25 February 2008

Fair enough

Fair enough29-Feb-2008Here at The Lawyer tea and chocolate are a way of life, so an excuse to pen a few words on our favourite pastimes was welcome.

Freshfields emerges as the fairest of traders

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has scored a public relations victory over rivals on corporate social responsibility (CSR), becoming the only firm in the Magic Circle to promote Fairtrade Fortnight, the annual event to promote the Fairtrade labelling scheme. Freshfields held an event at the firm’s City HQ to promote the scheme, which pays producers of ‘Fairtrade’ […]

FAST appoints new GC

The Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) has appointed Julian Heathcote Hobbins as general counsel to help tackle software piracy in the UK. He will be supported by newly qualified barrister James Craig, who has been appointed legal counsel. Hobbins was a legal assistant at Theodore Goddard (now Addleshaw Goddard) before leaving in 2000 to complete […]

McDermott launches in Houston with Bracewell raid

McDermott Will & Emery has poached a team of energy lawyers from Bracewell & Giuliani so that it may launch a Houston office. The firm has picked up Robert Stephens, David Locascio and Jose Luis Vittor, who all join as partners. The hires are intended to lay the foundation for the growth of other key […]

McCartney-Mills judgment may be made public

Details of what is expected to be the biggest divorce settlement in history may be made public, Mr Justice Bennett has warned Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills. Until now all details surrounding the divorce case have been kept strictly confidential, with Bennett J, the presiding judge, issuing warnings to both sides to keep quiet […]

Law Societies call for Guantanamo closure

The Law Societies of England & Wales, Scotland and 31 other bar associations have signed a joint letter to president Bush calling for the immediate closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison camp. The letter condemns Bush’s “profound disrespect for the rule of law,” which it says “has become an inconvenient afterthought.” Law Society president Andrew […]

Record revenue rise sparks Gide London move

French independent firm Gide Loyrette Nouel is set to treble its London office space in a move to new premises, as it sees revenue rocket in the UK capital. The firm’s London office revenue jumped 28 per cent in 2007 to hit £16.5m. In the same year the firm hired in three partners and boosted […]

Broking the law

The introduction of legal broker networks greatly improved legal services in Australia for both consumers and solicitors

Morley and Dejonghe to lead A&O

Allen & Overy managing partner David Morley has won the backing of the firm’s partnership to pip corporate head Richard Cranfield to the senior partner post. Belgian managing partner and co-head of corporate Wim Dejonghe has been named managing partner. Dejonghe beat London finance partner and management board member Boyan Wells and will be the […]

Davis Polk and White & Case advise on blockbuster Visa IPO

Davis Polk & Wardwell and White & Case have landed plum roles on the $19bn (£9.62bn) Visa IPO, the largest ever in US history. Davis Polk head of capital markets Richard Sandler and New York-based partner Joe Hall are leading the team advising the underwriters on the deal, which will offer 447.2 million shares priced […]

Halliwells set to make redundancies in London and Manchester

Halliwells has launched a redundancy consultation process across its London-based corporate team, as a result of the group lagging behind budget. It is understood that seven or eight solicitors and support staff could be without a job as a result of the review that will close in early March. Head of corporate Julian Lewis has […]