Nice problems to have – Where now for Stephenson Harwood as veteran chief hands over?

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Nice problems to have – Where now for Stephenson Harwood as veteran chief hands over?

With longstanding chief executive Sharon White bowing out, Stephenson Harwood can look back on a strong ten years. Thomas Alan assesses its record and prospects

‘My understanding is the Stephenson Harwood of 2002 needed a new strategy because it was doing very badly,’ reflects corporate head Andrew Edge, looking back on the City thoroughbred’s much-publicised problems. ‘It was losing people and the finances were extremely precarious.’ Continue reading “Nice problems to have – Where now for Stephenson Harwood as veteran chief hands over?”

The Bar – Happy when it rains

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The Bar – Happy when it rains

Like the rest of Britain, barristers at the commercial Bar are impatiently waiting for some clarity over Brexit: it is a paramount concern because they want London to retain its position as the premier location for international business disputes. But more than three years on from the referendum result, the much-debated uncertainty has not yet had a significant impact on the volume or value of their work.

‘The commercial Bar is thriving at the moment and I expect it to continue to thrive,’ says Sonia Tolaney QC, chair of The Commercial Bar Association. ‘Dealing with the still-unknown consequences of Brexit presents a challenge. But although there has been a period of real uncertainty, the truth is that the health of the commercial Bar is very strong.’ Continue reading “The Bar – Happy when it rains”

The in-house debate: Run the risk

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The in-house debate: Run the risk

Is the job of the legal function to be the ringmaster and cheerleader, managing risk and compliance effectively within an organisation? Should it have to win over the hearts and minds of the board just as much as those on the front line? These were the main discussion points of a recent panel debate between nearly 20 in-house lawyers and private practice risk management specialists gathered at Mayer Brown’s London offices this summer.

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David Harrison, Mayer Brown: A common challenge across practice areas is how to move away from historical perceptions of compliance and risk – that this is for the lawyers and could get in the way of the business, with the result that it’s underfunded. It often takes a crisis, typically an investigation or a major breach, for significant resources to be deployed. Continue reading “The in-house debate: Run the risk”