce secures offshore specialist
Commercial and chancery set Wilberforce Chambers has raided XXIV Old Buildings for offshore litigation specialist Clare Stanley.
Wish you were here
16-Nov-2007Wish you were here
