Luke Barr

Luke Vance Barr is a reporter working on Litigation Tracker news and analyses. He joined The Lawyer in August 2019. He tweets @TheLawyerLVB

Gibraltar

Withers hit by High Court claim from former offshore client

A Gibraltar-based trust company is pursuing a negligence claim against Withers after the firm unsuccessfully represented the claimant in a previous piece of High Court litigation. The Lawyer can reveal that Boyse (International) issued a claim against Withers in the Chancery Division on 4 November, which follows a break-down in the client relationship last year. […]

London bishopsgate

HFW to downsize as firm seals office move

Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) is relocating in London, The Lawyer can reveal, with the move into new premises leading to a considerable reduction in the firm’s UK office space. It is understood that HFW is set to move to 8 Bishopsgate in 2023 and will take up around 60,000 sq ft across floors 7,8 and […]

Dechert loses disputes partner to Signature

Signature Litigation has hired a partner from Dechert, as the boutique reveals revenue growth of over 20 per cent. Simon Fawell joins the conflict-free boutique after just two and a half years at Dechert, having previously spent 12 years at Sidley Austin where he was first made a partner in 2012. His practice revolves around […]

TLT lands longstanding GLD lawyer for inquiries work

TLT is setting up a public inquiries team that will be led by a senior lawyer who joins from the Government Legal Department (GLD). Zaqia Rashid is moving to the UK firm as a partner, with her arrival forming part of TLT’s growing ambition to land more mandates from the UK Government. Her move follows […]

DLA Piper fights back against dishonesty allegations

DLA Piper is attempting to ward off allegations of “dishonest assistance” in a High Court battle against the liquidators of a collapsed medical technology company, court documents reveal. In a strong and detailed defence against a claim from Macfarlanes, on behalf of Enigma Diagnostics (Limited) and its liquidators, DLA denies that neither the firm nor […]

barrister wig

Barrister ‘cancelled’ by Cornerstone over tweets appeals BSB sanction

Former Cornerstone Barristers‘ member Jon Holbrook is set to appear at the Bar’s disciplinary tribunal later this month as he seeks to overturn an administrative sanction. Holbrook found himself at the heart of a social media storm earlier this year after he published a tweet containing the phrase “stroppy teenager of colour”. This led to […]

Barrister of the week: The 7BR junior tackling discrimination head-on

There are certain employment disputes that capture the national attention and serve as vehicles for change, and Elaine Banton’s most recent case was definitely that. As the lead counsel for croupier Semhar Tesfagiorgis, the 7 Bedford Row (7BR) junior successfully crafted an argument that triumphed over one of London’s leading luxury casinos, Crown Aspinalls, with […]

Singapore

IPO-bound Mishcon lays out Asia-Pacific strategy

Mishcon de Reya is pressing ahead with its expansion into Asia with the firm targeting consolidated growth in Singapore and Hong Kong with the help of funds from its anticipated IPO. It was in late September that Mishcon launched its second Asia-Pacific office in the form of an alliance with Karas LLP, which adds over […]

DLA’s multimillion-pound bill for NMC Health administration swells

DLA Piper’s legal bill for work on the NMC Health administration keeps growing, The Lawyer can reveal, with the firm recently being paid £5m for a six-month period. The multimillion-pound payment was disclosed in a recent progress report from the joint administrators of NMC Health, Alvarez & Marsal, which accounted for a period dating from 9 April […]