13 February 2012

Case of the week: IP

(1) Specsavers International Healthcare Ltd; (2) Specsavers BV; (3) Specsavers Optical Group Ltd; (4) Specsavers Optical Superstores Ltd v Asda Stores Ltd(2012) EWCA Civ 24. Court of Appeal (Civil Division). Sir John Thomas (President); Kitchin LJ; Black LJ. 31 January 2012 The Court of Appeal (CoA) referred to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) questions […]

Kilroy woz GC

General counsel moves up to take CEO role at Misys It isn’t often that a general counsel has the opportunity to step up to the role of CEO – and that’s an understatement. But that is precisely what happened when IT specialist Misys announced that Tom Kilroy was to be made acting CEO following the […]

Mandates minefield

When clients get together, who gets the work? What happens when your client merges or gets taken over? It’s a question that will be on the minds of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters after a week that saw two of the rivals’ longstanding mining clients agree on a £50bn-plus merger. Freshfields’ Julian Makin is leading […]

Many are called, few are chosen

UK firms among the few big earners on Irish asset agency’s extensive panel Ireland’s National Asset Management Agency (Nama) has one of the biggest legal panels around. But anecdotal evidence suggests only a fraction of the firms appointed actually get any work. The agency appointed 64 Irish firms to its panel to advise on the […]

In the middle of the NightJack row

Newspapers’ former lawyer brought into row over police blogger The Times and The Sunday Times’ most senior lawyer Alastair Brett may have left the papers in 2010, but he was indirectly dragged back into the fray by The Times editor James Harding at the Leveson inquiry last week. Harding told the inquiry he had written […]

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Poundland GC: Counter culture

Poundland is riding out the recessionary storm in fine form, and it’s about to move online, reveals general counsel Jinder Jhuti The economy is continuing to claim victims on the high street, with budget clothing retailer Peacocks being just one recent high-profile ­casualty, but Poundland, Europe’s biggest single-price retailer, seems to be quite comfortable operating […]

Nigel Knowles
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It’s the brand, stupid

Nigel Knowles took DLA Piper from a Northern upstart to a global player. Can Tony Angel push the firm to the next level? What’s the best bit you’ve found about DLA?Senior partner, national firmWhat impresses me – and this came through even before I joined the firm – is the sense of purpose and clarity […]

Alexandra Bodnar

Judgment call: 13 February 2012

Nap Anglia Ltd v Sun-Land Development Co Ltd (Costs) (2012) EWHC 51. Technology & Construction Court. Edwards-Stuart J. 23 January 2012 Civil procedure Determination of the principles upon which costs of a third party advisor could be claimed as part of own solicitor costs. Costs determined For the claimant39 Essex Street’s Alexandra Bodnar; Prettys solicitor […]

List for life: RJW gets shot in the arm

Australian-listed Slater & Gordon will want to see results from its new acquisition.  The pressure on Russell Jones & Walker (RJW) to ramp up its revenues now it has been acquired by Slater & Gordon – subject to SRA approval – is monumental. A domestic firm where growth was stalling has been taken over […]

The Lawyer Management: Burges Salmon

Emma Dowden joined Burges Salmon in October 2007 from Hamptons Estates, where she was group legal and operations director. Prior to that she undertook a similar role at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Dowden’s core area of expertise is risk and best practice. What does your role involve? It is characterised by its breadth. My background is in risk […]

Ian Metcalfe

Number crunching: Wragge & Co

According to managing partner Ian Metcalfe, Wragge & Co was once described by one auditor as, “the most conservatively-financed law firm in the UK”.

Brand new bromantics

Two big beasts, a whole bunch of questions. When The Lawyer broke the story of Tony Angel joining DLA Piper last year, one question everyone asked was how he would get on with Nigel Knowles. It’s not an idle query. With such a high-stakes hire at so senior a level the chemistry between the two […]