19 October 2009
The Lawyer
20 Essex Street to set up shop in Singapore
London set 20 Essex Street will break with tradition by expanding its international practice via an office opening in Singapore.
Bakers remembers former London head
Baker & McKenzie has paid tribute to its former London managing partner Russell Lewin, who died last week aged 51.
Can A&O and CC break US firms’ stranglehold on Euro high-yield?
Magic circle firms have much to prove if they hope to challenge Latham, says Julia Berris
CC chief Childs plans to take a scythe to management layers
The victor in the race to become Clifford Chance’s next London managing partner could have a short-lived reign, if plans being drawn up by global chief David Childs are actioned.
Cult of responsibility
Cynics, begone. So much for all those glum predictions that the recession will put paid to law firms’ fancy corporate responsibility (CR) programmes.
Dentons takes role for Chinese quartet after Standard Bank tip
Denton Wilde Sapte has advised four Chinese banks on a $1bn (£630m) loan to Standard Bank of South Africa.
DLA Piper breaks into Latin America
DLA Piper is opening an office in Brazil to function as a springboard into the rest of Latin America.
Eastwell to join Links spin-off firm
Linklaters’ former capital markets head Nick Eastwell is joining Kinstellar, the Central and Eastern European (CEE) practice spun off by the magic circle firm in November 2008.
Eversheds aids MoJ on prison PFI framework
Eversheds has been instructed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to help it establish the procurement framework for its multibillion-pound newbuild prisons PFI programme.
Firms’ recovery optimism tempered as training contract criteria is made ‘stricter’
Graduate recruiters are resolutely positive about the forthcoming milk round season, despite law fair marketing budgets being squeezed in light of the recession.
Focus: German earnin’
German practices have increased their profitability considerably over the past few years, but are there signs they may have reached a peak?
For your eyes only
Mediators need to have confidence in the confidentiality of the process, says Jon Turnbull
Hogan-Lovells: strong arm of the law
The Hogan & Hartson-Lovells merger talks, potentially the precursor to one of the all-time largest US-UK combinations, have got the markets gassing on both sides of the Atlantic.
IBA Conference: in the internet age face-to-face meetings still reign supreme
This year’s International Bar Association (IBA) Conference has been hailed as one of the busiest ever.
Just Costs Solicitors
?Just Costs Solicitors is hardly your typical law firm. At first sight the limited company that holds itself up as the country’s leading costs recovery business would hardly fit snugly alongside its cousins in The Lawyer’s UK top 200, even if it is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Kaplan first to introduce BVC admissions exam
Students wanting to study the BVC at Kaplan Law School will be made to sit an admissions test in what will be the first of its kind in the country.
Kennedys boosts partnership with cross-practice hires
Insurance heavyweight Kennedys has hired three lateral partners.
Kurt Geiger fills GC gap with Burberry lawyer
Kurt Geiger has appointed Iolanda Tursi to head its legal department after the luxury shoe retailer’s former general counsel left to join the pharmaceuticals sector.
Lawyers hail corporate as most promising area
Corporate and litigation lawyers are the most likely to see an upsurge in work over the next six months, according to a survey of City partners carried out by search firm Nicholas Scott.
Max Property Group calls on Taylor Wessing to secure Industrious assets
Clifford Chance, Olswang and Taylor Wessing all won roles on Max Property Group’s £232m acquisition of a real estate portfolio from the failed Industrious Group.
Mishcon de Reya CFA saves RSPCA will case from scrap heap
Mishcon de Reya acted on a no-win no-fee arrangement for Christine Gill, the university lecturer who won the legal battle against the RSPCA over her mother’s will.
Northern firms develop a taste for CFAs
Appetite for commercial conditional fee arrangements (CFAs) is on the rise with a number of northern firms moving into the commercial litigation funding market.
Opinion: Proactive regulation will hit solicitors where it hurts
?The legal landscape is changing. Our core regulatory system is undergoing unprecedented change, and self-regulation is a thing of the past. But with the new infrastructure largely in place, the focus is now on the way this new governance will work.
Penningtons increases partnership by four
Penningtons Solicitors has picked up four new partners, with lateral hires to its banking, corporate, property and family law departments.
People moves
DWF has expanded its corporate and commercial team with the appointment of two new partners from Addleshaw Goddard.
Royal Dutch Shell review to slash law firm roster
Royal Dutch Shell has begun a full-scale review of its legal advisers with a view to reducing the total number of firms on its roster.
Shoosmiths establishes two new social housing teams
Shoosmiths is hoping to capture an extra £1m in fees through the launch of two social housing teams in Milton Keynes and The Solent.
Simmons goes all-out on corporate responsibility
Community work to feature on timesheets and appraisals in radical rethink of business plan
Sofia so good
Since the Bulgarian election businesspeople are feeling more optimistic. By Tom Phillips
Stewarts Law to set up antitrust arm in Leeds
Litigation boutique Stewarts Law is to launch an antitrust litigation practice after poaching Eversheds litigator Jonathan Sinclair.
Test case rules that firms must pay sets
Barristers are expecting a rise in cases against solicitors who have not paid fees to counsel after Lincoln’s Inn set Enterprise Chambers successfully sued West End firm Sibley & Co for fees owed.
The right tone: Justine Campbell, Vodafone UK
Justine Campbell is pushing all the right buttons as Vodafone UK’s head of legal. Luke McLeod-Roberts reports
Tulkinghorn: Blonde ambition
Last month, in an untypically generous mood, The Lawyeroffered up a brace of theatre tickets for Kevin Spacey’s latest Old Vic extravaganza Inherit the Wind.
Work Life Quiz: Duncan Lamont, Charles Russell
What’s your favourite film?Anything in 3D served up with popcorn.
Zenith seeks forward-thinking chief exec
Leeds set Zenith Chambers is the latest set to embrace the role of chief executive, with the retirement of practice director Rob Butchard prompting the move.
