Clifford Chance is banking on energy
The hire of a global energy and infrastructure duo from Latham & Watkins by Clifford Chance last week is symbolic of a strategic divergence emerging between the UK firm and its US City peer. Coming after Clifford Chance (CC) opened in Houston, the arrival of partners Craig Nethercott in London and Chirag Sanghrajka in Dubai […]
CMS redundancies: the partners will be next
These are painful times for CMS corporate associates, who were informed three weeks ago that the firm would be carrying out layoffs and that up to 19 roles were at risk. The first take: CMS plays firmly in the City low-to-mid-market and has suffered from the dearth of deals, AIM floats and venture capital fundraising. […]
The partnership model is creaking
The lower down The Lawyer UK200 rankings your firm sits, the more difficult it is to grow. The revenue gap between the Top 10 firms and those outside the Top 50 was £1.14bn in 2022/23, but all that separates the firm ranked 50th (Browne Jacobson) and 100th (Payne Hicks Beach) is £66m in revenue. It […]
On your marks, get set, A&O
Today’s the day: will Allen & Overy (A&O) and Shearman & Sterling vote to merge, or have efforts by both firms’ management failed to convince the naysayers? Unlike the excitement of a day’s General Election, both sides are being very lawyerly about it and can ponder for two whole weeks. The vote closes on 13 […]
Eversheds’ major litmus test
On Halloween 2024, all that remained of SJ Berwin will end, as King & Wood Mallesons’ (KWM) retreat from the UK, Europe and the Middle East is finalised and its offices in those regions closed. The fate of its people in London, Brussels, Madrid, Milan, Frankfurt and Dubai will be sealed. And that will be […]
Exclusive: The promotions set to bolster Kirkland’s partner ranks
Lawyers across Kirkland & Ellis are celebrating their promotion to partner, as the firm looks set to announce its annual round later on today. While the full list will be available later, a large group of London lawyers are expected to make the cut. Over the summer, the biggest story emerging from the firm was […]
“We aren’t that Axiom”: Flexi-lawyer business distances itself from stricken firm
Axiom Law, a flexible legal resources provider, has put a disclaimer on its website to warn customers it is not affiliated with beleaguered Axiom Ince. A pop-up box on its website reads: “With over 20 years of experience, and a client roster that includes over 60 per cent of F100 companies, Axiom is the global […]
Goodwin bolsters London team with white-collar expertise
Goodwin Procter has accelerated plans to offer a full-service contentious practice in the City, having appointed its first dedicated white-collar partner in London. Partner Mark Beardsworth joins from Cadwalader, where he has practised since 2019. Beardsworth joined Cadwalader at a time when it was undergoing its own hiring spree to grow the white-collar defence and […]
Pogust Goodhead signs $552m litigation investment deal
Pogust Goodhead, a disputes firm known for securing a settlement in the 2022 Volkswagen emissions group litigation, has agreed to a partnership deal with investment manager Gramercy. The corporate debt finance deal is thought to be the largest worldwide investment in a law firm to date. It is also the largest single investment to date […]
Revealed: The UK top 100 law firms 2023
The UK’s 100 largest law firms generated revenue of £33.7bn between them in 2022/23, The Lawyer can reveal in its annual UK200 report, released today. The figure is up 7 per cent from £31.3bn in 2021/22, demonstrating the resilience the UK’s legal sector despite continued turbulence in the political and economic landscapes. Meanwhile, the Independents […]
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