Lovells has solved its Spanish problem with the recruitment of Cuatrecasas’ Madrid head of corporate Jose Maria Balana de Eguia, who will open a Madrid office for the firm. Balana will formally resign from Cuatrecasas, Herbert Smith’s best friend next week. He and Lovells have a list of partners at top Spanish firms whom they […]
Further law firms may be forced to hand over client documents, after the Rome office of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer handed over papers to Italian state prosecutors in relation to their investigation into high profile businessman Sergio Cragnotti. Cragnotti is perhaps best known as the former chairman of football club Lazio. His food empire, Cirio, was […]
CEDR Solve, the dispute resolution service for the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) handled a record 631 cases last year. This represents a 35 per cent hike in the number of mediations handled by the group. CEDR reports that commercial mediations rose by 24 per cent from 387 to 478 in 2003. During 2002-2003 […]
As its European invasion continues, DLA has hired Linklaters’ former Spanish head of employment Luis Peinado. Peinado, a managing associate, was head of employment at Linklaters until 15 December when he left the magic circle firm. Prior to his three years at Linklaters he practised at Baker & McKenzie. He has advised both national and […]
US firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius has returned strong figures for 2003 with revenues and profits rising by about 13 per cent. Turnover at the US firm has risen 13.2 per cent from $557.5m to $631.2 million. Average profits per partner are up 12.6 per cent from $720,000 per partner to $811,000. Morgan Lewis will […]
A host of sexual harassment claims made by police officers look set to proceed following a decision by a Croydon Employment Tribunal in the case of Hands v the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. The Hands case clarifies that European law should be followed to ensure that police officers can bring claims under the Sex […]
Constitutional Affairs secretary Lord Falconer today unveiled the Constitutional Reform Bill which will shake up the justice system. The Bill, which has been widely trailed, establishes an independent Supreme Court with its own appointment system, staff, budget and building. The current Law Lords will become the first 12 justices of the Supreme Court and will […]
Denton Wilde Sapte’s competition department has taken another hit, this time with the loss of senior associate Alan Davis who is joining Pinsents to head up the firm’s competition team in London. His departure comes hot on the heels of departmental head Polly Weitzman who joined Ofcom, the new super-regulator for the media and communications […]
This morning, Lord Falconer of Thoroton unveiled his Constitutional Reform Bill to an audience of journalists yawning at the “revelations” that there will be a new Supreme Court, that the office of Lord Chancellor will be abolished and that judges will now be appointed by a Judicial Appointments Commission. Okay, we’ve been spoonfed so much […]
Birmingham giant No5 Chambers has continued to grow with the hire of Pinsents construction partner Christopher Kelly, The Lawyer can reveal. The former head of construction at the firm’s Birmingham office joined No5 last month, following a three-month mini-pupillage. A partner at Pinsents since 2001, Kelly was called to the bar in 1993. He specialises […]
A much-needed ambassador for conditional fees arrived this month in the always controversial world of ‘no win, no fee’ in the form of Esther Rantzen.
New research published last week revealed strong support among home buyers and sellers for the obligatory home condition report (HCR), which forms part of the Government’s home information pack proposals.