19 December 2005
The Lawyer
A good innings
On 27 June, in a story concerning the cricketing exploits of St Philips Chambers junior tenant Ed Williams, Tulkinghorn confidently predicted an England Ashes victory.
A&O keeps on top of covered bonds with Nationwide brief
Allen & Overy (A&O) has continued its domination of the covered bond market after advising on the first issue by a UK building society.
A&O launches associate career shake-up
Allen & Overy (A&O) is this week rolling out its long-awaited proposals to reform London associate career progression after a year when its attrition rate topped 25 per cent.
ABN Amro institutes legal shake-up
ABN Amro is set to radically overhaul its legal function to bring it in the line with the Dutch bank's new group structure.
Addleshaws raids DLA and Bird & Bird
Bird & Bird" /Addleshaw Goddard has hired IT and outsourcing specialist Craig Rattray (left) from DLA Piper ...
Advertisers launch protest over Olympics IP laws
The advertising industry has slammed the Government’s proposed 2012 London Olympics intellectual property laws “draconian, flawed and unwarranted”.
Beachcrofts bags Kendall Freeman partner
Beachcroft Wansbroughs has raided Kendall Freeman for a reinsurance partner.
Birchams bags TfL for Victoria revamp work
BIRCHAM Dyson Bell has strengthened its relationship with Transport for London (TfL), advising on the £500m redevelopment of London's Victoria Station.
Birchams edges closer to top 50 ranking
Bircham Dyson Bell remains on track to achieve its goal of cracking The Lawyer's top 50 league table within five years, posting a half-year turnover of £13.5m.
Bonelli on track to knock Gianni off top spot with turnover of €100m
Italy's Bonelli Erede Pappalardo is on target to boost turnover by 16 per cent from last year's figure of €86m (£57.9m) to at least €100m (£67.4m), making it the largest Italian law firm based on turnover.
Burke confirmed as Freshfields new chief exec
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has confirmed the appointment of Ted Burke as its new chief executive.
Cahill Gordon picks Hartnett as new chairman
The second most profitable firm in the US, Cahill Gordon & Reindel, has elected William Hartnett as its new chairman.
Careers: In brief
The Institute of Legal Executives (Ilex) has damned the 'small claims report' published by the Commons Constitutional Affairs Committee. Ilex president John Wells claims that an increase in the small claims limit to a £2,500 ceiling for personal injury claims would impede access to justice for the majority of claimants.
Careers: People
Stephenson Harwood has appointed former DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary commercial litigator Vincent Coppinger as a consultant in the firm's London aviation practice group.
CC and the goblet of dire
Firms are always finding new ways to encourage their lawyers to "live the values." But Clifford Chance has taken it to a new level.
Change a life
This year, for the first time, The Lawyer has augmented its annual awards-related charity fundraising with a Christmas appeal. With the invaluable assistance of our chosen charities – the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Trust and ChildHope – we hope to raise even more money to add to the £94,136 raised in June. To highlight this year’s appeal, we sent two lawyers on field visits to both charities, with all costs covered by The Lawyer. Each has written an account of the work ...
Christopher Arnull: KPMG (UK)
KPMG's associate general counsel is delighted with the new limit on auditors' liability, but with criminal sanctions before the Lords he has a lot to keep track of. By Joanne Harris
Clifford Chance partnership votes in three-tier lockstep
Clifford Chance's management is breathing a sigh of relief this week as the partnership voted in changes to its compensation structure that will see a fragmentation of its worldwide lockstep.
Collyer-Bristow loses chief to barristers' set
The chief executive of Collyer-Bristow is making a rare lateral move from being head of a law firm to head of a barristers' chambers.
Cornell to stand down as CC managing partner
Clifford Chance managing partner Peter Cornell has announced that he will not be standing for re-election when his term comes to an end.
Deals round-up
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, led by Tobias Muller-Deku, has strengthened its relationship with Deutsche Bank after advising on the bank's acquisition of Russian investment bank United Financial Group (UFG).
Dorsey in disarray as M&S tax team jumps ship to DLA
Dorsey lawyers quit after leader fails to back them for partnership; Inland Revenue cases in chaos
DWS contributes to landmark Rentokil decision
Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) has advised Rentokil on its landmark decision to freeze its final salary scheme.
Ex-Lovells man takes first head of legal role at Resolution
Insurance company Resolution has hired a former Lovells lawyer as its first-ever head of legal.
Falconer dumps pensions bill to avoid judicial attack
The Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer met the judiciary on Saturday (17 December) to try to hammer out details of judicial pensions after axing the controversial Judicial Pensions Bill.
Field Fisher loses two IT/IP stars in two days
Field Fisher Waterhouse's (FFW) respected IT and IP team was reeling last week after two partners resigned on consecutive days.
Fifty partners in Blake Dawson exit
Australian firm Blake Dawson Waldron has shed more than 50 partners in two years as the A$300m (£128m)-turnover firm tries to boost profitability on the back of the restructuring.
Finding the cure
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust funds essential gene therapy research into the treatment of the debilitating disease. Clare O'Brien meets the professors and patients.
Firm profile: Wortley Byers
Managing partner: Stephen Chandler Turnover: £3.3m Total number of partners: Nine Total number of lawyers: 26 Total number of staff: 66 Main practice areas: Company and commercial, employment, wills and probate, litigation, property and IP Key clients: Cleanaway, Countrywide Assured ...
Freshfields set for pensions revolution
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is set to curtail significantly its treasured partners' pension scheme.
General Medical Council set to slash spending with panel cuts
The General Medical Council (GMC) has announced plans to axe at least one firm from its legal panel next year in a bid to cut its legal spend.
Government role for Gaymer sparks Simmons senior partner race
Simmons & Simmons senior partner Janet Gaymer has announced she will step down next year to take up a new role as Commissioner for Public Appointments in England and Wales.
Grapevine
Brussels-based competition lawyers are under siege, with a number of US firms aggressively looking to headhunt specialists in the field.
Hammonds lawyer in Wada doping role
Hammonds sports head Jonathan Taylor has been picked as the only private practice lawyer on the World Anti-Doping Agency's (Wada) new legal working group.
Hammonds overhaul aims to revitalise firm's finances
Hammonds last week unveiled the key recommendations from its firmwide strategic review, completing a year of upheaval for the firm.
Head of legal exits disability rights group
The Disability Rights Commission's (DRC) head of legal Pauline Hughes is leaving the organisation to take up a full-time role as an employment tribunal chair. She will be replaced by the DRC's head of casework Rebecca Howard. The DRC legal department consists of five lawyers in Manchester and two in Scotland. The team takes on key cases in the field of disability rights and can also intervene as a third party, as well as working to promote disability rights awareness within the courts ...
Heller Ehrman appoints Irish mergers ace in DC
Heller Ehrman has poached Irish Competition Authority senior member Ted Henneberry to chair the firm's European practice. The director of mergers and cartels division will join Heller Ehrman's Washington DC office in January 2006. The hire is the latest in a series of high-profile additions to the firm's antitrust practice. Marc Schildkraut joined from Howrey in March, while Joseph Angland joined from Dewey Ballantine in May.
Herbert Smith opens dispute resolution arm in Shanghai
Herbert Smith is to extend its Asian dispute resolution practice to mainland China with a team in Shanghai.
Herbies' 'baseball' deal saves Winterthur $830m
Herbert Smith's insurance litigation team has saved insurance company Winterthur $830m (£468.9m) through a 'baseball arbitration' with XL Insurance.
Herbies files again
As revealed by The Lawyer (16 May), Herbert Smith occasionally likes to hoard documents. The firm was roundly castigated by Equitable Life judge Mr Justice Langley for not carrying out a full disclosure exercise in the case.
In law, no one can hear you scream
Good to know Tulkinghorn hasn't lost any of his fearsome reputation. One of the PRs at Allen & Overy recently admitted to one of the great man's scribes: "We live in fear of getting a Tulk."And so you should, my dear, so you should.
International report: Veil Jourde
Veil Jourde is one of a decreasing number of small, traditional French firms fighting for survival against the continuing invasion from the US and the UK. But despite partner losses earlier this year, managing partner Jean Veil is optimistic for the future - for both his firm and its competitors.
Judge hits out at ex-Mishcons boss for retaining documents
Former Mishcon de Reya managing partner Anthony Julius has been criticised by Mr Justice Peter Smith for failing to return documents to a former client.
KPMG and Kroll appoint DLA for retail insolvencies
DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary has won instructions from the administrators appointed to off-licence chain Unwins and music retailer MVC.
LAC saves £23k for tenant in dispute over service charge
The Legal Advice Centre (LAC) offered by the College of Law's Store Street branch has dealt with hundreds of pro bono cases since its creation five years ago.
Law firms clash with HSE over 'intimidating' solicitors
A group of law firms has found itself at loggerheads with the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) over solicitors' involvement in health and safety investigations.
Legal Widow
The Lawyer and his colleagues are quaking at the announcement that one of the nationals is going to American accounting dates. They fear the firm will follow suit (or worse, be forcibly merged), and next year they'll all be driven back into the office after Christmas for hard closes while the rest of the UK is dozing in front of the telly.
Linklaters beefs up HK with A&O derivatives hire
Linklaters has poached Allen & Overy (A&O) derivatives partner Chin-Chong Liew for its Hong Kong office. Liew will join Linklaters as its Asia head of derivatives and structured products from A&O, where he has held the position of partner since 2000.The appointment brings considerable experience in ...
Matrix adds 50th member to media team
Matrix Chambers has hired its 50th member to boost the set's media group.
McDermott hires ex-Italian ambassador to US
McDermott Will & Emery has sought to bolster its Italian presence with the hire of the former Italian ambassador to the US just months after its merger with Italian firm Carnelutti failed. The US firm has appointed Sergio Vento as a senior business adviser in its Rome office, McDermott Will & Emery Studio Legale Associato. He will offer clients advice on business development, including ...
McGrigors and Bevan Brittan win Gadget Shop spat
McGrigors and Bevan Brittan are celebrating after winning the high-profile Gadget Shop litigation for entrepeneurs Tom Hunter, Jim McMahon and Chris Gorman.
Microsoft lawyers slam 'endless' EC antitrust case
Microsoft lawyers have slammed the European Commission for charging the conglomerate with failing to comply with its antitrust ruling of 2004, complaining the competition regulator has continued to move the goalposts.
Morton comes out on top in Freshfields' leadership race
Guy Morton last week won the three-way senior partner race at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer after knocking out his London-based opponents in the first round of the election.
On-screen offspring
There's a growing trend for the daughters of lawyers. Rather than following their fathers into the profession, they turn up on the big screen starring in the latest fantasy films.
Opinion
The Government must keep business on side when it comes to changes to immigration law
Osborne Clarke scoops Carphone's OneTel deal
Osborne Clarke scooped a role advising Carphone Warehouse on its £154m acquisition of OneTel closing the deal in just ten days.
Paraskeva secures post-Law Soc role at Civil Service
Law Society chief executive Janet Paraskeva is to succeed Baroness Usha Prashar as the First Civil Service Commissioner.
Pinsents ends Dusseldorf alliance as EY Law links grow
Dusseldorf firm Hoffmann Liebs Fritsch & Partner has announced it will sever its alliance with Pinsent Masons before the year-end.
Quotes of the week
"The problem was more psychological than fundamental."
Review of the year
From Linklaters' German lawsuits to the LDA's panel announcements, this year has held its fair share of ups and downs. The Lawyer looks back at the year's biggest stories
RPC lures Hextalls professional indemnity boss
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) is strengthening its professional indemnity group with a hire from insurance specialist Hextalls. Partner Dominic Dennis-Browne was head of professional indemnity at Hextalls, having previously been a partner at Beachcroft Wansbroughs. He works with professionals including lawyers, accountants, architects, brokers and surveyors. Dennis-Browne said he ...
Shearman ramps up competition with Lovells raid
Shearman & Sterling has raided Lovells to bolster its London competition and antitrust practice with the hire of the group’s second partner.
Simmons shepherds Barclays through £5bn CLO transaction
Simmons & Simmons has advised Barclays Bank on the largest collaterised loan obligation (CLO) to be fully placed on the bond market.
SJ Berwin strategists freed up as Blake secures top job
SJ Berwin is to refocus on its strategic review and international links after Jonathan Blake was confirmed as the firm's next senior partner.
Slaughters splinters ahead of Paris handover to Bredin Prat
Slaughter and May's agreement to cede its Paris office to best friend Bredin Prat has caused an irrevocable split, with two partners set to quit before the swap takes effect.
Store Street scoops first top grade in new ratings
The Law Society has awarded the College of Law's London Store Street branch the first top grade under its new law school ratings system.
Street Survivors
In a developing nation such as Tanzania, it is all too easy to end up homeless. Jonathan Wood visits a pioneering project that helps children find a new life away from the streets
Tax gets cheaper
Tulkinghorn was delighted to be invited recently to one of the legal calendar's social highlights, Clifford Chance's Chanukah party.
The Lawyer's awards of the year
It's The Lawyer's last issue of 2005 and we'd like to nominate the following for our Christmas awards: Spats of the year: RHM and former interim legal head Kevin Mutch; Honda and Eversheds;
The same... but different
There are many partners, but as many differences in what the term means, says Adam Makepeace
The work-life quiz
Peter McLintock, head of Birmingham corporate, Hammonds
Tough blusterers
Lawyers of all shapes and sizes featured prominently on the bill of the Marriott Grosvenor White-Collar Boxing Championship last week. 20 Essex Court clerk Arron Zitver took on Richard 'Rough Justice' Williams, Investec Trust's head of legal, in an evenly-matched battle. Both did better than Manches partner Sloane Kelly, who was knocked out in the first round by Peter 'a bit ...
White & Case overhauls associate appraisals
White & Case's London office is reviewing its associates' appraisals system in a bid to reduce attrition and improve career development.
