KING & WOOD MALLESONS HIRES HEAVYWEIGHT EVERSHEDS TRIO
KWM last month hired former Eversheds senior partner Cornelius Medvei alongside former international head of real estate William Naunton and former London head of tax Clive Jones. The trio will lead expansion plans for the firm’s structured real estate team.
KENNEDYS SECURES ABS LICENCE FROM WATCHDOG
The Solicitors Regulation Authority approved Kennedys alternative business structure application in November, allowing the UK law firm to keep non-lawyers as partners as well as making new business ventures possible.
FORMER HALLIWELLS’ PARTNERS WIN CLAIM EXEMPTION
Halliwells partners that signed a retirement deed before the firm’s collapse have won exemption from claims relating to overdrawn current and tax reserve accounts. Irwin Mitchell represented Steven Fennell, who was sued as a test case while Addleshaw Goddard led for Halliwells and its liquidators.
GOVERNMENT RULES OUT HYBRID DAMAGES-BASED AGREEMENTS
The government has ruled out reforms to allow more flexible ‘hybrid’ forms of damages-related litigation fees, despite claims that the current regime is unworkable. The Ministry of Justice last month asked the Civil Justice Council to review the regulations governing damages-based agreements and make recommendations to clarify the law, despite opposing a more flexible hybrid model.