1 April 2002

Arguably stern

Head of chambers at Cloisters Laura Cox QC may have a fearsome reputation, but the only people she argues with these days are her children I had been warned that Laura Cox QC could be quite stern, so I braced myself to be torn limb from limb for my idiotic questions. After all, the indications […]

UK team battles to return Elgin Marbles to Greece

Sir Louis Blom-Cooper QC has joined the team planning to launch the first ever legal battle to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece.Blom-Cooper of Doughty Street Chambers was informally retained by UK lawyer David Charity at a meeting to set up the Parthenon Marbles Trust. Charity said: “The trust deed was signed. We’re now entitled […]

Lawyers who lunch

Tulkinghorn sometimes finds the modern world of law a little frenetic, and the pace of it tends to trigger his gout. So it was a relief to receive the following press release:“Southampton solicitors Paris Smith & Randall (PS&R) hosted lunch at the Friends Provident Saint Mary’s Stadium, their guests Morris Dibben enjoyed lunch in the […]

The rooting of all evil

International asset tracing has never received as much press as at present. George Sim explains the snakes and ladders of a difficult procedure in which time is of the essence Recent events have led to an upsurge in interest in the use of asset tracing procedures against terrorist groups. An asset tracing exercise follows the […]

Trade secrets

The Allied Irish Bank debacle has brought the issue of internal control and risk management to the fore once again. Deborah Talbot reports on what went wrong The publication of a preliminary report into the activities of ‘rogue trader’ John Rusnak and how he was able to incur losses of more than £490m for his […]

IPO survey sees Linklaters rise to the top with floats worth £7bn

Linklaters has once again topped The Lawyer’s initial public offering (IPO) survey. In the 2001 survey, Linklaters has come out on top, acting on 14 IPO flotations (valuing over £7bn) between July 2000 and December 2001, in a market where most firms struggled to keep their equity capital market teams above water. Compared with 2000, […]

Vinge tempts banking star back to partnership

Swedish firm Vinge has lured a high-profile investment banker into its practice to become a partner in its corporate finance department.Bertil Villard was head of corporate finance at domestic investment bank Alfred Bergs ABN Amro in Stockholm, which ABN Amro acquired from Volvo Group in April 1995.Villard is no stranger to Vinge. He was managing […]

Andersen Legal Australia to merge with Ernst & Young

The future of Andersen Legal’s Australian firm has been secured by an Australian merger between Andersen’s accounting arm and Ernst & Young. Most of the Andersen Legal staff will join the merged firm, which will operate under the Ernst & Young banner.The firm looked under threat when talks between KPMG and Andersen broke down, making […]

Cherie defies critics by using No 10 for meetings

Cherie Booth QC is continuing to hold client meetings at 10 Downing Street nearly two years after she was first criticised for using Government premises for her practice.Booth, now at Matrix Chambers, was slammed for seeing clients at Number 10 when working on the BCCI case in 2000 while at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square. She […]

Shaw Pittman's health practice loses founder plus two lawyers

Shaw Pittman’s health law practice has been rocked by three high-profile departures, including the practice’s founding partner, in the past month. The three lawyers – partners Guy Collier and Rebecca Jackson, and counsel Lane Macalester – have left for different destinations.Collier returned to McDermott Will & Emery at the beginning of last month. His move […]

Garrigues vote confirms departure from Andersen

Garrigues & Andersen has left the Andersen Legal network and changed its name to J&A Garrigues SRC.The firm first announced its plans to leave the network a fortnight ago, but after having doubts, put the decision to a partner vote. The vote decided the departure from Andersen’s network last Wednesday (27 March). This was the […]

A&O elects five new members to board

Allen & Overy has appointed the five new directors for its management board, following a competitive election process involving 14 partners.Managing partner John Rink, senior partner Guy Beringer and finance director Ian Dinwiddie were automatically included on the board.The five elected directors are London-based partners Anne Baldock and Jonathan Brayne, Belgian partner Wim Dejonghe, Dutch […]