Flotations
Halliwell Landau acted for DIY retailer the Limelight Group on its £175m Stock Exchange flotation. Halliwells claims it is the largest deal this year for law firms in the North West.
Projects
Dibb Lupton Alsop advised Victory Railway Holdings, the joint venture between the Go-Ahead Group and the management of Thames Trains, on its successful bid for the rail passenger franchise for the Thames area. Go-Ahead was advised by Dickinson Dees Group and Travers Smith Braithwaite advised Lloyds Bank on providing credit to the Go-Ahead Group and […]
Property
Izod & Co advised property company European Settled Estates on its purchase of 20 properties from the Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society. Le Brasseur J Tickle advised the Friendly Society, while the Brough Skerrett Law Partnership acted for the Royal Bank of Scotland on funding the purchaser.
In shape in Bristol fashion
The past 18 months has been a much happier period than the preceding year-and-a-half for most lawyers in the South West. It seems that the regional economy has turned a corner and the legal market is following suit. Many firms are now looking to the future having taken some lessons from the past. The South […]
The call of the West Country
With the revival in the South West’s legal market, perhaps the phrase ‘Go West, young lawyer’ will be heard more often in London chambers. There has been a notable expansion in many of the chambers on the circuit, such as All Saint’s Chambers in Bristol, which now has 12 more barristers in chambers than last […]
In brief: A&O senior partner on financial panel
Allen & Overy senior partner Bill Tudor John has been appointed as one of the three new members of the Financial Law Panel, the Bank of England and Corporation of London-sponsored body which identifies problems and anomalies in the operation of existing financial law. The other two new members are Michael Crystal QC and Bernard […]
Appeal judges to work unpaid
Court of Appeal judges are to work unpaid at least two extra hours a week for the next six months in an attempt to clear a backlog of 1,000 applications for leave to appeal. Lord Woolf, the Master of the Rolls, is keen to reduce the backlog by next summer when the results of a […]
Youth courts pledge faster justice system
Youth courts are to deliver swifter justice to persistent young offenders in a bid to bring home the impact of each sentence and to prevent re-offending. In a joint statement issued by the Magistrates’ Association and the Justices’ Clerks’ Society, youth courts are being encouraged to bring persistent young offenders to trial for individual offences […]
Firms headhunt financial experts
The battle for financial service lawyers is hotting up with at least three firms poaching partners and announcing expansion plans. Hammond Suddards’ banking and financial services group last week headhunted SJ Berwin partner Bruce Gardner and two Slaughter and May assistants, and is proposing to recruit up to nine more partners within the next nine […]
Gambling. Don't put money on it
A consultation document was published on 12 November which suggests that the Government is showing considerable interest in gambling ahead of the General Election. It follows an earlier document in February with regard to deregulation of the casino industry, and appears to be a welcome initiative after almost 30 years of regulatory stagnation in the […]
In brief: Practising certificates released in Welsh
The Law Society has launched Welsh language practising certificates. Society president Tony Girling presented the certificates – Tystysgrif Ymarfer – to Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos and MP Elfyn Llwyd at a function last week. The establishment of the certificates follows a recommendation by the Society’s Welsh Language Working Party.
Roscoe takes chair at London criminal solicitors association
Robert Roscoe, partner at Victor Lissack & Roscoe and the chair of the Law Society criminal law committee, was elected president of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association last week. Roscoe had been acting president since May, following the appointment of Robert Winstanley as a circuit judge. He said that the association, which now has […]