21 November 2011
The Lawyer
Arthur Cox wins Ulster University
The University of Ulster has ditched long-time adviser Carson McDowell in favour of Irish firm Arthur Cox following a cost-cutting panel review.
Ashurst elects Madrid partner as first female board member
All-female line-up put forward after UK firm pushes for more diverse management board
Aware Wolf
Richard Wolf and Andrea Miskolczi explain why Austria’s Wolf Theiss is training its lawyers to be as commercially savvy as the clients they serve
Blackstone’s new chiefs target international work
Blackstone Chambers has elected Monica Carss-Frisk QC and Anthony Peto QC to succeed Ian Mill QC and Thomas Beazley QC as joint heads of chambers.
Bridge-building
Firms will enjoy incredible benefits from diversity programmes if they give them the hammer-and-tongs treatment, says Jonathan Bond
Capsticks and Wragges secure NHS hospital deal
Capsticks and Wragge & Co both scored roles advising on the first takeover of an NHS hospital by a private company.
CC partner dishes up the food of love
Clifford Chance staff are getting a treat, being spoilt with a series of lunchtime concerts by eminent musicians.
Come together
The Government is not standing still in its efforts to adapt employment law to today’s commercial realities, but as Tom Flanagan reports, a lack of cohesion between the various initiatives is threatening their efficacy
Direct access: opening the bar to new business
The bar can make use of direct access to help it keep up with the changing legal landscape.
Early learning
Deborah Dalgleish says diversity education should be embedded in all aspects of a firm’s training regime
Ethnic minorities find top jobs out of reach
People from ethnic minority communities are still struggling to reach the highest ranks of practice in UK law firms, according to a five-year trend highlighted by the Black Solicitors Network’s latest Diversity League Table (DLT).
Flat and happy
The Netherlands’ business community appears to have escaped the worst effects of the downturn, with the legal sector experiencing very little in the way of peaks and troughs.
Focus: Legal Process Outsourcing - Distance earning
LPO is booming, but as a new report highlights, there is more to consider when going outside than cost savings
Halfway decent: top firms make strong start to year
A quiet optimism has come over the profession at the half-year point, with many leading firms reporting turnover rises. However, turmoil in European markets and a foggy economic agenda in the US threaten to stall full-year growth.
International firms set sights on Beijing
In recent months a number of international firms have set up shop in Beijing, mainland China’s largest legal market in terms of lawyer numbers and revenue. Several other firms are understood to be applying for Beijing licences.
Lewis Baach
On 1 November US firm Baach Robinson & Lewis changed its name to Lewis Baach.
Linklaters works with Dutch bank on £1bn Basel III bond
Linklaters and in-house lawyers at Rabobank advised on the first tier-one bank bond compliant with Basel III since the new regulatory regime came in.
Links, Skadden lead as Evraz sets sights on London listing
Linklaters and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have taken lead roles on Russian steelmaker Evraz’s London listing.
McGrigors cries off from maternity shift
McGrigors has scrapped proposed changes to its maternity leave package following an outcry from staff.
Nabarro takes Indian client through Aim IPO
Nabarro has advised an Indian biofuel producer on its £16m IPO on Aim.
Near and fair
“It’s a culture thing,” said one law firm chief executive to me last week. “Of course, I’d have to look at outsourcing at some point, but we’d probably northshore it or use one of the jurisdictions we’re in already.”
Opinion: Politicians should put up collateral if they want to buy votes
The world has been in some sort of crisis or other since 2008. The reason? Debt. Initially it became clear that too much money had been lent to subprime borrowers in the mortgage market.
Partner shift
Commercially speaking, the meanings of partner are manifold. Tim Marshall cites two recent cases that indicate clearly the need for pen-and-ink clarity from the outset
People moves
David Pritchard
Piece work
Virgin Media’s quest to install a top-class transatlantic advisory panel is putting general counsel Scott Dresser’s problem solving credentials to the test. By Joshua Freedman
Prep schooled
Law firms of all sizes will have to prepare their lawyers to meet the challenge of new business structures, says Paul Hutchinson
TULKINGHORN: Defining moment
Taylor Wessing has an enhanced name. Henceforth, the firm shall be known as ‘The Taylor Wessing’.
White & Case probes service transfer to Eastern Europe
White & Case is planning an overhaul of its offshore operations that would see it transfer much of its business services to Eastern Europe and pilot legal process outsourcing (LPO) in its Philippines base.
Wilberforce increases pupillage pay by a third
Wilberforce Chambers is looking to gain an advantage in the war for talent by hiking its 2013 pupillage award by 35 per cent.
Work Life Quiz: Louise Griffiths, Stephensons
