Slaughters unveils five-figure bonus awards as junior lawyers’ pay edges higher

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Slaughters unveils five-figure bonus awards as junior lawyers’ pay edges higher

In the latest sign of pressure to secure the best young talent, Slaughter and May has confirmed it is to pay five-figure bonuses to many associates amid modest salary rises for junior lawyers. Slaughters today (13 December) announced that associates achieving ‘a good or exceptional level of performance’ will receive a bonus ranging between 9% …

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Retail property crush as international firms battle to land roles on £18.5bn Westfield bid

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In what has been a busy week for landmark retail property deals, a host of firms from across the globe, including Clifford Chance (CC), Shearman & Sterling and Debevoise & Plimpton are advising as French property company Unibail-Rodamco bids £18.5bn for Westfield Corporation. Westfield owns 35 shopping centres across the UK and the US, including …

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‘Another mechanism for unlocking insight’ – Clyde & Co launches tech initiative with UCL

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Following the trend of tech incubator programmes  set by City firms, insurance heavyweight Clyde & Co has launched a data analytics lab to develop products and services for its clients. The new initiative is being ran in conjunction with University College London (UCL), with which the firm has a longstanding relationship.  

Signature boosts revenue 16% as dispute boutiques sustain their ascendency

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Signature boosts revenue 16% as dispute boutiques sustain their ascendency

City litigation specialist Signature Litigation has capped off a run of high-profile mandates to record a 16% uptick in revenue for the 2016/17 financial year. The rise sees turnover climb to £11.95m. Under Signature’s profit-sharing scheme, 21% of profits were paid out to staff. Cumulative profits paid out by Signature over the last five years …

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Mid-pack pacesetters go early with half-year financials as performance matches expectations

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Mid-pack pacesetters go early with half-year financials as performance matches expectations

Two of this year’s best-performing mid-pack firms in the Legal Business 100 (LB100), Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) and Fieldfisher, have continued their run of impressive form with their half-year 2017/18 results. After quietly establishing itself as one of the strongest firms in the last financial year, WFW recorded a 13% jump in its 2017/18 …

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DLA Piper chief Picón joins Latham in shock move as Ropes names first female chair

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DLA Piper chief Picón joins Latham in shock move as Ropes names first female chair

In a move that set tongues wagging on both sides of the pond, DLA Piper senior partner and global co-chair Juan Picón is to depart for Latham & Watkins, while Ropes & Gray has selected its first-ever female chair to replace the long-serving Bradford Malt. Picón’s move to the highest-grossing firm in the world from …

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Essex Court forced to clarify position after local Bar outcry over its Singapore play

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Essex Court forced to clarify position after local Bar outcry over its Singapore play

Allied branch will act independently to chambers Essex Court Chambers strengthened its Singapore ties in November by bringing in four advocates to become overseas members, but was later asked by Singapore’s Ministry of Law to explain itself after initial media reports implied the set had formally opened a Singapore law branch.

Locke Lord fined, Clydes ex-partner suspended, while Appleby hit by data breach

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Locke Lord fined, Clydes ex-partner suspended, while Appleby hit by data breach

In a tough period for international firms at the hands of legal regulators, US firm Locke Lord received the largest-ever fine handed down by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) in November. The £500,000 penalty handed to Locke Lord came after one of its former UK lawyers engaged in ‘dubious financial arrangements’ with a client’s bank …

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Clifford Chance partner Panayides to face SDT over Excalibur involvement

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Clifford Chance partner Panayides to face SDT over Excalibur involvement

In another twist in the Excalibur professional negligence saga and a clear sign of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) clamping down on lawyers at the City’s top firms, a case management hearing over Clifford Chance (CC) disputes partner Alex Panayides (pictured) took place at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal at the end of November following an …

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Disputes Eye: Disclosure reform – time to err off the side of caution

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Disputes Eye: Disclosure reform – time to err off the side of caution

It takes a brave soul to tackle the issue of extortionate disclosure in the UK, and finding the happy medium required to satisfy both fretting clients and sceptical lawyers is difficult. But that is exactly what the Disclosure Working Group is attempting to do, introducing a wave of reforms in November that will run as …

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