6 November 2000

Norton Rose re-elects Lewis

Lewis’s re-election, which was uncontested, follows the recent agreement within the firm to give managing partner, Roger Birkby a third crack of the whip. A mergers and acquisitions lawyer, Lewis will continue to combine that practice with the post of Senior Partner. The Lewis and Birkby combination has seen something of a boom period at […]

Lord Chancellor pushes for more judges

The Lord Chancellor’s Department says the hike is required to help tackle the predicted workload increase caused by the implementation of the Human Rights Act and the Immigration and Asylum bill. Lord Irvine says: “It is essential our courts should be well prepared to meet additional challenges. I believe some increases to the High Court […]

Fujitsu chief quits

The new entity – Fujitsu Siemens Computers BV – was launched on 1 October. Hyams, vice president of legal and commercial affairs at the European arm of the Japanese computer conglomerate, left the same day. It is understood Hyams, who joined Fujitsu three years ago as its first in-house counsel. turned down the head of […]

News in brief

The libel trial of former Tory MP, Neil Hamilton against Mohamed Al Fayed over the “cash for questions” allegations kicks off on Monday (15 November). It will be heard before Mr Justice Morland at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. The hearing is expected to last 15 days. Leading libel barrister, George Carman acts […]

News in brief

The Lord Chancellor’s Department (LCD) has hit back at claims that it is considering scrapping the lay magistracy. It admits it has set up a research project to assess whether the current balance between the use of lay magistracy and Stipendiaries is correct but insists that the Government is committed to the principle of the […]

Blackstone Chambers hires EU expert

Nicholas Khan joins the set next week after 11 years at the European Commission. His remit as a member of the Legal Service included advising the Commission on EU and national law, reviewing draft legislation and representing the Commission before the European Court of Justice and the court of First Instance. He is a specialist […]

DLA takes on Garretts Leeds office

The news follows speculation that Garretts was to close its loss-making Leeds practice, as predicted in The Lawyer (23 October). The 31-fee-earner team joining DLA includes commercial and technology partner Richard Bonnar, transport partner Nick Painter and real estate partner Tim Field. For full story see The Lawyer on Monday 13 November.

Baker & McKenzie poaches managing partner from Dunhills

David Nathan has been confirmed as the national managing partner, ending a four-month hunt for a new leader after Paul Malliate resigned in July. Nathan’s departure from Dunhill came as he fought to rebuild the embattled firm after 27 Sydney partner and 125 lawyers defected to the legal branch of Big Five accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers. […]

News In Brief

The Supreme Court of Canada has for the first time appointed a woman to be its most senior judge. Beverley McLachlin, who was assigned to the High Court in 1989, will become Chief Justice of Supreme Court at the beginning of January. She replaces Antonio Lamer who is retiring. The Hong Kong office of Allen […]

Australian lawyer beats off contempt ruling

Solicitor, Simon Harry Parsons, was charged with contempt after another solicitor reported him for accusing Justice Barry Beach of “having his hand on his dick”. The comments were made when Parsons was served with an injunction, preventing him bulldozing on the disputed boundary of his Gippsland property. Justice Philip Cummins, who presided in the contempt […]

Arthur Cox appoints new managing partner

McCague replaces Ian Scott who will resume practice within the firm as a partner in the industrial and commercial property department. McCague has been with Arthur Cox for ten years. The 38-partner firm has offices in Dublin, Belfast and New York. Chairman, James O’Dwyer says: “Eugene is taking over from Ian at a stage when […]

Sidley & Austin poaches partner from rival US firm

The US qualified lawyer joined Sidley & Austin’s London office yesterday and will boost the team of US lawyers working on finance, securities and acquisition deals. Asher has had nearly 12 years experience in project and structured finance transactions, with particular emphasis on energy, telecommunications and hotel/leisure industries. The firm’s London managing partner, Drew Scott […]