Online November 2012
The Lawyer
International barrister and author joins Acumum
Dr Andreas O’Shea has become a member of the Acumum Legal Group.
£3m BCCI silk joins Rabinowitz for BP-AAR arbitration
One Essex Court’s Laurence Rabinowitz QC will later this month face Essex Court Chambers’ Gordon Pollock QC in a London arbitration between oil giant BP International and its Russian TNK-BP partner, Alfa-Access-Renova (AAR) Petroleum.
11KBW, Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith Freehills lead way on London Living Wage
The legal profession is leading the way in paying the London Living Wage, with 11KBW, Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith Freehills among almost 100 accredited companies.
2Birds reports double-digit euro growth at half-year stage
Bird & Bird has reported double-digit growth in its half-year revenue figure when reported in euros.
2Birds set for Danish merger as management plans aggressive overseas strategy
Bird & Bird will cement its presence in Denmark in the new year by merging with its best friend in the country, Bender von Haller Dragsted (BvHD).
39 Essex Street confirms addition of 24-strong 4-5 Gray's Inn team
London set 39 Essex Street is to be joined by 24 members of 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square, including seven silks.
39 Essex Street in 'advanced discussions' with 30 4-5 Gray's Inn members
London set 39 Essex Street is laying the foundations for an amalgamation with 4-5 Gray’s Inn in a move that will create London’s largest civil set.
A pint of milk, Curly Wurly and some boundary dispute advice, please
If brand recognition can be taken as a measure of success, then it’s fair to say that QualitySolicitors, which only launched in 2008, has been pretty successful.
'A real concern' over Jackson, says BLP
Sir Rupert Jackson’s final report into civil litigation costs ran to nearly 600 pages, plus appendices.
A war on judicial review?
The Government has unveiled plans to revamp the judicial review system, but Adam Wagner believes it should think carefully before silencing the law
A&O loses private equity co-head to Simpson Thacher
US firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has hired private equity expert Derek Baird from Allen & Overy (A&O) in London.
A&O's currency converter
Allen & Overy (A&O) is once again the first magic circle firm to post its half-year results, and get your fill because it’s probably the only one that’s going to reveal them too. Are the others just too scared?
Actavis GC to step down as US rival acquires company
The general counsel of Swiss generic drugmaker Actavis is to step down from the role as US rival Watson Pharmaceuticals acquires the company for €4.25bn (£3.4bn).
Addleshaws client Ablyazov debarred from defending $6bn claim
Addleshaw Goddard client Muktar Ablyazov has been debarred from defending claims totalling $6bn against him after the Court of Appeal (CoA) ruled that he could not overturn a committal order against him.
Allen & Overy posts revenue dip in first half
Allen & Overy (A&O) has announced a 3 per cent drop in its revenue for the first half of the 2012/13 financial year, turning over £566m in the six months from 1 May.
Allen & Overy to offer Turkish advice following local tie-up
Allen & Overy (A&O) has expanded in Turkey through an exclusive tie-up with new firm Gedik & Eraksoy, and will now be able to offer clients local-law expertise.
An Englishman in Red Square
Despite the best efforts of many in Russia, English law continues to be the law of choice for most transactions in the country. That fact has helped many Anglo-Saxon firms succeed in Moscow over the two decades since the fall of Communism.
Anti-Money Laundering toolkit helps solicitors prevent misuse by criminals
The Law Society has produced a comprehensive guide for solicitors to help them protect against misuse by criminals and demonstrate compliance with anti-money laundering requirements.
Arendt strengthens corporate team with Linklaters hire
Luxembourg firm Arendt & Medernach has added to its corporate capabilities with the hire of a partner from Linklaters’ Luxembourg office, Laurent Schummer.
Ashurst seals Jeddah tie-up as first step in Saudi plan
Ashurst is set to launch in Jeddah through an association with local in-house lawyer Faisal Adnan Baassiri as the firm aims to kick off its expansion in Saudi Arabia.
Ashurst, Freshfields and SJ Berwin seal Nomura property sale
Ashurst, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and SJ Berwin were among the advisers on the acquisition of residential property company Annington Homes by Guy Hands’ private equity group Terra Firma.
Autonomy, an HP Company, Extends Market-leading Compliance Platform to Dodd-Frank
New cloud-based solution provides financial institutions with turnkey system for achieving compliance with new federal law
Baker & McKenzie hands Baku managing partner role to Azerbaijani
Baker & McKenzie has appointed local lawyer Gunduz Karimov as managing partner of its Baku office - the first Azerbaijani to hold the role since the office was founded.
Baker & McKenzie latest firm to apply for South Korea licence
Baker & McKenzie is gearing up to open an office in Seoul after beginning its application to South Korea’s Ministry of Justice (MoJ).
Baker Botts promotes London duo ahead of Rio opening
US firm Baker Botts has promoted two global projects lawyers in London as part of a 15-strong promotions round, with at least one of the City associates expected to help staff the firm’s anticipated Brazilian office.
Bakers begins hunt for UK head as Senior prepares to step down
Baker & McKenzie London managing partner Gary Senior is set to step down from the role next year after 10 years as the US firm kicks off a process of choosing his successor.
Bakers expected to win spot on new-look EDF panel
EDF Energy is set to appoint a raft of firms including Baker & McKenzie, Eversheds and Herbert Smith Freehills to a revamped legal panel expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.
Balfour Beatty to slash legal spend by 30 per cent in panel review
Construction giant Balfour Beatty is looking to save up to a third of its external legal spend by packaging certain areas of work and tendering it out to the lowest bidder.
Battle lines
The ongoing battle between Kazakhstan-bank JSC BTA Bank and its former chairman Mukhtar Ablyazov could find its way to the Supreme Court after Ablyazov’s lawyers at Addleshaw Goddard said yesterday they would fight the court’s decision to debar him from the case.
Belfast's Johns Elliot defeated as sex offender wins case against Facebook
Belfast-based Johns Elliot has lost a High Court order for Facebook as the social networking site is given 72 hours to remove a Facebook page that identifies pedophiles in Northern Ireland.
Bingham joins local trio on Spanish constructor's €200m debt refinancing
Bingham McCutchen has joined Spanish firms Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira, Gómez-Acebo & Pombo and Uría Menéndez in advising on building manufacturer Uralita’s debt refinancing.
Bingham, Mayer Brown and Macfarlanes lead on Comet administration
Bingham McCutchen and Mayer Brown are advising the administrators of electricals chain Comet, which filed for administration last Friday (2 November).
Bingham's COO on how to launch a global shared-services centre
Next spring Bingham McCutchen will throw open the doors on its $22.5m shared-services centre in Kentucky, a move the US firm announced in September this year.
Blog: causation key issue for litigants in Libor claims
The recent decision by the court in the claim brought by Guardian Care Homes against Barclays (see story 30 October 2012), allowing the claimant to bring the manipulation of LIBOR into a case on hedge mis-selling, highlights the storm clouds that still gather around the banking sector and may indicate a lack of trust of banks in the Courts.
Boris and the oligarchs
London mayor Boris Johnson has extended an invitation to oligarchs to litigate in London. Is that such a bad thing?
Boris: UK is the way
With his mop of blond hair, clownish features, booming voice and ability to draw a crowd, Boris Johnson makes an ideal circus master.
BT buys legal tech provider Tikit for £64.2m
British Telecommunications (BT) has today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire technology group Tikit for £64.2m.
CC and Linklaters lead as Carlyle and StanChart make Tanzanian investment
Clifford Chance has advised private equity outfit the Carlyle Group on its $210m (£132m) investment in Tanzania-based agricultural company Export Trading Group (ETG), with Linklaters and South African firm Webber Wentzel also acting for investors.
Chadbourne loses more IP lawyers as Cooley poaches NY team
The New York office of Cooley has hired a group of IP lawyers from Chadbourne & Parke, including IP chief Walter Hanchuk and head of mobile technology John Kheit.
Charles Guan, Grandall Law Firm, Shanghai
Due to rapid changes brought by market development and transition, legal service has to keep developing to adapt to such dramatic changes.
China Watch - A foreign lawyer's view from the inside
A couple of weeks ago I was invited to participate as a judge in a legal English contest conducted by the Sinopec law department. On the surface, this was part training exercise and part game show, but there was a deeper objective, which became apparent quite quickly.
Clarke Willmott transforms IT with £2m investment
National law firm Clarke Willmott LLP has embarked on a major IT investment, using IT specialist Tikit to upgrade its back-office hardware and desktops across its six offices around the country.
Cleary joins Slaughters' French ally on Franco-Belgian bailout of Dexia
Bredin Prat, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and former Clifford Chance partner Yves Herinckx have all landed roles as France and Belgium inject €5.5bn (£4.4bn) to bail out ailing Dexia, as part of a recapitalisation deal approved by the company’s board of directors yesterday (12 November).
Cleary promotes London trio in global promos round
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has promoted two London-based lawyers to its partnership and one to counsel as part of a global promotions round that will see eight made up to partner and four to counsel.
Clifford Chance adds Italy head to management team
Clifford Chance Italy managing partner Charles Adams has been elected to the firm’s management committee for a four-year term starting on 1 January 2013.
Clifford Chance and Freshfields land roles as China buys into Heathrow
Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Simmons & Simmons took roles advising on the acquisition of a 10 per cent stake in Heathrow Airport by a subsidiary of China Investment Corporation (CIC).
Clifford Chance joins burgeoning list of law firms on MegaFon IPO
Clifford Chance has added its name to the growing roster of advisers on Russian mobile phone group MegaFon’s London IPO, winning a mandate from BNY Mellon in its role as depository bank.
Clydes COO Jabbari quits firm year after BLG merger
Clyde & Co chief operating officer David Jabbari has left the firm one year after the merger between Clyde & Co and his former firm Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG).
Clydes' Manchester fraud head takes 17-strong team to Keoghs
Clyde & Co’s Manchester fraud head Damian Ward is to take a team of 17 to Keoghs after quitting the firm in the summer.
Clydes moots second Saudi launch as firm posts half-year turnover hike
Clyde & Co is considering launching a second Saudi Arabia base in Jeddah, as it emerges that the firm has delayed transferring partner Ben Cowling to the country’s capital Riyadh amid a logistical hitch.
CMS revamps private equity group in wake of top-level departures
CMS has reacted to the departure of former private equity heads David Bresnick and Ted Cominos with a restructure of the group’s leadership.
CMS, Eversheds and Osborne Clarke win spots on slimmed down Lloyds panel
Ashurst, Berwin Leighton Paisner, CMS Cameron McKenna, Eversheds, Osborne Clarke and Stephenson Harwood have been appointed to Lloyds Banking Group’s own-account legal panels following a review.
Conyers splits chairman role in two with new appointments
Offshore firm Conyers Dill & Pearman has elected partners Narinder Hargun and David Lamb as its new co-chairs.
Coram Chambers tops bar diversity tables
Family set Coram Chambers is home to the highest proportion of female tenants and has also topped the Black Solicitors Network’s (BSN) league table for having the highest proportion of ethnic minority members.
Costs Management – some practical tips
Whilst concerns over the Jackson reforms appear to have centred on funding arrangements (CFAs and DBAs) and the new proportionality rule, Lord Justice Dyson, in his inaugural speech as Master of the Rolls, said that, “costs management is the key to the Jackson reforms”.
Couchmans scores former Fifa lawyer
Sports-law boutique Couchmans has hired the former head of disciplinary and governance at football’s world governing body, Fifa, as a consultant.
Court of Appeal gears up for stripper showdown
Old Square Chambers’ John Hendy QC will take on Matrix Chambers’ Tom Linden QC in the Court of Appeal (CoA) next week in an battle over whether £200,000-a-year stripper Nadine Quashie was an employee of the Stringfellows club.
Coutts & Co turns to Herbies for High Court battle
RBS’s private banking arm Coutts & Co has turned to Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) global head of litigation Sonya Leydecker and partner Rupert Lewis for its High Court battle with entrepreneur Sir Keith Mills.
Covington becomes latest firm to open in Seoul
Covington & Burling has opened its third office in Asia following approval to launch in Seoul from the Korean Ministry of Justice and the Korean Bar Association.
CPA Global turns to Ancestry.com for hire of first-ever GC
Legal process outsourcer CPA Global has named Ruth Daniels as its first-ever general counsel.
DAC Beachcroft signs three-way Chilean merger
DAC Beachcroft and Chilean firms Seguros Lex and Amunategui y Cia are to join forces to create DAC Beachcroft Chile from today (1 November 2012).
DAC Beachcroft to separate out volume arm
DAC Beachcroft is to corporatise its claims solutions arm as a subsidiary of the firm’s LLP in a bid to boost the efficiencies of the business.
DAC Beachcroft, Eversheds and Gateley win spots on Taylor Wimpey panel
UK housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has cut its roster of legal advisers from 13 to just six following a panel review.
Davis Polk continues to build English-law capability with Herbies hire
Davis Polk & Wardwell has continued its English-law hiring spree by snaring a corporate partner from Herbert Smith Freehills.
Delegal Deloitte Deutschland
The accountancy firms have done little more than dip their toes in the legal market in recent years, not least in light of the failure of the multidisciplinary partnership (MDP) model and the collapse Arthur Andersen and its associated law firm Garrett & Co.
Deloitte to launch legal offering in Germany with Raupach acquisition
Deloitte is set to become the last of the so-called Big Four accountancy firms to launch its own legal offering in Germany by acquiring 100-lawyer national firm Raupach & Wollert-Elmendorff.
Democratic rule
The re-election is a chance for Barack Obama to achieve much of what he proposed in his first term, says Charles Adams.
Dentons: the resurrection
The long-running merger discussions between SNR Denton and Salans have taken a dramatic new step, with The Lawyeryesterday exclusively revealing the duo’s three-way tie-up with Canadian firm Fraser Milner Casgrain (FMC).
Diversity league table: female lawyers react
The latest diversity league table from the Black Solicitors Network has shown that while a small number of firms are nearing a 50/50 male-to-female partner ratio, there is still a large drop off in female representation between law firms’ junior and senior ranks.
DLA and Cravath advise as Starbucks develops taste for luxury tea
Cravath Swaine & Moore and DLA Piper have won lead roles as high-end tea company Teavana agrees to sell to coffee giant Starbucks for $620m (£390m) in cash.
DLA and Freshfields earn £775k in fees from BT acquisition
DLA Piper and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer are set to share an estimated £775,000 in legal fees after winning advisory roles on British Telecommunications’ (BT) acquisition of IT services company Tikit.
DLA and Squire Sanders Leeds team lead on financing by GE and Ares
DLA Piper and a UK team from Squire Sanders landed roles on a deal by GE Capital and Ares Capital Europe to provide unitranche debt facilities to Callcredit Information Group.
DLA Piper and Kingsley Napley advise as Coulson and Brooks face charges
DLA Piper and Kingsley Napley have been instructed again as Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks face criminal conspiracy charges over illegal payments to officials.
DLA Piper puts 251 in consultation across UK as firm mulls Glasgow closure
DLA Piper has put 251 staff in consultation in one of the biggest rounds of redundancies yet in the UK legal market’s recent spate of layoffs.
DLA's Knowles: Obama will achieve a great deal in second term
DLA Piper’s co-chief executive Sir Nigel Knowles has spoken of his hope that Barack Obama will use his second term to build consensus among the American people.
Dundas & Wilson hit by senior corporate partner exit
Dundas & Wilson partner Michael Polson, who unsuccessfully stood for managing partner earlier this year, has resigned from the firm.
DWF has positive first half thanks to merger activity
DWF has reported a half-year turnover rise to £59m following several mergers, with a 7.6 per cent growth in like-for-like revenue.
Edwards Wildman City team leads for tech startup on $5m funding round
Edwards Wildman’s London office and US firm Carr & Ferrell have won roles advising as technology startup Swoop kicks off a process to raise $5m (£3.1m).
Egorov ups English law capacity with hire from Herbies' Moscow team
Russian law firm Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners has hired Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) English-qualified corporate and energy partner Robin Wittering to join its Moscow office.
Election fever
Following the US elections the Democrats hold a majority in the Senate while the Republicans have a majority in the House. Stalemates could continue, but there is also the chance for reform of the financial services industry, says Mike Castle
European moves: 1 November 2012
All the latest partner hires and other appointments within Continental European firms and offices.
European moves: 22 November 2012
All the latest partner hires and other appointments within Continental European firms and offices.
Eversheds joins bidding war for Yorkshire Water mandate
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and Eversheds are battling it out for a mandate from Yorkshire Water.
Ex-Hogan Lovells partner struck off for £1.27m fraud
Former Hogan Lovells partner Christopher Grierson has been struck off the solicitors’ roll, after pleading guilty earlier this year to defrauding the firm of £1.27m.
Field Fisher and Osborne Clarke abandon talks over £200m merger
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) and Osborne Clarke have called off their merger talks after failing to agree a £200m combination.
Field Fisher suffers another exit as A&O hires Germany head
Field Fisher Waterhouse’s (FFW) has seen another partner exit its European practice with German managing partner Joachim Feldges moving to Allen & Overy (A&O) as the magic circle firm bids to strengthen its German IP team.
Finers and Howard Kennedy draw up new merger timetable
The delayed merger between London firms Finers Stephens Innocent (FSI) and Howard Kennedy will now go live on 1 February.
Fireworks at PSG as they celebrate the launch of their new website, www.psgconnect.co.uk
PSG, one of the market leading providers of searches and reports for conveyancers in England and Wales, are pleased to launch their new website today.
Firms on tenterhooks over Lloyds panel revamp
Lloyds Banking Group has delayed the review of its customer-pay panel, with law firms left in the dark over the timescale for the process.
First-half revenue flat at Stephenson Harwood
Stephenson Harwood has announced flat revenues for the first half of the 2012/13 financial year, with income unchanged at £51.4m.
Form over substance?
Preserving the status quo will not be an option for Lord Justice Leveson, says Kevin Bays
Former Herbies ally Gleiss to ape Slaughters with Euro alliance
Four of Europe’s biggest independent law firms are teaming up in a new alliance that covers much of the Continent in a challenge to internationalisation.
Freedom fighter
Tough independent self-regulation would be the best proposal Lord Justice Leveson could put forward, says Niri Shan
Freshfields and MoFo take lead roles on DMGT local paper sell-off
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Morrison & Foerster (MoFo), Norton Rose and Olswang have advised as the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) sells its regional newspaper arm Northcliffe Media to a consortium led by former Mirror Group CEO David Montgomery.
Freshfields client Apple ordered to pay Samsung's UK legal fees
The Court of Appeal (CoA) has ruled that Apple must pay Samsung’s legal fees on an indemnity basis after a ruling by lead judge Sir Robin Jacob found that Apple’s attempts to publicly apologise to Samsung were ‘misleading’ and ‘lackadaisical’.
Freshfields loses corporate partner to BP
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has seen Düsseldorf corporate partner Hildegard Bison leave to join the European arm of longstanding client BP in a senior in-house role.
Freshfields to stage three-week benefits showcase
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is to host a targeted series of events for its workforce focusing on its employee benefits programme in a bid to freshen its benefits scheme and keep staff engaged.
Garrigues promotes 15 to equity as turnover drops by 5 per cent
Spanish firm Garrigues has made up 15 equity partners as revenue figures for the financial year 2011-12 showed a dip of 5 per cent.
Get off my land, Herbies
When Herbert Smith announced it was opening a Belfast office to aid its dispute resolution practice two years ago, it probably didn’t think it would soon be using the base for lawsuits going on purely between parties in the Australian outback.
Gibson Dunn promotes one City lawyer in 11-strong global round
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has promoted one lawyer to its partnership in London among a US-centric round of 11.
Goodwin Procter leads for Advent on €8.5bn private equity fundraising
Goodwin Procter has advised private equity group Advent International on its latest fund, which has raised €8.5bn (£6.8bn) in one of the largest buyout fundraisings post-financial crisis.
Google-backed Rocket Lawyer launches in UK amid public spat with rival
Google-backed online legal services site Rocket Lawyer has launched in the UK days after US rival LegalZoom sued the site for its use of the word ‘free’.
Government rejects judicial demands for costs council
The government has rejected Lord Justice Jackson’s proposals for a costs council despite senior judges calling for the end of the hourly rate.
Government's planned judicial review revamp 'misses the point'
Government plans to overhaul the judicial review process to boost growth and unburden clogged-up courts have “missed the point”, according to public law lawyers.
Gree legal chief takes commercial role at Microsoft's new gaming studio
The head of legal issues for Japanese mobile gaming company Gree has left for the role of commercial director at Microsoft’s new games studio in London.
Halliwells mediation put on hold after eight months of deliberations
Mediation between former Halliwells partners and the failed firm’s liquidators has been adjourned after proceedings kicked off in April this year.
Herbert Smith and Travers field City teams for Polish energy deal
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Travers Smith have scooped roles as San Leon Energy acquires Aurelian Oil & Gas in a bid to become the largest foreign holder of shale licenses in Poland.
Herbert Smith, Slaughters advise as Diageo buys majority stake in United Spirits
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Slaughter and May have landed roles on a deal that sees UK drinks company Diageo acquire a 53.4 per cent stake in India’s United Spirits.
Herbies to send Aussie work to Belfast review centre
Herbert Smith Freehills is preparing a pilot scheme to use the firm’s Belfast document review centre for cases from the legacy Freehills side of its business in Australia.
High Court awards £98 to demoted employee in Facebook dispute
The High Court has awarded less than £100 to an employee who was demoted by his company after he posted comments on Facebook about gay marriage, despite ruling that he had not breached his company rules.
High Court dismisses claim against Evening Standard as "attempt at extortion"
Mr Justice Tugendhat has slammed a claimant who attempted to sue London Evening Standard journalist Andrew Gilligan calling the case an “attempt at extortion”.
Historic moment
The three main political parties will not shirk their responsibilities under the Leveson Report, hopes Dominic Crossley
Hogan Lovells partner sets up Paris litigation boutique
Hogan Lovells Paris partner Jean-Georges Betto has quit the firm to launch his own litigation boutique, taking three other staff with him.
How ethnically diverse is your firm or set?
This year’s diversity gongs go to O’Melveny & Myers and Coram Chambers, which top the tables for law firms and barristers’ sets respectively when ranked by their proportion of partners or tenants from ethnic minorities.
Howard Kennedy chief: FSI deal is still on track
Howard Kennedy chief executive Mark Dembovsky has dismissed claims that there is uneasiness within the firm regarding its upcoming merger with Finers Stephens Innocent (FSI), insisting the deal is still on track despite delays.
Impact statement
It would be easy for Lord Justice Leveson to overreact after such a long, emotional and expensive inquiry, but it would not be the right course says Harvey Kass
Impossible task
Freedom of speech is likely to be the scapegoat of Lord Justice Leveson’s report, says Korieh Duodu
Integreon opens City review centre as trend for onshore LPOs advances
Legal process outsourcer (LPO) Integreon is to open a legal document review centre in its London office as the trend for onshore LPOs continues to pick up.
Irwin Mitchell, RJW, Thompsons on standby for breast cancer clin neg case
Irwin Mitchell, Russell, Jones & Walker and Thompsons are among a group of nine firms pursuing claims against a doctor who has been suspended by the General Medical Council after he allegedly performed “unnecessary or inappropriate” breast cancer operations on more than 1,000 women.
Is SJ Berwin feeling lucky?
King & Wood Mallesons’ plan to spread across the world like some kind of Sino-Australian juggernaut show no signs of abating. Following earlier reports that global managing partner Stuart Fuller had cryptically commented that his firm was talking to either Nixon Peabody or SJ Berwin about a tie-up, The Lawyer today reveals that SJ Berwin’s partnership is ...
Jabbari's fire at Clydes goes out
November 5 is a day to remember for more than one reason. News has broken that one of the key instigators of the merger between Clyde & Co and Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG), David Jabbari, has left the firm, saying that he wants to play a leading role in the “new world of legal ...
JMW posts revenue and profit rises at half-year stage
Manchester firm JMW has increased revenue by 14 per cent and profit by 24 per cent for the first half of the 2012/13 financial year, the firm said.
Johnsons Solicitors seals settlement in X Factor judge's libel action
Irish firm Johnsons Solicitors has steered a settlement for X Factor judge Louis Walsh, who has accepted €500,000 (£404,000) in libel damages from Matheson client The Sun over false sex assault allegations published last year.
Jon Chapman
Position: Former News International director of legal affairs
JPMorgan GC takes Emea role following internal revamp
JPMorgan has confirmed the revamped structure of its in-house legal team following the merger of its investment bank and treasury and securities units, with senior London-based lawyer Karen Linney taking on a broader role as Emea general counsel for the overall business.
K&L Gates and O'Melveny become latest US firms to win Seoul approval
K&L Gates and O’Melveny & Myers are the latest US firms to land on the ground in Seoul after receiving final approval from the Korean Ministry of Justice.
Kaye Scholer plans City structured finance launch with Freshfields hire
Kaye Scholer is set to launch a London structured finance practice early next year with the hire of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Stuart Axford.
Kennedys gears up to recommend Scottish merger to partners
Insurance firm Kennedys is in early-stage tie-up talks with Scotland’s Simpson & Marwick and is preparing to put the prospect of a merger to its partners.
Keoghs prepares for private equity investment after gaining ABS approval
North West insurance firm Keoghs is on the cusp of receiving a cash injection from private equity house LDC after gaining approval for its ABS conversion.
Killing 2Birds' worries with one merger
Someone needs to get Sarah Lund and her natty jumpers back on the case, as Copenhagen is set to be the scene of an outwardly aggressive but intelligently planned merger in January 2013.
King & Spalding bolsters Middle East practice with Simmons hire
King & Spalding is set to add to its Middle East capability with the hire of Simmons & Simmons regional disputes and construction head Adrian Cole.
Kingsley Napley names family head as next senior partner
Kingsley Napley’s senior partner Christopher Murray has announced that he will retire from the firm next year, to be replaced by the firm’s family head.
Landmark returns to 4-5 Gray's Inn for another silk
Planning silk Tim Corner QC has become the latest barrister to quit London set 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square after securing membership at Landmark Chambers.
Landmark scoops fourth silk from 4-5 Gray's Inn
Planning silk John Hobson QC and Stephen Whale are the latest barristers to quit 4-5 Gray’s Inn for Landmark Chambers.
Laterals: what's your return on investment?
Do you have a growth strategy, or just a recruitment strategy? And just what are you getting out of the time and money you put into recruiting partners and teams?
Latham makes up London finance duo in promotions round
Latham & Watkins has promoted two to its London partnership as part of an 18-strong global promotions round.
Lawrence Abramson
Position: Fladgate partner; formerly managing partner at Harbottle & Lewis
Lawrence Graham makes 'prudent' move to cut 18 jobs
Lawrence Graham has launched a redundancy consultation aimed at cutting 18 jobs across lawyer, central services and support staff ranks.
Lawrence Jacobs
Position: Former News Corporation group general counsel
Lawyer salary hikes fall below national average, says survey
Lawyers’ salaries are rising at a slower rate than the national average, according to detailed analysis of Office of National Statistics (ONS) by recruiter Randstad Financial & Professional.
Leveson blog video
As Lord Justice Leveson prepares to report this week, TheLawyer.com will be publishing a series of opinions and articles in the build-up to Thursday afternoon. You can follow the best of our online coverage here.
Lewis Silkin to open Cardiff base with Welsh government backing
City firm Lewis Silkin has announced that it is opening an office in Cardiff, making it the firm’s third office in the UK after London and Oxford.
Lim Kar Han, Zaid Ibrahim & Co, Malaysia
I lived in Sydney for 10 years where I absorbed the values of integrity and respect and learned to appreciate mateship (Aussie for friendship)
Linklaters heads to CoA on Commerzbank bonus fight
Matrix Chambers’ Tom Linden QC will tomorrow (6 November) attempt to persuade the Court of Appeal (CoA) to give Germany’s Commerzbank permission to appeal the bankers’ bonus case it lost earlier this year.
Linklaters reopens in Washington DC after decade-long hiatus
Linklaters has reopened in Washington DC, 10 years after shutting its representative base in the US capital.
Linklaters takes trophy Siemens role opposite Freshfields on rail buy
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have taken prized mandates on Siemens’ £1.7bn acquisition of UK engineering group Invensys’s rail division.
Local authority bodies moot merger as Law Society reviews grant
Solicitors in Local Government (SLG), the professional body representing the 4,000 local government lawyers in England and Wales, is proposing to merge with The Association of Council Secretaries and Solicitors (ACSeS) in a bid to provide a ‘single voice’ on local authority legal issues.
Locke Lord continues to build London with Fox Williams hire
US firm Locke Lord has added a 16th partner to its nascent London office with the hire of Fox Williams corporate finance specialist James Channo.
Lockton International general counsel exits for RPC
Lockton International general counsel Charlotte Taggart has left the broker for private practice, becoming a corporate insurance partner at RPC.
Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge announces retirement
The Lord Chief Justice Igor Judge has announced that he will retire in September next year.
Lord McAlpine instructs One Brick Court and RMPI over 'defamatory' claims
A City personal injury firm is advising Lord McAlpine in relation to “wholly false and seriously defamatory” internet rumours linking him to a North Wales child sex abuse case.
Lord McAlpine pursues legal action against Twitter users
Lord McAlpine’s solicitor Andrew Reid has pledged to sue everyone who tweeted his client’s name in relation to mistaken sexual abuse allegations.
Lord Phillips joins Brick Court as arbitrator
Brick Court Chambers has added the former president of the Supreme Court, Lord Phillips, to its roster of arbitrators.
Macfarlanes boosts private client with senior Speechlys hire
Macfarlanes has made a rare lateral partner hire by re-recruiting Speechly Bircham international tax and wealth structuring head Charles Gothard.
Magic circle trio joins Latham on €1.5bn private equity bid for German retailer
Allen & Overy (A&O), Clifford Chance and Linklaters are among the firms winning advisory roles on a joint €1.5bn (£1.2bn) bid for Germany’s Douglas Holding by private equity group Advent International and the high-street retailer’s founding family.
Magnitsky Act overcomes further hurdle in US Congress
The US House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Magnitsky Act, with 365 to 43 in favour of passing the bill
MAPIC mania
Having popped over to Cannes for this year’s MAPIC real estate conference, Nicky Richmond finds a slightly different scene to the one on offer at lawyer-fest MIPIM
Martin Arnold elected as managing partner for post-merger Wedlake Bell
Wedlake Bell senior partner Martin Arnold has been elected managing partner for a four-year term in the wake of the firm’s April merger with Cumberland Ellis.
Matrix and DLA Piper seal costs victory for Coulson at CoA
Matrix Chambers and DLA Piper partner Jo Rickards have scored a victory in the Court of Appeal (CoA) for former News of the World (NoW) editor Andy Coulson, ordering the defunct tabloid’s publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) to pay his legal costs.
Mayer Brown takes Ashurst partner to head real estate in Europe
Mayer Brown has hired longstanding Ashurst partner Martin Wright to fill the new position of European real estate head.
Minster and Optima top UK200 debt charts
Minster Law and Optima Legal have emerged as the two firms with the highest reported level of borrowings in this year’s The Lawyer UK200.
Mishcon to beat three-year growth target after strong first half
Mishcon de Reya has said that it is on track to smash its three-year revenue target of £80m after seeing positive growth in the first half of 2012/13.
Nabarro turnover inches up at the half-year mark
Nabarro’s turnover increased 2 per cent for the first half of 2012-13 compared with the previous year, rising to £52.3m.
Network Rail prepares to revamp legal panel under new general counsel
Network Rail has invited 20 firms including Clifford Chance, Eversheds and Simmons & Simmons to pitch for its external legal panel as the transport infrastructure group’s new general counsel prepares to review its roster of advisers.
New Multi-media Directory provides Marketing Platform for the High Street Legal Practice
LawPlayer, a full services digital marketing company, have launched a national multi-media directory for the legal sector.
New-look Dentons to be 'most multi-cultural' law firm
SNR Denton global chair Joe Andrew has pledged to make post-merger Dentons the “most multi-cultural” firm when Salans, SNR Denton and Canada’s Fraser Milner Casgrain (FMC) combine early next year.
New-look Dentons to go live on 28 March - and 2 April
Salans, SNR Denton and Canada’s Fraser Milner Casgrain (FMC) have confirmed 28 March as the launch date for their triple merger.
Norton Rose chief: it doesn't stop here
Norton Rose CEO Peter Martyr is not saying whether he will stand for a fourth term as firm chief when the next election comes up in 2014, but he has dropped a bit of a hint. “This is not completed,” he announced after sealing the deal of his career that will see the business combine with Houston’s Fulbright & Jaworski in June 2013.
Norton Rose Fulbright to adopt aligned remuneration systems
Norton Rose’s UK arm will retain control of partner remuneration decisions for the firm’s Emea offices following next year’s tie-up with America’s Fulbright & Jaworski.
Norton Rose Fulbright to target Brazil and Mexico when merger goes live
Norton Rose has confirmed its intention to launch offices in Brazil and Mexico after it merges with Texan firm Fulbright & Jaworski next year.
Norton Rose hires Allen & Overy IP litigator
Allen & Overy (A&O) IP litigator Huw Evans is set to leave the firm to join Norton Rose as a partner.
Norton Rose names new construction head as incumbent retires
Norton Rose has appointed London partner Donald Warnock as head of its construction and engineering practice following the retirement of longstanding group chief Christopher Hill.
Norton Rose seals $1.9bn merger with America's Fulbright & Jaworski
Norton Rose is set to merge with US firm Fulbright & Jaworski, the firms have announced, with the deal going live on 1 June 2013.
Norton Rose's Martyr: Fulbright deal won't hurt US referral relationships
Norton Rose CEO Peter Martyr has brushed off claims that next year’s merger with Fulbright & Jaworski will jeopardise the firm’s referral relationships with other US outfits, as concerns emerge among parts of the UK-headquartered firm that the tie-up could have a negative effect on some partners’ practices.
Obamamania
You might not have expected the legal profession to lean to the left, but in this year’s US presidential election lawyers donated more than twice as much to Democrat - and incumbent - Barack Obama than to his Republican rival Mitt Romney.
Offshore M&A drops but value remains high
Offshore M&A transactions fell by volume and value in the third quarter of 2012 compared to the previous three months, although by less than the drop recorded in 2011.
Olswang IP lawyer spearheads 'game changing' patent service
Olswang IP partner Campbell Forsyth has spearheaded new patent service HLP3, a process aimed at helping patent owners monetise their patents for a fixed fee, working alongside a group of insurers, funders and IP experts.
One Crown Office Row duo lands roles on BBC review
One Crown Office Row silk Christina Lambert QC and Kate Beattie of the same set have won roles on the Dame Janet Smith-led review of the BBC.
Orrick's China chief quits for GC role at Asian Development Bank
Orrick’s senior partner for China Christopher Stephens will leave the firm for the general counsel role at the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Osborne Clarke hires YouView legal head
Osborne Clarke has turned to digital TV provider YouView for a hire in its digital business group, bringing aboard legal chief John Davidson-Kelly.
Pannone to cut 16 jobs in second redundancy round of 2012
North West firm Pannone is set to make its second round of redundancies this year with 16 lawyer and support staff positions facing the axe.
Parabis marches north with launch in Scotland
Insurance firm Parabis has launched in Scotland with the hire of HBJ Claim Solutions litigation head Tony O’Malley.
Pepeliaev Group expands footprint with Siberia launch
Russian firm Pepeliaev Group has launched an office in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, making it the firm’s third office in the region after Moscow and St Petersburg.
Pinsents launches second post-merger redundancy round
Pinsent Masons is beginning a second round of redundancies following its merger with Scottish firm McGrigors, with up to 15 jobs set to go.
Portugal's Miranda launches London base to boost transatlantic offering
Miranda Correia Amendoeira & Associados has become the first major Portuguese law firm to open an office in London, taking advantage of the growing interest from both UK and international investors in the African market.
Pre-merger Howard Kennedy to cut 10 support staff roles
Howard Kennedy has put 10 support staff on redundancy consultation ahead of its planned merger with Finers Stephens Innocent (FSI).
Prudential hires Tesco GC for company secretary role
Tesco group general counsel Alan Porter has left the supermarket chain to take up the role of group company secretary at Prudential.
Pump Court Tax Chambers scores victory in Rangers tax case
Pump Court Tax Chambers has secured a major victory for the former owners of Rangers Football Club in a legal battle with HMRC.
Quartet of firms advises as Mittal acquires parts of Lafarge and Anglo American
Eversheds, Freeth Cartwright, Linklaters and Mayer Brown have all won roles advising as cement maker Lafarge and mining company Anglo American agree to sell various parts of their construction materials operations to Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal.
Quinn defeats Mofo and WilmerHale in latest Apple-Samsung battle
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan client Samsung has won a major battle against Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) and WilmerHale client Apple after a US judge ordered the iPhone maker to show Samsung the details of its patent-sharing deal with HTC.
Radical change
In the internet age, the Leveson Report should seize the opportunity to address issues relating to more than just the traditional press, says Chris Scott
Rangers liquidators to plough ahead with Collyer Bristow 'conspiracy' trial
The liquidators of Rangers have pledged to proceed with conspiracy charges against the old club’s former law firm, Collyer Bristow.
Regulatory pressures push in-housers closer to management, says KPMG
The growing tide of regulation has pushed in-house counsel ever closer to management boards and pushed up demand for commercial nous, research from KPMG suggests.
Revealed: the lawyers who helped Obama win second term in White House
The legal industry backed the winner in yesterday’s US presidential election, with lawyers and law firms donating twice as much to Democrat Barack Obama’s successful campaign than to Republican candidate Mitt Romney’s unsuccessful one.
Richards LJ to take over as deputy civil justice head
Lord Justice Richards has been appointed deputy head of civil justice, succeeding Lord Justice Moore-Bick, who has held the role for the past six years.
Rival to QualitySolicitors targets corner shops and high street firms
A new legal franchise aimed at rivalling QualitySolicitors has been launched, with plans to attract 50 high street firms to team up with local corner shops to market their services.
Ropes & Gray promotes London duo in global promo round
US firm Ropes & Gray has promoted two lawyers to its partnership in London as part of a global promotions round that sees nine made up to partner and four made up to counsel.
RPC and Taylor Hampton lock horns over Mirror phone-hacking claims
Trinity Mirror has instructed RPC partner Keith Mathieson and 5RB media silk Desmond Browne QC to defend claims of phone hacking.
RPC reshuffles media group into IP practice
RPC is to restructure its media practice into the intellectual property group following the exit of media head Jaron Lewis.
Salans partners prepare for public vote on firm's three-way merger
Salans, SNR Denton and Canada’s Fraser Milner Casgrain (FMC) are gearing up to approve the firms’ three-way merger today in a process that sees Salans partners forced to announce how they vote to their colleagues.
Salans, SNR and FMC approve three-way merger after partner votes
Partners at Salans, SNR Denton and Canadian firm Fraser Milner Casgrain (FMC) have ratified the firms’ three-way merger in votes taking place today.
Sarah Webb
Position: Payne Hicks Beach partner
SC Andrew chases stormtrooper client for £3.5m legal bill
A British engineer who won a Star Wars copyright row is being pursued by his own lawyers for £3.5m owed in court costs.
Silverbeck Rymer unveils post-ABS expansion plans
Liverpool firm Silverbeck Rymer, one of the first to announce a conversion to an ABS, has unveiled plans to create 300 new positions over the next 12 months.
SJ Berwin bolsters corporate team with Field Fisher CIS expert
SJ Berwin has added to its City corporate practice with the hire of Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) CIS specialist Alex Woodfield.
SJ Berwin left out as Segro revamps legal panel
Eversheds and Nabarro have been reappointed to property developer Segro’s slimmed down panel following a review.
SJ Berwin pushes for tie-up with Asia-Pacific's King & Wood Mallesons
SJ Berwin has held talks with King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) over a transformational tie-up with the Asia-Pacific giant.
Slaughter and May deploys Recommind’s Decisiv Search
Slaughter and May chooses Recommind’s Decisiv Search for its knowledge management search platform across the firm’s knowledge resources.
Slaughters names disputes head as next executive partner
Slaughter and May has elected disputes head Richard Clark as its new executive partner from 1 May next year, replacing incumbent Graham White.
Slaughters to part company with 41 secretaries at end of consultation
Slaughter and May is set to axe 32.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs in its secretarial team after finalising a round of redundancies.
SNR Denton and Salans prepare to seal three-way deal with Canada's FMC
Salans and SNR Denton are set to vote at the end of this month on a three-way merger with Canadian firm Fraser Milner Casgrain (FMC).
Sony turns to Wiggin for hire of legal affairs chief
Sony Picture Television (SPT) has hired Wiggin consultant Richard Parsons as senior vice-president for corporate business and legal affairs.
South Korea's Kim & Chang prepares for Hong Kong launch
One of South Korea’s ‘big four’ law firms, Kim & Chang, is set to launch in Hong Kong after receiving a licence from local authorities.
Spanish trio acts as Bertelsmann takes over Random House Mondadori
Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira, d’Urso Gatti e Bianchi, Garrigues and Uría Menéndez have all landed roles as the Bertelsmann Group acquires a 50 per cent stake in Barcelona-based Random House Mondadori, Random House’s trade book publisher in Spain and Latin America, for €54.5m (£43.6m).
Teare J refuses to recuse himself from Ablyazov case
Addleshaw Goddard has failed in its bid to have Mr Justice Teare recuse himself from a $6bn dispute between Kazakh billionaire Mukhtar Ablyazov and JSC BTA Bank.
Tears at bedtime
Many media companies are going to wish they’d treated the Leveson Inquiry with a sterilised barge pole, says Mark Stephens
The bank that likes to say yes
It was Trustee Savings Bank, the forerunner of Lloyds TSB, that in 1984 styled itself as “the bank that likes to say yes” in one of the most 80s-style TV adverts you’re likely to find.
The Claimant lawyers
The High Court will hear five test cases early next year in relation to phone-hacking. These are being pursued by MP Chris Bryant, former footballer Paul Gascoigne, football agent Sky Andrew, actor Jude Law and interior designer Kelly Hoppen.
The grass is always greener in the other Field
One of the jewels in Field Fisher Waterhouse’s crown was the German IP team it acquired from Howrey in the run-up to the US firm’s collapse. At the helm of the group that joined in early 2011 was Joachim Feldges, a highly regarded patent litigator who swiftly became Field Fisher’s Teutonic managing partner.
The Leveson Report: what will it recommend?
Leading media lawyers have set out their expectations of Lord Justice Leveson ahead of the Thursday (29 November) publication of his inquiry into the culture, practice and ethics of the press.
The options for Leveson
The viable options open to Lord Justice Leveson fall into four main categories, says Dan Tench, who examines them here
Three-way Dentons merger to go live in 2013
Salans, SNR Denton and Canadian firm Fraser Milner Casgrain (FMC) have confirmed their plans for a three-way merger, which will go live early next year under the Dentons name.
Tom Crone
Position: Former News International head of legal
Turcan Connell hires family law duo from Maclay Murray & Spens
Scottish private client firm Turcan Connell has hired a senior family law team from Maclay Murray & Spens to join its Glasgow office, which opened just over two months ago.
Twitter, twit.... writ?
As Lord McAlpine presses ahead in seeking damages from everyone who tweeted lies about him, Dominic Crossley asks how many claims will have to be issued before a way is found to prevent the misuse of modern technology?
UK firms are "shying away" from BD, says NatWest
A minority of UK law firms see business development (BD) activities as a priority despite dwindling work levels, according to research from NatWest (part of the RBS group) and BD specialist Huthwaite Legal.
UK top 20 devotes £180m of billing time to pro-bono work
The value of pro-bono work in the UK is almost half a billion pounds a year, with research from legal recruitment company Laurence Simons finding that the top 20 firms carried out £180m of free work – the equivalent of 1.85 per cent of their budgets – in 2011.
US employment firm Ogletree Deakins to open in London and Berlin
US employment firm Ogletree Deakins is set to enter the European market with office launches in London and Berlin before the end of the year.
US firms steal a march on UK counterparts in diversity stakes download
US firms are leading the way when it comes to the representation of ethnic minorities in their workforces, although proportions remain low across the board, this year’s diversity league table from the Black Solicitors Network has revealed.
Vicarious liability
Kari Hansen takes a look at dual vicarious liability in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Catholic Child Welfare Society case
Weightmans' half-year results beat expectations
North-west firm Weightmans’ turnover figure for the first six months of 2011-12 was up nearly 9 per cent on the same time last year at £38.3m.
Weil and Morgan Lewis among firms on $3.6bn sale of Jefferies
Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz and Weil Gotshal & Manges are among a raft of US firms to advise as American investment bank Jefferies agrees to sell to its largest shareholder, Leucadia National.
Weil Gotshal promotes last of Lovells private equity team to partnership
Weil Gotshal & Manges has promoted London lawyers Samantha McGonigle and Simon Lyell to its London private equity partnership six years after the trophy hire of their private equity team from Hogan Lovells legacy firm Lovells.
What should Leveson's report propose?
Independence and effectiveness will be key to any system of media regulation, says Hugh Tomlinson QC
White & Case shifts strategy with hire of Emirati partner in Abu Dhabi base
White & Case has appointed UAE-qualified lawyer Abdulwahid Al Ulama as a partner in Abu Dhabi, making it the first international law firm to add an Emirati partner to its headcount there.
Why Cameron has got it wrong on judicial review reform
It seems that David Cameron is a firm believer in the old adage that no government ever lost votes by attacking the legal profession. After LASPO’s cuts to legal aid provision, the coalition is now gunning for judicial reviews (JR).
Willans defeats Bristows in YouView trademark case
Willans Solicitors has won a trademark case against Bristows that could force new television platform YouView to rebrand.
Wilsons transfers Bristol office to Michelmores
Wilsons is to offload its Bristol office to Michelmores following a protracted legal spat with two partners at the base.
Wishful thinking
With Lord Justice Leveson preparing to unveil his report into media standards this week, Keith Mathieson shares his wish list of what it will contain
Wragges and Gateley steer black-cab maker's administration
Wragge & Co has won a lead role alongside Gateley on the administration of Manganese Bronze, the stricken company behind London’s world-famous black cabs.
Wragges benefits from helping ex-FoxMandal partner launch Delhi boutique
Wragge & Co has gained a new relationship in India through an alliance with a Delhi boutique launched by the former London head of FoxMandal.
Wragges sees turnover rise at half-way stage
Wragge & Co has announced a half-year revenue figure of £60.6m, representing a rise of 4.5 per cent on its first-half turnover last year.
ZyLAB: introduces Simplicity in Sophisticated eDiscovery
New ZyLAB eDiscovery Bundle 3.1 offers industry’s most intuitive and easy to use review interface
