Reed Smith is to review its admin function, in a process that will entail voluntary redundancies across its network. The firm has started a firmwide project called “Connectivity Initiative” that was launched in November 2020 to examine the effectiveness of its support function. As part of the process, the firm is offering a voluntary redundancy […]
The over retention of data poses numerous risks and added costs, especially around privacy, security, and GDPR compliance. But removing the blockers for data disposal and implementing a robust records management and information governance program is no easy feat. In-house counsel and records management teams of companies across every industry are struggling to remove barriers […]
Inmarsat’s VP for legal affairs has taken on a new role at a business advisory company, six months after the departure of general counsel Trudy Cooke. Christian Fahey joins Washington-headquartered Ankura as executive director and associate GC for EMEA and APAC as its first international lawyer, after nearly five years at satellite company Inmarsat. In […]
Clifford Chance is postponing the implementation of its long-term UK remote working policy, in light of potential changes in the Government roadmap. The magic circle firm has communicated internally that its policy will kick off in September rather than June. The Lawyer revealed the new arrangements in late April, which were announced as the firm […]
Clyde & Co’s North American and Canadian chair has been elected as the firm’s new senior partner, after former leader Peter Hirst stepped down last year. Montréal-based Carolena Gordon has taken the top job, winning the election against UK partners James Cooper and Chris Murray. Gordon is the first partner from outside the UK to […]
Dentons has completed its business services consultation, resulting in over 60 voluntary redundancies. The consultation was launched at the beginning of the year and impacted up to 87 roles. Dentons confirmed that 67 employees (35 secretaries and 32 business services staff) opted for voluntary redundancy while two roles were cut. In addition, six secretaries and 14 […]
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) is introducing a new development programme for senior associates as it seeks to refine leadership skills among the firm’s emerging talent. The Neuro Leadership Institute (NLI) has been drafted in to help with the programme’s redesign, which will be rolled out virtually across the firm’s global offices. The initiative, known as […]
Three Lions on the shirt, but who’s the best in Europe?
The combination of inflation and a busy year for corporate law firms should drive up associate salaries.
Another year, another law firm IPO. And this time it’s Travers that will be picking up the fees from Mishcon.
Paul Weiss’s London office is very profitable but could do with a few more partners.
Law students increasingly view US firms as more attractive places to work.
Greek mythology, the Bible and Shakespeare all make much of the sins of the father being visited on the child. However, for parent companies at least, that may no longer be the case following the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Okpabi v Royal Dutch Shell. At The Lawyer’s latest roundtable, Stephenson Harwood partners Ed Davis […]
Set-up aims to break down remaining boundaries of geography for a round-the-clock service delivered by more than 350 people globally
As the end of the pandemic approaches, organisations are turning their attention away from the short term strategic thinking needed to weather lockdown and the return to the office and toward long term growth. Many of the factors and attitudes which have underpinned working life during the pandemic will be taken forward into the ‘new […]
There is no doubt that the legal landscape has shifted dramatically over the past five years, none more so for in-house lawyers. No longer are law firms the sole external supplier of legal services, but rather consultancies and technology providers continue to edge themselves further into the picture. Unsurprisingly, this has led to the role […]
As Clifford Chance gears up for its leadership election this autumn, names of potential nominees have started to emerge alongside talk of wider management structural reforms. The firm will hold its process later this year, with its incumbent Matthew Layton understood to be set to leave the firm entirely once his term ends. The former […]
Seven in-house lawyers express their gratitude to external advisers for helping them through the pandemic, while giving pointers on how to move forward.
The news this week that Mishcon de Reya was seeking a listing may, on the face of it, appear a simple confirmation of a widely-anticipated event. However, the planned float is in no way a done deal, and executive chair Kevin Gold and managing partner James Libson need to persuade a lot of people outside […]
Today’s GCs and in-house teams have a daily challenge in balancing the legal versus ethical conundrum: how do businesses seek competitive advantage, while creating an ethical business and managing their reputation in a world where the media, social or traditional has a louder voice than ever before. Mills & Reeve and The Lawyer gathered 14 […]
Mishcon de Reya has appointed Travers Smith to advise on its anticipated IPO, with the latter securing the mandate over its City rivals. Plans for Mishcon’s initial public offering (IPO) were announced in late April after the firm said its partners had voted “overwhelmingly” in favour of exploring a premium listing. The intention is for […]
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) and Gowling WLG have acted on the £429m acquisition of BT’s new headquarters by Union Investments. German investor Union Investments was advised by BCLP real estate partners Kieran Saunders and Damian Fleming. Saunders leads the firm’s funds and investment management group while Fleming is head of its Manchester office. Gowling […]
Davis Polk & Wardwell has won the mandate to advise furniture retailer Made.com on its imminent London listing. Partner Will Pearce is the lead partner advising from Davis Polk, as Made.com plans to raise £100m for the float. Meanwhile Latham & Watkins partner Chris Horton is at the helm for the banks, which include JP […]
A raft of firms have been called up on KKR’s £2bn acquisition of FTSE 250 infrastructure investor John Laing. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer was on hand for John Laing, led by corporate partner Oliver Lazenby and senior counsel Holly Baker. Freshfields has counted John Laing as a client since 2015, when it acted on its listing […]
Debevoise & Plimpton and Sullivan & Cromwell are among the firms advising as US conglomerate AT&T merges its WarnerMedia division with rival TV and streaming giant Discovery. WarnerMedia owns brands such as HBO, Warner Bros, CNN and Cartoon Network, while Discovery specialises in factual shows and distributes the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Quest and Eurosport, […]
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) are lined up on the proposed £500m flotation of commodities broker Marex. At least 25 per cent of the company will be floated on the London Stock Exchange. The business is controlled by JRJ Group, a private equity firm set up by two ex-Lehman Brothers investment bankers. […]
Eversheds Sutherland has revealed it is planning to introduce a hybrid working model in the UK, becoming the latest firm to rethink its approach to office life. According to the firm, subject to government guidelines, staff who meet certain criteria can choose to return to the firm’s UK offices from now until 21 June. Each […]
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom is planning a return to its London office in September, with lawyers required to be in for three days a week. The firm said that upon the early autumn return, lawyers will use a hybrid model consisting of working in-office at least three days per week for “training, mentoring […]
CMS and Clyde & Co are to dish out bonuses to their workforces, mirroring similar reward measures in other firms. The Lawyer has learned that CMS has made the internal announcement as a ‘thank you’ to its headcount for their work during the pandemic. The bonus – which equates to 5 per cent of an […]
Pinsent Masons is the latest firm to announce its employee rewards package for the last financial year, while also confirming that it has repaid its furlough money to the UK Government. This follows the end of the firm’s financial year, as Pinsents confirmed it is fully restoring salaries to the 98 per cent of staff […]
Womble Bond Dickinson and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan lost out to boutique outfit Clintons in the Court of Appeal this week, in a challenge over the terms of a film contract. The dispute centred around the meaning of ‘return’ in one of the many commercial contracts relating to a film called ‘Starbright’. Under the […]
The Court of Appeal has stopped short of ordering a retrial in a recent case despite criticising a sitting High Court Judge for his “inordinate and inexcusable delay” reaching judgment. In a hearing before Lord Justice Lewison, Lord Justice Arnold and Lord Justice Lewis, all rejected an appeal linked to a 34-month wait for judgment […]
Facebook has failed to overturn orders placed on it by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), as it completes an investigation into the social media giant’s $400m (£283m) acquisition of Giphy. The Court of Appeal criticised the tech giant for sitting “on its hands” during an anti-competition investigation. In a judgment, the court upheld the […]
Bird & Bird is advising a non-profit cryptocurrency group in the battle over Bitcoin, as it demands a judicial declaration that Australian computer scientist Craig Wright is not the digital coin’s creator. Wright proclaims he penned and owns the copyright to a Bitcoin whitepaper published in 2008 under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, which first outlined […]
Fountain Court has hired an international counsel from Debevoise & Plimpton, the set’s fourth barrister recruit this year. Robin Lööf is joining the chambers at the end of this month. He has been at Debevoise since 2013, working in its white-collar and regulatory defense group. As such, he advises on anti-corruption matters and other criminal […]
The Supreme Court has launched a paid internship for aspiring lawyers from underrepresented communities at the Bar, in which eight participants will observe cases, shadow judicial assistants and discuss legal arguments with justices. The five-day pilot, which is run in partnership with diversity charity Bridging the Bar (BTB), is the first ever work experience programme […]
The past year has certainly been one of the busiest in Adam Al-Attar’s career, with his involvement in restructuring cases such as New Look, Pizza Express and Travelodge. However, for a barrister that was called to the Bar in 2007 and worked on Lehman Brothers, MF Global and Madoff, the South Square junior remains unphased […]
The Commercial Court is planning for the return of in-person trials in line with the easing of lockdown restrictions in the UK. Plans for the future of court hearings were recently discussed during a Commercial Court user group meeting last month, which revealed that most trials are now expected to take place in person. Mrs […]
Latham & Watkins has boosted its European corporate ranks with the hire of two Baker McKenzie partners in its Düsseldorf office. The firm has taken on M&A experts Ingo Strauss and Heiko Gotsche. The two will work as partners in the corporate department and as part of the PE and M&A teams. They both have […]
Allen & Overy has made a double hire from White & Case in New York, as the firm continues to add partners to its leveraged finance group. Gordon Mak and Stanimir (Stan) Kostov join the magic circle firm’s New York office. Mak has been a partner in White & Case’s debt finance practice since 2018, […]
Kirkland & Ellis has launched a competition-focused Brussels office as part of its post-Brexit strategy. The US firm has opened doors in the Belgian city in a bid to handle cases before the European Commission and courts, especially when it comes to merger control. It is understood that the office will be led by London […]
Clifford Chance is to close its Seoul office following a review, the first downsizing of the firm’s network since the onset of the pandemic. The firm has concluded that it will be able to serve Korean clients from its other Asia-Pacific outposts and through local alliances. The lawyers in the office are understood to be […]
Despite cultural and geographic obstacles, African firms are joining forces to make the most of new opportunities
Swiss female lawyers face many obstacles in their career paths, but they are fighting back against a system which expects them to care for children and work part-time
Offshore firms in the region are enjoying brisk business, despite the pandemic, with Hong Kong and Singapore continuing to boom
While deals have faltered due to the pandemic, growth in logistics and the rise of renewables offer hope of better days ahead for the region and its lawyers
Dechert has hired another corporate partner from Kirkland & Ellis, following swiftly from the recruitment of Mark Thompson almost three weeks ago. The firm is adding private equity specialist Sam Whittaker, who will be joining during the summer after almost seven years at the US rival. A partner since 2019, Whittaker joined as an M&A […]
Dentons real estate partner Bonnie Calnan is set to move to DLA Piper after just two years, The Lawyer can reveal. Calnan moved to Dentons from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) in 2019, hot on the tracks of fellow BCLP-lifer Deepa Deb. Deb was appointed head of UK real estate at Dentons last March. Calnan […]
Addleshaw Goddard has strengthened its construction capability with the hire of Irwin Mitchell’s former City practice head. Gordon Anderson moves across from Irwin Mitchell, which he joined in 2016 to lead its construction, engineering and infrastructure practice in London. He had previously been a senior associate at Herbert Smith Freehills, from 2011 to 2016, and […]
Following the exit of partner Jenine Hulsmann last month, Clifford Chance has gone in-house to bolster its antitrust team in the City. The firm has hired Sue Hinchliffe, the former global executive counsel for competition law and policy at General Electric. She joins the magic circle firm later this month. Hinchcliffe has been at GE […]
Sidley Austin has opted to hire a group of associates to bulk up its private equity team, rather than a star lateral, after the raid by Goodwin Procter last year. The City office of the US firm embarked on the recruitment effort after the departure of private equity duo Chris Iwasko and Erik Dahl to […]
Goodwin Procter, which has been rapidly expanding in London in recent years, is to lose one of its corporate tech partners, hired from Taylor Wessing in 2019. Adrian Rainey is leaving the firm to join a venture capital client, The Lawyer understands. Rainey has been at Goodwin since June 2019, when he joined the firm as […]
Boasting an enviable lifestyle, modern infrastructure and a highly sophisticated financial services industry and all within a short flight of Miami and other US cities, the Cayman Islands check all the boxes for individuals seeking to relocate to a tax-neutral jurisdiction. As a result, the Cayman Islands have evolved into an increasingly popular place of residence for internationally mobile “remote-workers” and high-net-worth individuals from around the world.
Following the April 2019 publication of its feedback statement on a duty of care and potential alternative approaches, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is consulting until 31 July 2021 on a new Consumer Duty that would set clearer and higher expectations for firms’ standards of care towards consumers.
Alex Barr, Managing Director of Third Bounce, talk about how law firms can increase their profitability.
The Québec Budget 2021–2022 includes measures encouraging investment to accelerate technology adoption and strengthens several tax measures aimed at the technology sector. The three key tax measures that tech businesses and entrepreneurs should know about are discussed below.
Workplace testing has proven to be a crucial piece in the UK government’s jigsaw to get British business back on its feet. But how can businesses implement a workplace testing programme and will the vaccine roll out make a difference?
Getting the design of retirement housing and care homes right is crucial to ensure a new development is equipped to meet the needs of the residents and becomes an integrated part of its local community.
What you need to know about UCITS, AIFs and ESMA guidelines.
When quality decisions are made efficiently, team members are willing to actively support and engage in the endpoint. This buy-in creates a critical momentum, avoiding the sense of limbo that can linger when decision making is postponed or unclear.
Green finance remains high on the agenda despite the potential distractions of COVID-19 and Brexit. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has already set out further developments in the UK Government’s plans for the future of financial services post-Brexit. Alongside updates on approach to matters including equivalence and financial technology, the announcement emphasised the UK’s intention to remain a leader in green finance.
This paper consists of insights from a study conducted by Onit, composed of two parts: comparing the performance of manual contract review and drafting versus using automation by new users of ReviewAI, and analysing reporting from a client to learn how time utilization changed after adopting ReviewAI.
Hybrid working, a future of work brief, explores the challenges and opportunities of the agile work model.
In this blog TPC Leadership UK’s Associate Partner Catherine Bardwell and Associate Peter Wall discuss how to define and measure high potential amongst your teams.