Between 15 and 29 March this year, The Lawyer got around 600 associates to give their opinions on US firms. The result? After almost 25 years of reporting on the legal market, you guys still have the capacity to shock us (see story). The biggest shocks came when we asked which US law firm UK […]
Three female barristers quit 3 Serjeants’ Inn The exit of three female barristers, including longstanding member Mary O’Rourke QC, from 3 Serjeants’ Inn has raised a few eyebrows at the Inns. O’Rourke, who was called to the bar in 1981, leaves the set for Old Square Chambers, which is also bringing in Guildhall Chambers’ personal […]
LSB interim report inconclusive on impact of LSA The overarching message of the Legal Services Board’s (LSB) interim report into what impact the Legal Services Act has had on the profession is a resoundingly non-committal ’it’s too early to tell’. Critics say five years is a long time to wait for just three approved alternative […]
Shearman influence spreads as lawyer becomes GC at client Citigroup It is hardly normal for a firm to put an announcement on its own website about a partner leaving. But then Shearman & Sterling senior partner Rohan Weerasinghe’s departure to join Citigroup – first reported by TheLawyer.com on Tuesday (3 April) – was no ordinary […]
SRA cracks down on rogue lawyers, but bans its panel from defending them Lawyers are under more regulatory scrutiny than ever and the profession’s watchdog is boosting its powers to crack down on rogues. Last week the SRA welcomed a Court of Appeal (CoA) ruling against solicitor Anthony Dennison, who had appealed a decision that […]
So what first attracted you to that incredibly well-paying job at a US firm? US firms have never traded much on being a lifestyle choice – not when they can simply pay so much more for their London associates than their City peers. But when we surveyed associates at international firms to find out more […]
Do associates still cleave to the stereotype of US firms, or is their American dream about more than busloads of cash? Our survey reveals some surprising findings ”They’re hellholes where you don’t escape the office – you might as well be in jail,” said one impassioned, unnamed, associate. The lawyer was referring to US firms […]
Jeff Wright, partner responsible for information and technology Jeff Wright is a partner and one of the Morgan Cole management team. He is also responsible for IT services, e-business and knowledge management, and since 2004 has been information and technology director. Describe your role: The delivery of IT, information and facilities services to the firm, […]
No-fault divorces would help maintain the mediation-based approach lawyers have developed Sir Nicholas Wall, president of the High Court Family Division, recently announced that in his opinion the time had come for ’no-fault’ divorce.Many specialist family lawyers will agree. The requirement to apportion blame is outdated and counter-productive in the setting of the overall […]
Tax incentives for charity donations are essential and the chancellor should encourage them Which Chancellor of the Exchequer said he would encourage wealthy people to give more to charity? Which said: “Do the right thing for a charity and the Government will do the right thing by you.” George Osborne, in his 2011 Budget […]
Pinterest shows why online companies should seek advice in all the jurisdictions in which they operate Depending on your point of view, a platform that invites users to publicly display “all the beautiful things you find on the web” is either a revolution in image-based social networking or just another naive idea that will be […]
The QC system should be done away with, and the legal services market brought into the 21st century It’s time we got rid of the Queen’s Counsel (QC). It is archaic, woolly in definition, and the only state-sanctioned ’quality’ mark I can think of. These letters patent are issued by the Queen. We live in […]