5 April 1999

Mishcons joins global GM litigation network

Mishcon de Reya is involved in a global network of law firms formed to launch a world-wide litigations against companies making genetically modified seeds. Law firms from across the globe met up in London last month at the behest of Washington firm, Cohen Milstein Hausfeld & Toll who reportedly dreamed up the class action offensive. […]

News In Brief

A lady magistrate has lost her job after mooning at a stable boss during an row. Josie Lewis, 45, was sacked from her post in Swindon, Wilts, by Lord Irvine who said the JP had “failed to uphold the dignity , standing and good reputation of the magistracy. The Lord Chancellor and Home Secretary, Jack […]

Ernst & Young opens Washington office

Big Five accountants Ernst & Young has established an associate Washington DC law firm by luring two tax partners from Atlanta’s King & Spalding. The new firm – McKee Nelson Ernst & Young – is backed by a loan from Ernst & Young and will be housed in the accountants’ Washington DC offices. The American […]

Woolwich and B&B axe in-house teams

The Woolwich Bank and the Bradford & Bingley Building Society are making swingeing cuts to their in-house legal teams. Four lawyers and around 16 support staff out of the 32-person team at the Woolwich are being made redundant, while Bradford & Bingley are slashing their 26-person legal team – including lawyers and paralegals – by […]

Berwin Leighton elects new managing partner

Berwin Leighton has elected Neville Eisenberg as its new managing partner. Eisenberg, who is 37, begins his three-year term this month. He replaces Bob Jones, who is returning to fee earning in the corporate department after a single term in the job. The election, which took place on Monday, was contested but Jones did not […]

Bird & Bird poaches French IT team

Bird & Bird has poached top telecommunications and IT partner, Frederique Dupuis-Toubol and 10-strong team of associates from French firm, Jeantet & Associes to set up a new Paris office. Dupuis-Toubol will join Bird & Bird at the end of this year and will be based in the firm’s new premises in Paris. She and […]

Litigation Writs 4/10/99

Secondhand car dealer Mario Falbo of Sherborne, Dorset, is suing East Somerset NHS Trust for damages after a life-threatening heart attack which he blames on the trust’s alleged negligence. He claims he suffered a heart attack after being treated with medication instead of bypass surgery. Now Falbo, 44, says he cannot work, finds his walking […]

DAC loses second head of corporate this year

Davies Arnold Cooper has lost its second head of corporate in just nine months. DAC’s Charles Wander is set to return to his former firm, Fladgate Fielder, as the steady flow of outgoing partners shows no sign of abating. Wander says he intends to leave DAC “some time in the new year”. DAC’s former head […]

In brief: Dibb Lupton Alsop

Dibb Lupton Alsop has lost an associate from its e-commerce team to internet company EarthPort.com. Simon Deane-Johns, who dealt with the company for Dibbs, will join as director and general counsel.

Browne Jacobson nabs Pinsents star

National firm Browne Jacobson has poached a leading banking partner from Pinsent Curtis to head its new banking and insolvency practice. Duncan Murray is currently deputy head of banking and finance at Pinsent Curtis in Leeds, and will join Browne Jacobson at the end of November in its Nottingham office. He refuses to comment on […]

Baker & McKenzie poaches from Deweys

Baker & McKenzie has taken a London-based Dewey Ballantine partner for its South East Asia and Indian major projects practice. William Abraham has been poached from the US-based firm for a November start in Baker & McKenzie’s Singapore office. Abraham will join Baker & McKenzie’s regional and global projects practice as a local partner. Graeme […]

In brief: Wragge & Co's

Wragge & Co’s senior partner John Crabtree has hit back at claims that Midlands law firms are being squeezed by a combination of rising lawyers’ salaries and demands by manufacturing clients to cut fees (The Lawyer, 27 September). Crabtree says his firm is less dependent on a manufacturing client base than the Birmingham offices of […]