5 March 2012
The Lawyer
2012 QC list shows silk road is not always paved with gold
As the downturn lingers, junior barristers are wary of outpricing their solicitor clients
Addleshaws’ shtum on Ablyazov
Firm faces High Court questions after failing to disclose client details
Blurring the line
The division between commercial and Chancery work is becoming less distinct, as the bar pitches itself internationally and targets direct access work in a bid to ride the evolutionary wave
Case of the week: IP
Chinese checkers
During an autumn lunch with a magic circle managing partner I was party to a bit of a confession: aside from King & Wood, his knowledge of Chinese firms was seriously lacking.
Cover story
?For Esther Felton, head of legal at insurance company QBE European Operations, seismic regulatory and market changes are both a challenge and an opportunity
Firms tooled up for diversity drive
Can Toolkit for the professions break the ’who you know’ culture?
Gimme rope Joanna
Word reaches Tulkinghorn that some musical beat combo known as Coldplay was planning to shoot a pop video on top of Pinsents’ building, with - of course - the firm’s blessing.
Job Watch: Insurance
In the current market it is clear that legal expertise in the insurance sector is more in demand than ever.
Judgment call 5th March 2012
The court should order an interim payment if satisfied that the conditions in CPR r.25.7(1)(c) were fulfilled unless there was a specific reason not to do so.
Links’ balancing act hits real estate
Move from core practice area matches competitors’ strategies
Move On Up: Penningtons
A recent double merger added 10 to the partnership, replenishing the net losses of the past six years
Moves: 5 March 2012
Linklaters corporate partner Mark Stamp is leaving the firm to join US firm Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy.
Narrow minds and own goals
Social exclusion at the bar is as old-fashioned and damaging to lawyers as racism is to football
Number crunching: UK law firms in Spain
For a market that has experienced some of the worst of the global financial crisis - with Moody’s recently slashing its credit rating to A3 - there continues to be a surprising amount of interest in Spain from UK law firms.
Positive thinking
Restructuring is up and M&A is down in Italy, but despite the country’s ratings downgrade many lawyers are upbeat about the prospects for 2012 and beyond
Riddle of the brands: the secret formula of kudos
The value of a firm’s brand is tough to put a figure on, but a system used by other industries claims to be able to do just that.
Shipping insolvency forecast
More shipping companies are using US Chapter 11 filings, but the trend could run aground soon
Spending wisely
Regulation is the overriding issue for in-house insurance lawyers. Our experts examine where they allocate legal spend in a rapidly changing environment
Still buts in Jackson’s costs rejig
Assessing costs is one focus of the Jackson reforms, but some of his adjustments just don’t stack up
Stuck in the middle
The big firms are getting aggressive, the small firms are consolidating. Where does that leave the mid-market?
Test Cricketer's Twitter test case
Some might be surprised that it took this long, but the High Court is finally about to hear its first Twitter libel trial (see story).
Testing the fairness of workfare
A legal challenge to ’workfare’ schemes could be trumped by the state’s right to provide training
The Lawyer Management: Lindsays
Ian Beattie, a chartered accountant and former finance director at Scottish firm Brodies, has been Lindsays’ chief operating officer since November 2007. He focuses on the firm’s financial and operational performance and ensuring that its recent growth is managed effectively.
Too many chiefs?
Freshfields has created yet another corporate management role
Work Life Quiz: Michael Spence, Bond Pearce
Michael Spence
