5 Nov 2012

Featured case: Civil procedure

Simmons v Castle. First interested party: Association of British Insurers; second interested party: Association of Personal Injury Lawyers; third interested party: Personal Injuries Bar Association. [2012] EWCA Civ 1288. Lord Judge LCJ; Lord Neuberger (MR); Maurice Kay LJ. 10 October 2012 The court amended the guidance in Simmons v Castle [2012] EWCA Civ 1039 by […]

LPO provider NewGalexy opens Scotland base with government grant

Outsourcing business NewGalexy is launching Scotland’s first ever Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) centre today (5 November), just months after the Scottish government’s economic wing pushed ahead with plans seeking to entice firms to open low costs bases in the country. NewGalexy is launching its LPO centre, which will focus on commercial contracts and the TMT […]

Matt Byrne

Mr Merger’s legacy in the balance

The tectonic plates of the global legal market shifted an inch or two last week when the replacement of one of the world’s most iconic law firm leaders was confirmed. Mitch Zuklie, a clean tech specialist at Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, will take over the reins from incumbent Ralph Baxter as chairman of the firm […]

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Donald Trump – handle with care

Renewables work-loving Dundas advises wind farm-hating billionaire. Awkward Dundas & Wilson has been advising Donald Trump on his controversial Aberdeenshire golf resort since day one. Real estate partner Allan Wernham – now co-managing partner – won the instruction to advise the Trump Organisation on its site purchase seven years ago and his firm has enjoyed […]

Buying in bulk

Laterals fad sweeps bar as chambers add numbers to fend off consolidation Across the civil bar sets are assessing how best to survive in the post-good times era. The modern bar is not without its own price pressures and also faces increased competition from the solicitor profession. Inner Temple set 11KBW is hoping to find […]

Public crawl

Slimmer pickings for firms on public sector rosters Transport for London’s (TfL) decision to cut its legal panel from 12 firms to 11 has almost as much to do with firms’ choices as TfL’s strategy. Travers Smith, one of four firms to leave the panel, elected not to tender for a place after not receiving […]

Dutch and go

Netherlands lawyers give new businesses a boost This is a difficult time to start a business, but over in the Netherlands one firm is doing its bit for entrepreneurs. Dutch firm Houthoff Buruma has launched what it is calling the HB Incubator Programme; a kind of legal Dragons’ Den designed to give associates a development […]

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Go-ahead for ‘cheat’s charter’

CoA sells claimant spouses short by insisting company law principles apply to family cases James Copson, partner, Withers The split decision of the Court of Appeal (CoA) in Prest v Prest is disappointing for many wives who, on divorcing, confront a tangled web of companies used to shelter their husbands’ wealth. This ruling puts the […]

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Eurovision

Monte Carlo was the location for The Lawyer’s annual European Awards and Conference. Here are the highlights The awards As ever, this year’s European Awards demonstrated the diversity and quality of the Continent’s legal profession. Now in their fourth year, the awards attracted more than 150 entries from firms across Europe – from those with […]

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Islam Channel GC: Faith value

Determination and religious inspiration are central to the remarkable story of Tinu Adeshile, Muslim convert and GC at the Islam Channel   Tinu Adeshile Islam Channel Title: General counsel Industry: Media Reporting to: CEO Mohamed Ali Harrath T urnover: £4m Employees: 80 Legal capability: One Estimated legal spend: £100,000 Main external law firms: Peninsula Employment […]

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The real estate top 10

Foreign investment in prime London real estate and UK companies’ willingness to embrace alternative assets is keeping law firm property teams afloat. James Swift reports Real estate is in a state of flux. The economics on which practices are based changed with the property crash in 2007 and firms are still re-shaping their teams to […]

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Time to get a grip on lit funding

Third-party funders must accept statutory regulation to protect the integrity of the justice system Mary Terzino, consultant, the US Chamber Institute for Legal Reform Claire Madden of Connection Capital recently wrote an opinion piece on third-party litigation funding for TheLawyer.com in which she detailed the potential for investment in litigation by third parties that seek […]