Practice Areas

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Schillings wins Appeal Court victory for author JK Rowling

Media law firm Schillings scored a victory in the Court of Appeal today (7 May), which held that the privacy of client and Harry Potter author JK Rowlings’ five-year-old son had been infringed. Rowling, who used her married name Joanne Murray, and her husband Dr Neil Murray, brought the case as litigation friends on behalf […]

IP boutique bags A&O IP chief

IP firm Rouse Legal has boosted its partnership with the hire of the head of Allen & Overy‘s intellectual property group. Catriona Smith joins Rouse Legal at the start of next week after spending more than 15 years as a partner at A&O. Her practice has focused on UK IP and IT litigation and has […]

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Lawyers mourn barrister shot by police

Family lawyers have expressed shock at the death of Mark Saunders, who was killed in a shoot out with police last night (6th May) in London’s Chelsea neighbourhood.

Clifford Chance shores up Far East

Clifford Chance shores up Far East” />Clifford Chance has moved to strengthen its Far East presence with the relocation of London partner Geraint Hughes to Hong Kong and the hire of a Norton Rose partner in Singapore. Energy and infrastructure partner Hughes, who has been qualified in Hong Kong since 1993, has spent time in […]

Simmons’ construction head quits for HBJ

Simmons & Simmons head of construction Robert Bryan has exited the firm for HBJ Gateley Wareing. Bryan has joined the Midlands firm as an equity partner, launching the London construction practice, which will target both contentious and non-contentious work. HBJ national chairman and head of the London office Bijan Sedghi told the Lawyer that the […]

A&O elects joint banking heads

Allen & Overy (A&O) has elected Stephen Kensell and Andrew Trahair as joint managing partners of its banking practice. The pair was formally voted in on 30 April. Both were originally partners in the firm’s banking practice. Kensell and Trahair take over the position from Christopher Rushton, who is rejoining theprojects team. Michael Duncan will […]

Thompsons merges with Whittles

Personal injury (PI) powerhouse Thompsons has taken over eight-partner firm Whittles, which has offices in Leeds and Manchester. Both firms specialise in PI, trade union work and employment rights. Two of Whittles’ three equity partners, Julie Blackburn and Chris Strogen, will join Thompsons’ partnership, while David Towler will work as a consultant.

Browne Jacobson hits record turnover

Browne Jacobson has announced fee income of £35m – its highest yet. The figure grew by 10 per cent from last year’s £31.9m. In the previous year it grew by a modest 6 per cent. In addition to growth in business services and property, there were client wins for the insurance and public sector departments, […]

Government lobbying must be out in the open

Following a three-year battle the Information Tribunal has ordered the Government to disclose previously secret records of industry lobbying by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The tribunal’s decision sets an important marker for the way that requests for lobbying materials should be treated in the future. In July 2005 Friends of the Earth wrote […]