Matt Byrne

 

Editor's Note

The pricing is right at Olswang

Olswang's hunt for more pricing specialists underscores one of the key market trends right now which is having an impact on most if not all of a firm's back office staff. Well, that term in itself ('back office') is becoming increasingly out-dated, as senior members of BD, finance and other core support teams take a leading role on client pitches.

Every firm is looking for that extra edge. Learning from other industries has never been UK Legal's strong suit, but at some firms - Olswang among them - it looks as if the message is finally filtering through.

Elsewhere in this edition of The Lawyer Management there is a word of warning for finance teams from Louis Baker at accountancy firm Crowe Clark Whitehill. Baker helpfully points out that HMRC has the tax treatment of 'salaried members' of LLPs and mixed partnerships ie those that are a mix of individuals and companies as partners, in its cross hairs. It is proposing new legislation from 6 April 2014 to clamp down on what it sees as abuse, some of it by law firms, and has launched a consultation. If you want to have your say, the time is now.

In addition, check out WorkShare's guide to managing metadata, IntApp's risk management briefing which offers a fresh approach to new business intake and Informance on how lawyers can view, analyse and interact with data and monitor their firm's financial performance more effectively.

Matt Byrne
Features editor
matt.byrne@thelawyer.com

Taylor Wessing 317

Taylor Wessing to put 96 secretarial roles in redundancy consultation

18-Jun-2013 | By Joshua Freedman

Taylor Wessing is set to put nearly 100 London roles in redundancy consultation as part of a restructuring of its secretarial function.

Addleshaws

Addleshaws to cut costs with process-mapping initiative

18-Jun-2013 | By Matt Byrne

Addleshaw Goddard is rolling out a new legal process-mapping initiative across more than 40 of its primary transactions in an attempt to provide cheaper and more efficient services to clients.

x

You have to be good to worry about fee rates

17-Jun-2013 | By Joshua Freedman

Mid-market firms fret about their image, while the elite focus on pricing

Glasgow

Ashurst has its reasons for choosing Glasgow

17-Jun-2013 | By Joshua Freedman

There’s more to Ashurst’s Scottish venture than a quest for the lowest cost

London

SRA examines financials across the profession as 160 enter intensive supervision

14-Jun-2013 | By Matt Byrne

As many as 160 UK firms are facing financial difficulties according to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), with eight judged as being at an “immediate risk” of collapse.

Read more management news

ABS News and Analysis

Television

Co-op Legal Services unveils first-ever TV campaign

5-Jun-2013 | By Lucy Burton

Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) has unveiled its first-ever advertising campaign, directed by qualified barrister Jamie Rafn.

Meerkat

Minster acquired by Compare the Market owner BGL

31-May-2013 | By Lucy Burton

Insurance business BGL Group, the owners of insurance website comparethemarket.com, has acquired volume personal injury firm Minster Law.

London

LSA prompts strategy rethink at quarter of firms, says survey

31-May-2013 | By Lucy Burton

The Legal Services Act (LSA) is making traditional firms more innovative with 25 per cent planning on changing their strategy as a direct result of the legislation, a survery by advisory firm Baker Tilly has claimed.

Bath

Thrings names Simon Holdsworth as new managing partner

21-May-2013 | By Hannah Gannagé-Stewart

Bath-headquartered Thrings has named company commercial head Simon Holdsworth as its new managing partner succeeding Thomas Sheppard.

Manchester

Irwin Mitchell closes in on £200m turnover

17-May-2013 | By Hannah Gannagé-Stewart

Irwin Mitchell’s legal practice is closing in on the £200m revenue mark, with the firm’s commercial business generating revenues of £40m over the last financial year.

Read more ABS news and analysis

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Osborne Clarke revenues rise to £112m, growth slows in the UK

17-Jun-2013 | By Natalie Stanton

Osborne Clarke has seen turnover increase by 14 per cent over the last financial year from £98m to £112m.

Stephen Kon

SJ Berwin revenue rises as firm prepares for 10 per cent PEP drop

17-Jun-2013 | By Joshua Freedman

SJ Berwin has reported a 2.5 per cent rise in revenue for the latest financial year against an anticipated drop in average profit per equity partner (PEP) of roughly 10 per cent.

London

Pinsents smashes £300m barrier with revenues of £309m

17-Jun-2013 | By Hannah Gannagé-Stewart

-- Pinsent Masons has broken through the £300m barrier to post a five per cent increase in turnover from £295m to £309m, a year after its merger with McGrigors.

London

Nabarro turnover up 2 per cent to £116.3m, PEP to rocket

13-Jun-2013 | By Lucy Burton

Nabarro’s turnover increased by 2.6 per cent to £116.3m in 2012-13, with the firm predicting that its PEP will soar by 30 per cent based on preliminary figures.

London

Garrigues London revenue soars by 32 per cent for 2011/12

12-Jun-2013 | By Joanne Harris

Revenue at Iberian firm Garrigues’ London office shot up by 32 per cent in the 2011/12 financial year, the firm’s LLP accounts have shown.

Read more Financial News

Marco D'Angelo

The Lawyer Management: Bonelli Erede Pappalardo

17-Jun-2013 | By Lucy Burton

Marco D’Angelo, marketing and business development director

Whittle

The Lawyer Management: Stuart Whittle, Weightmans

10-Jun-2013 | By Lucy Burton

Stuart Whittle, director of operations

Scott Burns Index

The Lawyer Management: Brown Rudnick

28-May-2013 | By Lucy Burton

Scott Burns, managing partner

Gerrard

The Lawyer Management: Quadrant Chambers

13-May-2013 | By Lucy Burton

Tim Gerrard, chief executive

Oberwarth

The Lawyer Management: Matthew Arnold & Baldwin

15-Apr-2013 | By Lucy Burton

Michael Oberwarth, legal information manager

Read more profiles

What Supreme Court’s Myriad decision means for biopharma companies download subscription

DLA Piper 17-Jun-2013

On 13 June 2013, the US Supreme Court ruled that certain patent claims owned by US biotech company Myriad Genetics are invalid as products of nature.

London property prices breaking new ground weblink subscription

Walker Morris LLP 17-Jun-2013

The rising disparity in property prices between the north and the south and between London boroughs themselves appears to breaking new ground.

Changes to charge registration regime at Companies House weblink subscription

Walker Morris LLP 17-Jun-2013

As of 6 April 2013, the Companies Act 2006 (Amendment of Part 25) Regulations 2013 have been in force.

Changes to VAT accounting: good news for LPA receivers weblink subscription

Walker Morris LLP 17-Jun-2013

LPA receivers collect rents, together with any VAT payable on those rents, and incur input VAT on costs associated with their appointment, such as development costs.

Appropriation and relief from forfeiture weblink subscription

Walker Morris LLP 17-Jun-2013

The Financial Collateral Arrangements (No.2) Regulations introduced a new means for a security holder to enforce its security in respect of financial collateral.