Legal & General has concluded a major review of its UK law legal advisers – creating five separate panels: group; UK operations; investment management; real estate and private equity. The firms that are members of one or more of the first three panels are: Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP); Clyde & Co; Eversheds; Freshfields; Halliwells; Lawrence […]
Clifford Chance’s (CC) hopes for a quick resolution in its battle with Brobeck Phleger & Harrison has hit the rocks after a US bankruptcy court dramatically rejected the magic circle firm’s multi-million dollar settlement offer. Judge Montali of the US Bankruptcy Court yesterday rebuffed the $4.5m settlement agreed between CC and Brobeck trustee Ronald Greenspan, […]
Hill Dickinson has recorded a 34 per cent hike in turnover for the first six months of the 2004-2005 financial year. The firm reported a six-month income of £22m, up from £14.5m for the same period in 2003-2004. Last year’s full-year turnover was £40.1m, with average profits per equity partner of £221,000. The figures mark […]
Human rights and law reform organisation Justice is urging the government to increase the independence of judicial inquiries ahead of tomorrow’s second reading in the House of Lords of the Inquiries Bill (Thursday 9 December). Justice says that the Bill needs to make a distinction between inquiries carried out by judges and those chaired by […]
The House of Lords yesterday (7 December) voted in favour of maintaining the centuries-old tradition that the Lord Chancellor be both a lawyer and a member of the Upper Chamber of Parliament. The votes on the two amendments to the Constitutional Reform Bill came after a lengthy debate, and represent further defeat for the government […]
Six tenants from Kieran Coonan QC’s 6 Pump Court have joined Hailsham Chambers, bolstering its professional negligence and medical practices.Three of them – Andrew Post, Alexander Hutton and Roger Mallalieu – also specialise in legal costs litigation, a key area of 6 Pump Court’s work.Also joining is former Shepherd + Wedderburn assistant Fiona Patterson who […]
ABN Amro’s global head of legal of global equity derivatives has quit the Dutch investment bank to join Nomura in a non-legal role. Sanjeev Joshi is leaving ABN at the end of January to join the Japanese investment bank to take up a front office position. ABN’s wholesale clients, strategic business unit global legal head, […]
Lawyers for World Trade Centre leaseholder Larry Silverstein have secured a major victory over insurers after a jury ruled that the September 11 attacks constituted two separate occurrences for insurance purposes. As reported yesterday by the New York Lawyer, (7 December), the verdict in this, the second insurance trial, will see Silverstein and the site’s […]
The chairman of Scottish firm Burness, John Rafferty, has stepped down after seven years in the job.He has been replaced by Philip Rodney whose former post as head of Burness’ dispute resolution practice has been taken over by 31-year-old David Morgan.During Rafferty’s chairmanship Burness has seen turnover grow threefold to £15m. It has also moved […]
Seven Bedford Row has hired two barristers to bolster its fraud team.Gary Summers has joined from 187 Fleet Street and Sarah Wood from Hardwicke Crime, the offshoot of Hardwicke Buildings.A white collar crime specialist, Summers also has experience of the offshore sector, a market increasingly important at Seven Bedford Row which recently formed an association […]
The RAC has hit out at recent proposals to raise the ‘small claims’ limit for personal injury work to £5,000. RAC Legal Services head Jonathan Gulliford said the plans, outlined recently by the Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer, are a “retrograde step” that would seriously affect many people claiming compensation for injuries. “£5,000 is a lot […]
The Taipei office of Seattle-based litigation boutique Preston Gates & Ellis has merged with Taiwan Commercial Law Offices (TCLO), with effect from 1 January 2005. The combined office, which will include 20 lawyers will be headed up jointly by TCLO managing partner Christina Yang and Preston Gates partner James Chen. Commenting on the merger Yang […]