28 February 2000

Wragge & Co merges with IP practice

The merger confirms Wragge’s strategy of growth by stealth, following its strategic merger with Birmingham construction firm Neil F Jones in October last year. The tie-up, bringing together a leading regional firm and a boutique London practice, is a match of resource and reputation. Wragge has an established international and corporate practice, employing nearly 300 […]

Gomez-Acebo plans to open in London

The 20-partner firm has set a June deadline for establishing a small City presence, to be jointly funded with its two new allies. Gomez-Acebo’s new allies are 45-lawyer Lisbon firm Viera de Almeida and Brazil’s biggest firm Pinhero Neto. The three firms have agreed to a formal and exclusive alliance with each other. The London […]

Masons forges Asian alliance

The two lawyers who run Masons’ current Singapore operation will move into the offices of CLL’s 30-lawyer practice. The firms will carry out joint marketing and branding, but Masons’ first exclusive alliance will not involve profit-sharing since this is barred under local bar rules. It will also not benefit from the relaxation in the rules […]

Lloyd's appoints 29-year-old legal chief

Sean McGovern, presently head of finance and international, takes over as director of legal services on 1 April. Current chief, James Butler, is leaving the insurance group to become head of legal at the internet bank Egg. McGovern joined Lloyds three-and-a-half years ago from Clifford Chance, having qualified in 1994. McGovern’s will lead a team […]

Management shake-up at Edge Ellison

Hayward’s new role is understood to be predominantly administrative and he will remain as head of Edge Ellison’s London operation. Ramshaw’s consultancy will provide clients with management skills training such as developing market strategy, as well as practical skills such as speed reading. Ramshaw and senior partner James Retallack were the driving force behind the […]

Stanbrook & Hooper expands Brussels office

Partners Marcel Houben, Fred Lukoff and Wang Lei have been poached from rival Brussels firm, Oppenheimer Wolff. Houben is to establish a labour law department, while Lukoff and Wang Lei – a former member of China’s WTO membership negotiating team – join the trade department. Stanbrook & Hooper – which has offices in London, Madrid, […]

Freehills adopts national partnership structure

Partners in the Sydney (incorporating Canberra and Brisbane), Melbourne and Perth partnerships this week voted to adopt the new structure from July 1. The firm will be ruled by a national board, with present Melbourne chairman Peter Hay landing the key role of national executive chairman. Mr Hay says the change will improve the firm’s […]

Management change at Devonshires

The firm saysformer Freshfields lawyer Bradley aged 38 is the youngest female managing partner ever to be elected to such a position. She joined Devonshires in 1994 and specialises in advising on complex property based transactions, mostly with the social housing sector with particular expertise in stock transfers. Bradley takes on her new role on […]

Freehills set to merge with Singaporean firm

At present, foreign law firms are banned from having shares in local legal institutions. But the Legal Professional Practices law are likely to be amended which would allow the marriage to go ahead. A 200-partner firm with 700 lawyers in Australia and Asia, Freehills’ is reportedly attracted to Alban Tay’s modern approach and its experience […]

Barristers admit denigrating rape victims in court

The report from Sussex University’s Professor Jennifer Temkin also reveals that barristers who prosecute rapes are often inexperienced. This is backed up by Government figures which show that QCs are ten times more likely to defend alleged rapists than prosecute them. Lord Chancellors Department figures show that between April 96 and April 97, 170 payments […]

Taylor Joynson Garrett raid Alexanders

Buzzoni has been a partner at Alexanders, the London-based niche private client firm, since 1994. Michael Stanford-Tuck, head of TJG’s private client department says the synergies between his firm’s corporate and private client practices have never been stronger and that Buzzoni arrives “not a moment too soon”. He says: “The internet and IP-rich technology sectors […]

Property

Gouldens advised Delancey Estates on its forward funding, letting and £15m acquisition of Henblas Square, Wrexham, from developer Centros Miller. David Roberts, property partner at Gouldens, acted on the sale. Centros Miller was advised by Macfarlanes.