25 May 2009
The Lawyer
2 Gray’s Inn collapse hands 15 to 4KBW
LONDON set 4 King’s Bench Walk (4KBW) has boosted its ranks with the addition of 15 barristers from collapsed set 2 Gray’s Inn Square
3 Stone Buildings QC leads BVI Commercial Court
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) has launched a Commercial Court, with 3 Stone Buildings counsel Edward Bannister QC appointed as its first presiding judge.
Addleshaws opts for global alliance strategy
ADDLESHAW Goddard is to move towards what reinsurance partner Richard Leedham calls a “Herbert Smith-style” alliance of preferred firms in Europe, while tightening up its roster of US referral firms.
Addleshaws reviews jobs, hours and pay
Addleshaw Goddard has launched a firm-wide restructuring, which is expected to see 85 non-fee-earners lose their jobs, fee-earners offered reduced hours, and salaries cut. The consultation with 85 members of support staff, which was launched last week, will affect all offices and business services teams. It is expected that broadly equal numbers of secretarial and business services staff will ...
Bar revolution forces QCs to mind their Ps and Qs as clients gain the upper hand
WHILE many firms have spent the last 12 months trying to insulate themselves against the recession, the Chancery Bar has been evolving into a new beast.
Beleaguered law students face paralegal KO
PARALEGALS are in danger of being edged out of a shrinking jobs market as recruiters offer positions to those who have had their training contracts deferred.
Burges Salmon seals Lloyds TSB funding
Burges Salmon has reached an agreement with Lloyds TSB to continue funding its move into new headquarters in Bristol, following the collapse of property developer Castlemore. The agreement means that the firm will be able to move into its new home at One Glass Wharf as planned in the summer of 2010. Castlemore fell into administration in March, resulting in talks between Burges Salmon, Lloyds TSB ...
Camerons shrinks payoffs by 20% as 80 face the axe
CMS CAMERON McKenna slashed its redundancy package just months ahead of a major job cull that is likely to lead to the loss of 80 jobs
Camerons: turnover rises but profit drops
CMS Cameron McKenna has kicked off the financial reporting season by announcing a slight rise in turnover alongside a 15 per cent drop in its average profit per equity partner (PEP) figure. Camerons, the first top-20 firm to release its figures for the 2008-09 financial year, saw its revenues increase from £235.5m to £240m. However, its profit fell to £72m, causing PEP to tumble to £554,000. The results were ...
CC’s US litigation team gets slimmer and slimmer
IT HAS been a bleak few months in Clifford Chance’s US practice.
Clifford Chance sets up partner appeals body
CLIFFORD Chance has created an independent appeals body for partners who are cut as part of its global restructuring.
Cripps staff bag bonus after hitting targets
South-EAST firm Cripps Harries Hall is awarding bonuses after the firm beat its targeted profit margin by 2.5 percent to hit £5.2m.
Dorsey & Whitney partner sacked after FSA inquiry
The Dorsey & Whitney partner at the heart of a Financial Services Authority (FSA) insider trading case has been sacked by the firm.
Eversheds staff face axe if outsourcing pilot successful
Further support staff roles could be cut at Eversheds if a documentation outsourcing scheme is implemented at the firm.
Field Fisher sheds four partners at Paris office
FIELD FISHER Waterhouse has restructured its Paris branch, leading to the loss of four of the seven partners who founded the office two years ago.
Focus: Unitary authorities: No county for old men
The launch of nine new unitary authorities has put the cosy world of the council lawyer on a collision course with the new, super-sized legal teams
Former Linklaters lawyer joins Romanian spin-off
Linklaters’ Eastern European spin-off firm Kinstellar has expanded its Romania practice by hiring a former Linklaters lawyer.
IP/IT Special Report: Copy righting
When it comes to intellectual property disputes, going down the litigation route isn’t always the best option. Gary Fern argues that protecting patents is best done through arbitration
Irwin Mitchell maintains stable promotions
Irwin Mitchell has made up four new partners, the same number as last year. Two of the promotions were in the personal injury division with the remaining two in the family law group. The firm has also promoted accountant Jon Raettig to associate director in the asset management team, where he has responsibility for the finance, administration and compliance functions. The new partners are: Ian Christian ...
Is the Human Rights Act a new source of redress?
Linklaters tipped to win mandate for AIG’s float of AIA in Asia
Linklaters is emerging as a frontrunner to win the mandate advising on the IPO of AIG’s Asian life assurance arm.
LLST chief calls for advice centre funding overhaul
With an increasing number of people joining job queues and getting their houses repossessed, the demand for free social welfare legal advice has never been greater.
Massive regeneration projects dominate The Lawyer Awards 2009
Real estate teams have had to juggle some highly sensitive deals this year.
Mishcons snares Hunter for construction role
West End firm Mishcon de Reya has hired Finers Stephens Innocent (FSI) partner Simon Hunter to head its construction team.
Paralegals get paranoia
It’s hardly a closely guarded secret that the take-home pay of partners at the UK’s top firms is about to take a nosedive this year.
People Moves
Finers Stephens Innocent has hired Addleshaw Goddard’s head of equality Jane Amphlett.
Regional courts help shift London admin onus
High Court judges are to sit in Administrative Court centres in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds and Manchester to encourage more lawyers to make use of their local legal facilities.
Schofield Sweeney
Bradford and Leeds-based firm Schofield Sweeney likes to think of itself as a business that punches well above its weight. This is partly because of the high proportion of lawyers on its books with previous experience at some of the UK’s largest firms.
Setanta: Dentons restructures while Olswang renegotiates
Denton Wilde Sapte and Olswang have won roles advising troubled sports broadcaster Setanta as it attempts to renegotiate broadcast rights and restructure its business.
Shell Shock: David Isenegger, Shell UK
April’s North Sea helicopter crash turned the spotlight on the UK oil industry. Shell managing counsel David Isenegger tells Tom Phillips about the challenges of working in such a remote and dangerous industry
Simpson Thacher, Links land Alliance Boots roles
Linklaters and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have won instructions on Alliance Boots’ £400m debt buyback.
SJ Berwin builds up Gazeley ties with £1.8bn letting
SJ Berwin and Maxwell Winward have advised Gazeley and the UK Logistics Fund (UKLF) on a £1.8m-a-year let to a European Airbus manufacturer.
Skadden looks on the bright side
IT IS rare to see partners leave Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, so Manhattan’s legal community was set chattering recently when it witnessed three partner defections in the less than a week.
Spain Special Report: Green with energy
Spain has led the way in renewable energy, but the financial crisis coupled with regulatory change is having an impact. Will Spain’s ‘green’ commitment hold firm? asks Luke McLeod-Roberts
Speechly breaks top 50 after Campbell Hooper merger
Speechly Bircham has merged with 23-partner West End outfit Campbell Hooper, propelling the firm into the top 50.
Thomas Eggar doubles partner promotions
South East firm Thomas Eggar has promoted four new partners, up from two last year. The new partners are: Sarah Phillips in tax, Garry Ramsden in aviation, Robert Kenyon in dispute resolution and David Fanchi in real estate. The firm has also promoted 10 new associates, compared with six in 2008. Managing partner Tony Edwards said: “These lawyers are at the forefront of the drive to establish ourselves ...
Thompsons snaps up rival to create union giant
Thompsons has merged with rival Rowley Ashworth, making the largest trade union firm in the UK.
Tulkinghorn: Keef relief
Schillings defamation maestro ‘Big Keef’ Schilling proved to Tulkinghorn recently that he may be a hotshot lawyer, but he could learn a thing or two about bowling. The other evening, Schillings invited Tulkinghorn’s hacks to Bloomsbury for a spot of bowling.
Virgin hires ex-SJ Berwin partner
Former SJ Berwin partner Charlotte McMillan has joined Virgin Media in the newly created role of assistant general counsel.
Work Life Quiz: Gerard Khoshnaw, Nabarro
If you weren’t a lawyer what would you have been?A male version of Kate Adie.
