Numbers crunching – the rise of KPIs for the progressive client

Posted on | In-House |

Traditional methods of assessing external legal advisers’ performance are giving way to a more formalised approach. Legal Business examines the rise of the key performance indicator. ‘It goes back to the old business truism that you can only manage what you measure,’ says Eversheds head of international, Stephen Hopkins, who is responsible for the firm’s …

Continue reading “Numbers crunching – the rise of KPIs for the progressive client”

Second Best – The Pros and Cons of Borrowing Your Talent

Posted on | In-House |

The secondment has long been leant on by corporates to plug holes in their resources but, as the economy recovers and law firms’ resources become strained, does the model still deliver? Often billed as a win-win for resource-strapped in-house teams and private practice firms looking to deepen their client relationships, secondments are arguably also a …

Continue reading “Second Best – The Pros and Cons of Borrowing Your Talent”

Irwin Mitchell’s outgoing chief executive John Pickering on change in the sector and why it was time to hang up his boots

Posted on | Blogs |

Announcing his retirement last month, Irwin Mitchell’s longstanding head and current group chief executive John Pickering pointed to ‘the changing legal sector’ and his desire for the firm to have settled long-term senior management. Speaking to Legal Business, Pickering (pictured), who joined the firm as an articled clerk in 1977 and now plans to pursue …

Continue reading “Irwin Mitchell’s outgoing chief executive John Pickering on change in the sector and why it was time to hang up his boots”

Taking the lead – the GCs striving for life without a law firm

Posted on | In-House |

A growing band of in-house counsel are taking on major projects with little or no support from outside advisers. How far can ambitious GCs push the envelope? When asked why an in-house legal team would choose to handle the majority of its major projects in-house, head of legal at Marks & Spencer, Robert Ivens, turns …

Continue reading “Taking the lead – the GCs striving for life without a law firm”

Latest partnership rounds confirm another tough year to make the grade at City leaders

Posted on | News review |

Partnership promotion figures unveiled in April saw a slight improvement on the dwindling numbers seen in earlier announcements, although still fall largely short of the 5% estimated to be needed to maintain partnerships at their current levels. Linklaters and Clifford Chance (CC) made up 21 partners apiece and Herbert Smith Freehills 23, as Norton Rose …

Continue reading “Latest partnership rounds confirm another tough year to make the grade at City leaders”

Irwin Mitchell’s outgoing chief executive John Pickering on change in the sector and why it was time to hang up his boots

Posted on | News review |

Announcing his retirement last month, Irwin Mitchell’s longstanding head and current group chief executive John Pickering pointed to ‘the changing legal sector’ and his desire for the firm to have settled long-term senior management. Speaking to Legal Business, Pickering, who joined the firm as an articled clerk in 1977 and now plans to pursue non-executive …

Continue reading “Irwin Mitchell’s outgoing chief executive John Pickering on change in the sector and why it was time to hang up his boots”

Eversheds in talks to extend voting rights as 164 junior partners inject cash

Posted on | News review |

Fixed-share partners to make capital contributions of 25% of profit share Eversheds started talks in April over the voting rights of its fixed-share partners (FSPs) after they were asked to contribute 25% of their annual earnings in response to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) tax changes for limited liability partnerships (LLPs). The firm called on …

Continue reading “Eversheds in talks to extend voting rights as 164 junior partners inject cash”

Clifford Chance and Freshfields advise on Bridgepoint’s sale of German chemicals company to Permira

Posted on | Blogs |

Magic Circle firms Clifford Chance (CC) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have taken the lead on the latest big corporate transaction to come out of Germany, the sale of speciality chemicals and manufacturing company CABB International to private equity firm Permira Advisers, providing an exit for Bridgepoint Capital, with the asset reported in the financial press to be valued …

Continue reading “Clifford Chance and Freshfields advise on Bridgepoint’s sale of German chemicals company to Permira”