Neither Thomas Beecham, who launched his Beecham’s laxative pills way back in 1842, nor John K Smith, who opened his first drugstore in Philadelphia several years before, could have imagined the huge empire their businesses would become. That empire was formed in 1989 when SmithKline Beckman and the Beecham Group finally merged. Today, SmithKline Beecham […]
Four members of the 1980’s pop sensation are waging war against a fifth member for royalties. Roger Pearson reports. FORMER pop icons Spandau Ballet are now waiting to hear the outcome of a bitter wrangle over royalties. Judgment has been reserved in the acrimonious Chancery Division action, in which three ex-members of the 1980’s chart-topping […]
A decision preventing landlords to re-enter property under certain circumstances has been reversed by the Clarence Cafe v Comchester Properties High Court decision last November. Clarence Cafe had leased a pizzeria from Comchester Properties for £40,000 a year to the year 2000. However, it went into administration in March 1998 owing more than £26,000 in […]
The future of a High Court battle in which the Canada Trust Company is suing Wolfgang Stolzenberg president and chief executive of the Castor Group over alleged malpractice and fraud is to be decided by the House of Lords. Stolzenberg is fighting a long-running battle to block action in the English courts claiming he is […]
Rising political genius and plucky representative for Hendon, Andrew Dismore MP, cunningly referred Lord Chancellor’s Department Minister of State Geoff Hoon to The Lawyer during House of Commons question time. Dismore asked Hoon to react to an article on the cost of administering the QC system, published in The Lawyer on 15 February.
Mohibur Rahman v (1) Arearose (2) University College London Hospitals NHS Trust (1999) QBD (Rougier J) 18 February 1999 Plaintiff: Male, married, 25 years old at date of accident; 30 years old at date of trial. Incident: The plaintiff was employed as manager of the King’s Cross franchise of the Burger King fast-food chain. In […]
Herbert Smith is advising Olivetti on the biggest European debt financing ever as the computer giant prepares its audacious bid to buy Telecom Italia. The firm is working with Italian firm Erede & Associates in advising Olivetti on raising funds for its £36.5bn takeover of the Italian telecommunications giant, which is five times its size. […]
Vicki Chapman warns that by making criminal cases a priority in the legal aid budget, the Lord Chancellor will be playing a dangerous game. Vicki Chapman is the policy director at the Legal Action Group. The Lord Chancellor recently revealed that funds for civil legal aid could be squeezed if there is a heavy demand […]
Kent-based firm Brachers has been advising Eurotunnel on the development of its strategic partnership with BAA. The deal has secured a 15-year contract for BAA’s subsidiary, World Duty Free, to manage and develop Eurotunnel’s retail factilities at its terminals in Folkestone, Kent and Coquelles. It is expected to generate more than £100m a year in […]
Opponents of the Solicitors Indemnity Fund (SIF) are furious that four directors of the mutual fund were allowed crucial votes that ensured the monopoly’s survival. Four council members from firms on the SIF panel stayed away from the meeting after advice from counsel. But all four SIF directors – chairman Peter Williamson, George Staple, Angus […]
Tessa Shellens was born in Porthcawl in 1949. She is a partner at Bevan Ashford in Cardiff. Anyone wishing to take part in The Lawyer Inquiry should contact Jemma Pearson on: 0171-970 4614. What subject(s) did you fail at school? Needlework. What was your first job? Selling dress material. Unfortunately, I was very ignorant about […]