17 October 2005

Salans evicts Saatchi Gallery

Salans has won a High Court victory evicting the Saatchi Gallery from its home in London’s former County Hall. This morning (Friday 21 October) Sir Donald Rattee ruled that the gallery had broken the terms of its lease and had trespassed on areas it had not rented, and ordered that it must leave County Hall. […]

Law Society backtracks on Training Framework Review

The Law Society has today announced a u-turn on its controversial plans to abolish the compulsory Legal Practice Course (LPC). Under the proposals now being considered by the Training Framework Review Group students will be required to complete the LPC but could be given an exemption from parts of it because of their prior qualifications. […]

Duane Morris poaches Halliwells employment head

The London office of US firm Duane Morris has poached partner Tola Ogundimu from Halliwells, where she was head of employment in London. The hire continues Philadelphia-based Duane Morris’s strategic expansion of its London office ahead of the pending merger with San Francisco-based Hancock Rothert & Bunshoft. Hancock’s presence in London is insurance and professional […]

Gibraltar’s Marrache launches in Prague

Gibraltar firm Marrache & Co has opened an office in Prague, expanding the firm’s focus on corporate law. The offshore firm, led by brothers Isaac and Benjamin Marrache, specialises in taking advantage of Gibraltar’s tax haven status. The centrally located Prague office will be predominantly focused on commercial and corporate work. A two-lawyer, five-staff team, […]

Australia’s Blake Dawson closes London office

Australian firm Blake Dawson Waldron (BDW) is to close its London office on November 30. The firm has reviewed its international strategy, concluding a physical presence in London was not essential, with a preference to build up the South-East Asian practice. Managing partner John Atkin said BDW’s clients were working directly with Australian offices as […]

Bakers posts profit hike for 2005

US firm Baker & McKenzie has increased gross revenue by 10 per cent to hit US$1.352bn for 2005, at the same time as bolstering average profits per partner (PPP) by 15 per cent. The firm’s financial results for its 2005 fiscal year, which ended 30 June, saw average PPP increase for the second year in […]

Freshfields takes torture case to House of Lords

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Brick Court Chambers silk Sir Sydney Kentridge QC are acting pro bono for intervenors in this week’s landmark House of Lords appeal on the use of evidence obtained by torture. Partner Geoff Nicholas is leading the Freshfields team representing the Commonwealth Law Association, the International Commission of Jurists, and the Human […]

Dorsey and Sheppard Mullin bag Coudert big shots

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton and Dorsey & Whitney are the latest firms to benefit from Coudert Brothers’ demise, recruiting top New York partners Edward Tillinghast and Brian McGunigle respectively. Tillinghast is a former head of Coudert’s bankruptcy practice and member of its executive board. He also stepped into the breach in London after the […]

Mourant launches in Guernsey

Offshore law firm Mourant du Feu & Jeune is launching a Guernsey office in January as it expands its multi-jurisdictional capabilities. The Guernsey operation will bring Mourant’s office tally to four including Jersey, Cayman Islands and London. Mourant is part of the offshore magic circle, the set of firms that have legal expertise in more […]

King & Spalding boosts Houston

King & Spalding has boosted its Houston office with partner hires in the intellectual property (IP) and project finance practices. Jill McWhirter, and expert in patent and trademark law, was a partner at Howrey’s Houston office. Daniel Rogers, who specialises in acquisitions and financing in the energy industry, joins from Chadbourne & Parke. Houston managing […]

Pillsbury raids Bakers for energy team

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman has moved to bolster its finance and global energy practices with a two-partner raid on rival Baker & McKenzie. Partners John Mauel and Todd Culwell join the three-year-old Houston office, adding a transactional discipline to the litigation and environmental practices in place. A Pillsbury spokesman said the expansion in the Houston […]

McGrigors reports rise in turnover, static PEP

McGrigors confirmed a year of steady growth last week with turnover rising 9 per cent from £42m to £46m. Average profit per equity partner (PEP) was still to be finalised according to managing partner Colin Gray, but is expected to be around £240,000, the same as last year. The results were for the last financial […]