The Lawyer
26 October 2009
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3 Serjeants' Inn appoints new joint head
26 October 2009
Medical, police and employment law specialist set 3 Serjeants’ Inn has elected John Beggs QC as its new joint head of chambers, replacing Robert Francis QC.
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Age of reason
26 October 2009
Here’s a very modern tale. Last week we were contacted by someone claiming to be a client of Shoosmiths partner Andy Ballard who took exception to a gag he had made in our pages.
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Ashurst, Herbies lead on Battersea project
26 October 2009
Ashurst and Herbert Smith are advising on the £5.5bn proposed redevelopment of Battersea Power Station in London.
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Brick Court backs BAA conflict claim in competition inquiry
26 October 2009
Airport operator BAA has turned to Brick Court Chambers silks Nicholas Green and Mark Hoskins as it appeals a Competition Commission ruling that it claims effectively forced it to sell three of its airports. The airports include Gatwick, which was sold for £1.5bn last week to Global Infrastructure Partners.
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CC rolls out sector approach to associates
26 October 2009
Clifford Chance is to ask its senior associates to choose one of 13 nominated industry sectors as part of its organisational shake-up.
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Chambers divided over 2010 pupillage pay hikes
26 October 2009
A number of chambers are keeping their 2010 pupillage awards at this year’s levels despite One Essex Court’s decision to up its payment by 33 per cent, which prompted a mini-pay war at the bar.
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Changing standards: Malcolm Wood, Standard Life
26 October 2009
When Standard Life demutualised, the legal team was forced to become much more involved in the business - a challenge that general counsel Malcolm Wood has thoroughly enjoyed. By Julia Berris
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City brokers ‘poaching’ case gets underway in High Court
26 October 2009
A number of firms have been called in to act on a bitter High Court dispute over the mass defection of City brokers to a rival company.
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Collyer builds reputation with swoop for Steeles litigation duo
26 October 2009
Steeles Law practice heads Dominic Crossley and Rhory Robertson have defected to rival Collyer Bristow.
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Focus: Linklaters, Making both ends neat
26 October 2009
The collapse of Lehman couldn’t fail to bring back memories of Enron: both were massive companies, both were gone in a matter of weeks - and Linklaters was there to oversee both administrations
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Focus: Stuart Popham, Passage to India
26 October 2009
Clifford Chance’s ambition of having a top Indian practice received a jump-start with its AZB deal, leaving senior partner Stuart Popham relaxed about waiting for liberalisation. Kian Ganz reports
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Gómez-Acebo prepares for Lisbon launch as Uría Menéndez chief quits
26 October 2009
Spain’s Gómez-Acebo & Pombo is planning to open in Lisbon in January just as Uría Menéndez’s Lisbon co-managing partner leaves the firm’s office in the Portuguese capital.
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Hackney to re-examine barristers panel
26 October 2009
London Borough of Hackney legal chief Gifty Edila is reviewing the authority’s barristers panel in a bid to cut down its £6m annual legal spend.
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Hammonds considers patent services tie-up as partners exit
26 October 2009
Hammonds is in talks with German firm Gulde Hengelhaupt Ziebig & Schneider about setting up a patent prosecution referral relationship following the departure of two partners from the UK firm’s Munich office.
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Hardwicke hire kicks off insurance drive
26 October 2009
Hardwicke Building is to launch an insurance practice after appointing Vivien Frew as senior practice manager.
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Hector George Robinson
26 October 2009
If you weren’t a lawyer what would you have been?A DJ.
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Housing associations team up for joint instructions
26 October 2009
Six housing associations have clubbed together for the first time to instruct law firms jointly and reduce their respective legal bills.
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Judge slated for dragging heels on BSkyB ruling
26 October 2009
Barristers acting on BSkyB’s £700m claim against IT supplier EDS have criticised presiding judge Mr Justice Ramsey for not yet handing down his judgment despite the case ending more than a year ago.
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Keeping up with Jones
26 October 2009
A recent court decision has muddied the waters as to who is liable for payments made in error. By Tony Anderson
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Kirkland replaces City restructuring leadership
26 October 2009
Kirkland & Ellis London partners Kon Asimacopoulos and Partha Kar have taken over management of the firm’s City restructuring practice following the departure of Lyndon Norley.
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Law Firm Profile: Ramsdens
26 October 2009
Ramsdens, the largest law firm in Kirklees and Calderdale, is known locally as a high street firm with a commercial bias.
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Lawyers leap to Carter-Ruck’s defence
26 October 2009
Freedom of speech is the pride of the UK, but with it comes a duty of responsibility. So when newspaper editors start complaining that their freedoms have been curtailed, it becomes a concern for the nation.
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Links bolsters Madrid public law dept
26 October 2009
Linklaters has appointed José Giménez to lead the firm’s public law and regulated sectors capability in Madrid.
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Links sues builders over leaking pipes
26 October 2009
Linklaters has launched a £3.5m claim against construction and civil engineering company Sir Robert McAlpine in a row relating to the refurbishment of the firm’s London headquarters.
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Opinion: Outsourcing will enhance careers, not hinder them
26 October 2009
Although the current economic conditions are radically different from those at the height of the market and the drivers for change are stronger than ever in our industry, the key considerations on which law firms base business decisions remain the same: our clients and our people.
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People moves
26 October 2009
Herbert Smith has recruited Allen & Overy (A&O) partner Robert Hunter (pictured) to its partnership. Hunter, who is head of the trust, asset tracing and fraud group at A&O, has been a partner with the magic circle firm since 1990.
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Pinsents’ relationship with Salans scoops role on HSBC deal
26 October 2009
The recently forged alliance between Pinsent Masons and Salans has helped the firms pick up a role advising HSBC and Rabobank International on a cross-border financing deal.
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Roots manoeuvres
26 October 2009
Many of the self-proclaimed Iberian firms are casting their nets wider than ever before and finding that history is on their side. By Luke McLeod-Roberts
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Ropes goes head-to-head with Kirkland on Bain work
26 October 2009
Kirkland & Ellis’s core relationship with Bain Capital will come under threat when fellow US firm Ropes & Gray launches a UK office, as first revealed on The Lawyer.com (22 October).
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RPC brings in BLP man to boost tax disputes
26 October 2009
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) has hired a new head of tax disputes from Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP).
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Safety in numbers
26 October 2009
One consequence of the current financial crisis has been a re-examination of financing structures and documents and an assessment of whether they truly deliver their intended results. Syndicated loan documentation, then, has been revised to deal with matters such as debt buybacks and defaulting lenders.
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Sets introduce contracts to ensure firms pay up
26 October 2009
Chambers to demand formal agreements from firms on litigation
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Shoosmiths lawyer deemed offensive
26 October 2009
Shoosmiths head of social housing Andy Ballard has fallen foul of the ‘strict code of political correctness’ after he said he wanted to recruit younger Guardian readers to his team.
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Shoosmiths staff take voluntary pay cut
26 October 2009
Ninety per cent of Shoosmiths staff earning over £25,000 have agreed to take a 3.5 per cent pay cut, but the 10 per cent who were opposed to the move will not see their earnings reduced.
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Simmons & Simmons hits back at ‘CR is PR’ critics
26 October 2009
Amid the reaction to news that Simmons & Simmons is putting corporate responsibility (CR) at the heart of its new business strategy (The Lawyer, 19 October), there is a resounding tone of scepticism about the firm’s true motivations.
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Slammed hedge funds shun code to await make-or-break EU directive
26 October 2009
They’ve been blamed for the financial crisis, but hedge funds now face their biggest challenge. By Kit Chellel
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Tulkinghorn: A right royal welcome
26 October 2009
Former Skadden litigator extraordinaire Bob Bennett, who joined Hogan & Hartson last month and is based in Washington DC, was delighted - nay amazed - at the lengths his new London-based partners went to to make him feel welcome on his first trip to the city since joining.
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Wary growth gives Milbank the edge
26 October 2009
Wall Street firm wants to grow UK restructuring - but not too fast. More than a year after Lehman Brothers’ collapse last September, Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy is reaping the rewards of its plum role advising the creditors’ committee of the failed bank.
