Public sector and local authority

Downing Street

Ex-GC of 10 Downing Street joins Kingsley Napley

Kingsley Napley has hired No. 10 Downing Street’s former general counsel, barrister Lord Harold Carter of Haslemere, to join its public law team as a consultant.  Carter has been at the Government Legal Department for 34 years and was No. 10’s GC from 2016 to 2023, meaning he served under several British Prime Ministers, including […]

Capsticks bucks sluggish profits trend with 22 per cent hike

While other law firms saw profit flatline last year, Capsticks experienced strong double-digit growth, allowing it to invest in technology and key growth areas. Revenue grew 14 per cent from £56.1m to £63.7m in the 2022/23 financial year, while net profit jumped up 22 per cent from £10.6m to £12.9m. Capsticks senior partner Rachael Heenan […]

Boris Johnson

Disgraced ex-PM hires Pannick KC (again) for Covid-19 judicial review

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has once again hired Peters & Peters and a team from Blackstone Chambers for tomorrow’s judicial review between the Cabinet Office and the chair of the Covid-19 inquiry, in which Johnson is an interested party. Lord Pannick KC, Jason Pobjoy and Peters & Peters’ head of business crime Nick Vamos […]

parliament government

Longstanding Government lawyer takes on director general role

The Government Legal Department has appointed long-time lawyer Caroline Croft as a new director general. Croft will take over the leadership role of the employment with economic recovery and UK governance directorate from Mel Nebhrajani, who recently took over from Jessica de Mounteney as director general for litigation with justice and security. Croft currently serves […]

DLA Piper bags two-year Defra contract

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has awarded DLA Piper a contract to provide legal support for its Landscape Recovery project. The firm has been named as the sole legal supplier to the scheme, having been granted the award on 13 October 2022. The contract worth over £321,000 will run for two […]

Analysis

2024’s newest silks: Why we chose a career in law

A solicitor-turned-barrister and the Bar’s newest doctor KC; The Lawyer speaks to six of the Bar’s newest silks. The group was announced as KCs-in-waiting earlier this year, with 95 barristers in total getting the nod. Among the 95 were Crucible Law’s Clea Topolski – who having been called in 2014 – is the most junior of the set. […]

Ministry of Justice

Legal industry clashes over Government’s vow to reverse PACCAR

Litigation funders, defendant lawyers and claimant lawyers are divided over Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk KC’s plans to introduce a new law to reverse the Supreme Court’s PACCAR ruling last July, which ruled many litigation funding agreements (LFAs) unenforceable. The Government said it is also considering options for a wider review of the sector and how third-party litigation […]

Featured briefings

Kelly Young, Marie Curie

Marie Curie’s GC on strategy, budgets and working with CMS

For Kelly Young, incumbent general counsel and company secretary at Marie Curie, the charity feels more like a corporation than any other entity. Marie Curie is the largest funder of palliative care in the country, and its business lines include 160 shops, 450 doctors, clinical services and licensing intellectual property from garden supplies to stationery. […]

Pennon’s new GCs on moving the water industry forward

Pennon Group is a giant when it comes to the water industry. Encompassing South West Water (SWW), Bristol Water, Pennon Water Services and Bournemouth Water, it boasted a 2020/21 revenue of £624m and is the largest private sector employer in the south west. But with all that grandeur comes a lot of responsibility and scrutiny. […]

Gown

Uni students begin group claim over Covid-19 disruptions

The High Court will hear applications today in the first stage of a group action brought by students over Covid-19 and strike-related disruptions. Over 105,000 students have signed up to seek compensation from British universities in a case run by Harcus Parker partner Ryan Dunleavy and Asserson partner Shimon Goldwater. The case today (Wednesday) is […]

Pension

DLA Piper and Trowers dropped from local government pensions panel

The legal services framework for Local Government Pension Services (LGPS) has finalised its new panel, with 12 law firms having been appointed. The firms that have made the cut are: Addleshaw Goddard, Anthony Collins Solicitors, Brodies, Burges Salmon, Burness Paull, Cleveland & Co, Eversheds Sutherland, Freeths, Gowling WLG, Osborne Clarke, Pinsent Masons and Squire Patton […]

Dominic Raab

Fountain Court silk to investigate Raab complaints

Fountain Court silk Adam Tolley KC has been appointed to investigate conduct complaints made against the deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Raab MP. The UK Government has tasked Tolley KC to investigate two formal complaints against Raab made on 15 November. These two complaints refer to Raab’s stint as foreign […]

Housing

Hyde Housing Association appoints 19 firms to £250m panel

Law firms including CMS, Gowling WLG and Pinsent Masons have secured places on a £250m legal services framework for UK housing association Hyde. A total of 19 firms have been awarded the contract, which began on 2 November 2022 and will last for four years until 1 November 2026. However, each member may enter in […]

parliament government
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“Law firms are rich compared to the real world”: SSQ founder on why he is switching from the Conservatives to Labour

Even with the UK Government u-turning on its controversial tax cut for the highest earners, supporters and donors to the party have been expressing their reservations – including the chairman of legal recruiter SSQ. According to donor records, SSQ’s chairman and founder Gareth Quarry made three separate donations of £25,000 to the Conservative party between […]

Crown Commercial Service appoints nearly 60 firms to new panel

The UK Government’s Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has appointed 58 firms to its refreshed public sector roster. The review process began last year and the panel replaces the one established in 2018 when 69 firms were appointed across six lots. This year there are seven lots. There are three full service provision lots (one for […]

Didar Dhillon, Severn Trent

Pinsents partner joins Severn Trent as GC

  Severn Trent has recruited a new general counsel ahead of the retirement of Bronagh Kennedy, who has been in the role for nearly 12 years. Didar Dhillon has been appointed as the water company’s new legal chief. Dhillon will take over as GC for both Severn Trent and Severn Trent Water, effective from early […]