21 April 2003

DJ Freeman finalises redundancy programme

DJ Freeman has confirmed the final number of redundancies resulting from the disintegration of the firm, and the formation of niche insurance/litigation practice Kendall Freeman. Hardest hit have been the support staff, of whom 30 full and part-time workers face redundancies. Of DJ Freeman’s 45 partners, four faced the prospect of redundancy, although two have […]

BLP promotes six to partnership

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has promoted six lawyers to its partnership, bringing the total number of partners at the firm to 122.The new partners are Greg Calladine-Smith and Ian Waring in real estate, Naveen Vijh in property finance, James Good in planning, Andrea Macaulay in insurance and reinsurance and Steven Williams in construction and engineering.Neville […]

Galloway turns to Davenport Lyons for Telegraph battle

George Galloway, the Labour backbencher suing The Daily Telegraph, has picked media firm Davenport Lyons to act for him. Galloway said yesterday that he will sue the newspaper for libel after it accused him of taking as much as £375,000 a year from Saddam Hussein in return for support for the fallen dictator.

Kay & Boose closure delivers New York team to Davis Wright

The New York office of Seattle firm Davis Wright Tremaine has hired six partners from a New York media firm that is winding down its practice.The haul from Kay & Boose includes managing partner Andrew Boose and partners David Callahan, Graham Coleman, Nancy Felsten, Leonard Orkin and Marcia Paul. Four associates will also join Davis […]

Dewey Ballantine scores Gibson Dunn insurance litigation head

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has lost its co-head of insurance and reinsurance litigation David Grais to the New York office of Dewey Ballantine.Grais, who had been with Gibson Dunn since 1998, has a practice focussing on insurance and reinsurance, IT litigation and general commercial litigation.Commenting on the appointment, Everett L Jassy, chairman of Dewey Ballantine’s […]

Objection

Mr Justice Lightman believes the legal profession is too much like a business and solicitors are encroaching on barrister’s turf. Jon Robins asks: is he out of touch? The legal profession has had to develop a fairly thick skin in order to resist all the criticisms fired at it of late over its charging habits. […]

Friends reunited

Tulkinghorn was chuffed to receive a thank you letter from Jonathan Pearl, Sony Business Europe’s chief counsel, following his recent Client File interview. In the letter, Pearl noted that in addition to the host of emails from friends and colleagues, the interview also prompted an invite to have tea at the House of Lords with […]

Welcome to Cartel Hell

The OFT has been given a wedge of new powers in a bid to crack down on price-fixers. Sanjay Bhandari and Bill Batchelor predict tough times ahead for cartels. By 2008, as many as 30 executives could be imprisoned for price-fixing. The Enterprise Act 2002 represents the most aggressive criminal enforcement regime against cartels this […]

New Zealand ponders Privy Council abolition

New Zealand is considering whether to abolish the role of the Privy Council in its judicial system in favour of a more localised version. The Privy Council has been the final court of appeal in New Zealand since 1841, but next week the Justice and Electoral Select Committee will hear submissions on a bill that […]

Linklaters hikes corporate in Tokyo

Linklaters partner Casper Lawson is due to relocate to the firm’s Tokyo office in May to head up the corporate practice, focusing on M&A, restructuring and equity issues. Linklaters’ Tokyo office has approximately 30 lawyers, practising capital markets, structured finance and corporate law.

Making his mark

From cosmetics to Field Fisher via the Paris Ritz, John Olsen has had a long fight to get due recognition for his trademark practice. Steve Hoare reports As we enter the meeting room, the first thing John Olsen does is hand me a present. At first glance it seems to be a tin of beans. […]

Shooting stars

Despatches from the high life, part 362: Tulkinghorn is perturbed to hear that Taylor Wessing partner Dominic Fitzpatrick (bottom) may be joining the glitterati – but not through his own efforts. A chance remark in the school playground meant that his son was asked to make up the numbers in a catalogue shoot with some […]