21 September 1998

In brief: Wright quits LCD to debate on political reform

Tony Wright, parliamentary secretary to Lord Irvine, the Lord Chancellor, resigned last Thursday after 17 months in the job. He said: “The Lord Chancellor has been aware for some time that I want to have more freedom to enter into debate, particularly on issues of political reform.” An LCD spokesman said: “The Lord Chancellor has […]

Enterprise Chambers hires Herbert Smith administrator

Leading chancery set Enterprise Chambers has ended its year-long search for a chambers director with the appointment of Elspeth Mills Rendall. The set began looking for a director last year after talking to management consultants BDO Stoy Hayward. The job was offered to one candidate from the commercial world in February but she turned it […]

Gillian Benning bemoans the naming of disqualified directors. Gillian Benning is managing partner at Jay Benning & Peltz in London.

On 4 June, The Express published – under a front-page article, and 12-page pull-out headlined “The Banned” – the names and addresses of former directors subject to a disqualification order. The publication was apparently supported by a new DTI initiative to crack down on rogues who cheat customers and suppliers. The Express said the DTI […]

Management system gains further favour

AUSTRALIAN firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques has become the fourth law firm to go live with Keystone’s practice management system. Graham Fros, Keystone’s chief executive, said it had taken nine months to install the system – half as much time as was originally anticipated. DJ Freeman was the first UK firm to install the New Zealand […]

In brief: College of Law hires de Friend from Kent Uni

Richard de Friend (right), previously pro-vice chancellor of the University of Kent, has become director of the College of Law’s London branch at Store Street. Professor Paulene Collins has joined the college as professor and head of staff development and training. Collins was previously chief training officer at the Law Society. John Stanford joins as […]

Property

David Wright of Nabarro Nathanson advised Swedish property company LE Lundbergforetagen on its £22m sale of Crown House, 51 Aldwych, London to a private German investor, advised by Geoffrey Bailey of Linklaters.

Flotation

William Charnley of Simmons & Simmons is advising Irish building society First Active on its IR£510m Dublin and London flotations. Arthur Cox is advising First Active in Ireland and A&L Goodbody is advising sponsors ABN AMRO in the UK and Davy Stockbrokers in Ireland.

Telecoms ace defects from Couderts to Olswang

The London office of US firm Coudert Brothers has been hit by the defection of telecoms star Colin Long to Olswang. Long will become joint head of Olswang’s Telecommunications and IT Unit with current head partner Kim Nicholson. Coudert Brothers managing partner Philip Burroughs said: “We would obviously have preferred it if he hadn’t left […]

'Chinese walls' ruling could help MDPs

A High Court ruling that “Chinese walls” are not enough to protect client confidentiality could “assist” the move towards multidisciplinary partnerships (MDPs) between law firms and accountants, according to the Law Society. Mr Justice Pumfrey made the ruling last week while granting Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei an injunction stopping his former accountants KPMG from […]

In brief: NaCAL and Bristol Law Soc's DIY law scheme

A do-it-yourself law scheme offering members of the public low-cost jargon-free workshops on how to bring and present cases in the small claims and county courts has been launched by the National Council for Access to Law (NaCAL) in association with the Bristol Law Society. NaCAL hopes the scheme will eventually develop nationwide.

Swapping the City for Whitehall

Last month David McCahon told The Lawyer why he quit Westminster for Cameron McKenna. This month, Clare Sylvester explains why she left Clifford Chance for the ‘raw law’ of the Government Legal Service Why on earth should anyone leave the comparative luxury of the City for the “Corridors of Power”? A little over a year […]

German to head IBA

Klaus Bohlhof, a partner at German firm Hengeler Muller Weitzel Wirtz, was last week confirmed as new IBA president, replacing Desmond Fernando. Bohlhof said he aimed to use his two years in office to build on existing IBA resolutions looking to outlaw discrimination, regulate multi- disciplinary practices and advance human rights. Meanwhile, Bermudan lawyer Dianna […]