Bill billing paying

Litigation boutique in SDT hearing over alleged AML failures

Litigation firm CANDEY appears before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) this week, alongside former partner Richard Morris, over allegations of anti-money-laundering (AML) failures. The matter regards a £24m deal for a Northumberland country estate in 2015. No actual fraud or money-laundering has been identified. The SRA alleges that the firm and Morris, who left for […]

Cleary hires from Kirkland as recruitment drive continues

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, which up until 18 months ago had steered clear of the lateral hiring market, has added a new London partner from Kirkland & Ellis. Alexander van der Gaag is joining Cleary from Kirkland’s debt finance team. He worked at Kirkland for nine years, arriving as an associate from Baker McKenzie. […]

counting money

The first £200,000 NQ draws near

The latest newly-qualified (NQ) salary rise from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer still managed to raise interest last week, despite the fact enormous pay hikes are the new normal these days and that even £150,000 isn’t unusual any more (as of last week, Quinn’s £180,000 tops the market alongside Gibson Dunn). But it is still significant because […]

JP Morgan

In court this week: A top 10 appeal, Libor and JP Morgan

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and Fountain Court prepare to represent clients across a number of court hearings this week. JP Morgan clashes with Greek investment hearing in race to €5bn After investment banking giant JP Morgan and Greek investment company WeRealize filed parallel claims against one another in mid-February this year, their dispute has […]

Cardiff

The move to greener offices: Clarke Willmott collects commuting info from staff

Clarke Willmott is assessing the environmental footprint of its offices, with the firm collecting information on its staff’s route to work and an expected relocation in Cardiff. The firm is gathering data from its employees to improve the accuracy of emissions data that the firm holds. A survey has been created with the firm’s consultants, […]

counting money

The first £200,000 NQ draws near

The latest newly-qualified (NQ) salary rise from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer still managed to raise interest last week, despite the fact enormous pay hikes are the new normal these days and that even £150,000 isn’t unusual any more (as of last week, Quinn’s £180,000 tops the market alongside Gibson Dunn). But it is still significant because […]

New York alone isn’t worth it anymore

European firms see more value in having a physical office in the Square Mile than they do in the Big Apple. Last week, Spanish firm Uría Menéndez became the latest to shut up shop in New York, having been there for 30 years. Uría was the final member of Slaughter and May’s fabled Best Friends […]

Race running to finish

Here’s one solution to Linklaters’ departures

Thanks to Paul Weiss, Skadden and Kirkland & Ellis (but mainly Paul Weiss), Linklaters has a few empty chairs at Silk Street. One way a firm can replenish its ranks is through lateral hiring – enter Travers Smith corporate partner Richard Spedding – or internal promotions. Last month, a total of 14 lawyers were made up […]

Analysis

post office

Post Office Horizon inquiry: The four things you missed last week

It was the turn of the general counsels last week to give their perspective on the Post Office Horizon scandal. Here’s what they had to say about Womble Bond Dickinson, Linklaters and litigation funders. For live updates, check out our live blog.  Funders react to Womble Bond’s plan to “stretch out the litigation process” Earlier […]

It’s not all about you

The use of LinkedIn for self-promotion has skyrocketed in the last decade, as businesspeople use social media to attract new opportunities and position themselves with authority in their industry. But it’s important to tread with caution.

Latest Lateral Hires

keycard exit leaving office

Quinn’s competition litigation head leaves firm

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has lost its UK head of competition, a year and a half after he joined the firm. Lambros Kilaniotis left the firm in April, having joined Quinn from RPC (where he was head of competition) in January 2023 to co-head Quinn’s UK competition practice with partner Kate Vernon. In a […]

Latest Opinion

In-house

NatWest

NatWest names new GC as Moore departs

NatWest’s general counsel – and Linklaters’ former managing partner – Gideon Moore has left the bank after two years, making way for a new chief. Moore has been replaced by NatWest’s litigation general counsel Will Luker. He has worked at the bank since 2003, became litigation general counsel in 2010 and subsequently managed and integrated […]

By far the hardest question in interview has been ‘Are you a good person?’

Name: Davinder Mann Organisation: UK Infrastructure Bank Role: General Counsel and Company Secretary Based: London Trained at: Herbert Smith Year qualified: September 2003 What’s your most vivid memory from being a trainee? Sorting out hundreds of car park leases during my real estate seat late one night only to peer out of Exchange House to […]

Manchester United

Manchester United seeks new GC after Stewart exit

Manchester United’s interim CEO and general counsel has left following another shake-up within the club’s executive ranks.  Patrick Stewart served as general counsel at the club for over 18 years and stepped into the interim CEO role at the end of last year following the departure of Richard Arnold.  Stewart completed his legal training at Burness and qualified in […]

Latest Litigation Tracker News

High Court

Claim spotter: Simmons and Fieldfisher involved in fresh matters

Simmons & Simmons takes on communications provider Unify Simmons & Simmons filed a new part 7 claim in the Commercial Court on 30 April against corporate communications tech company Unify Software and Solutions. A part 7 claim seeks monetary damages to resolve a dispute. Unify, which is owned by Canadian telecommunications company Mitel, develops and […]

Trains trainline railway

Hausfeld loses co-counsel mandate on rail fares class action

Competition specialist Hausfeld has lost its co-instruction mandate on Justin Gutmann’s boundary fares class action. Since 22 February, Charles Lyndon has been the sole representation for the class representative as the boundary fares case rolls through the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT). Hausfeld had been co-instructed alongside Charles Lyndon on the Gutmann claims throughout the dispute, […]

Race start running

The Hearing: Can anyone stop Addleshaw Goddard?

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Hearing, your weekly insider’s guide to the UK’s litigation market. It is the May 1 and hundreds of lawyers are stepping into their first day as new partners. Litigation promotions were a mixed bag across US firms. Several major players, namely Quinn Emanuel and Hogan Lovells, did not […]

Louis Vuitton

Claim spotter: Louis Vuitton joins merchant interchange fees dispute

Luxury goods giant LVMH joins interchange fee dispute French luxury goods behemoth LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton has swung into the merchant interchange fees dispute with over 25 separate claims filed by its subsidiaries against Visa and Mastercard between 24 and 25 April. The Lawyer understands that the claims form an addition to the long-running […]

Talent

My most vivid pupillage memory? Prawn involved in Road Traffic Collision”

Name: Sara George Organisation: Sidley Austin Role: Partner, Head of Crisis Management for Europe Based: London Trained at: Criminal Bar – Chambers of Ann Rafferty QC 4 Brick Court Year qualified: 1999 What’s your most vivid memory from being a pupil? Representing the driver of a seafood van topped with an enormous papier mache prawn […]

“I nearly became a professional massage therapist”

Name: Gurminder Kaur Nijjar Organisation: Irwin Mitchell Role: Group Deputy General Counsel Based: Birmingham Trained at: Harvey McKibbin Solicitors Year qualified: 2011 What’s your most vivid memory from being a trainee? Attending a hearing on behalf of client for their alcohol/premises licence application. The client found the whole process confusing and was completely reliant on […]