Offshore law firms continue to launch offices in Asia, with Singapore and Shanghai the latest hot destinations. LB assesses the drivers behind recent openings and the challenges that lie ahead The drive of offshore firms into Asia continues apace. Bedell Cristin opened a Singapore office in July, following Mourant Ozannes’ launch in Hong Kong at …
UK offshore law firms are increasingly offering British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands legal services from Caribbean offices or their Crown dependency bases. LB assesses the changing landscape of the Caribbean legal market UK-based offshore law firms have been enjoying a Caribbean sojourn this year. In June Carey Olsen announced it would be opening an …
In the global financial crisis, the hedge fund industry lost about a fifth of its value. Now distressed debt in Europe is seen as the route to renewed wealth, and two law firms look set to dominate, again. When the dotcom bubble burst at the start of the Noughties and the fantastic bull market of …
Other practice areas may be having a tough ride but energy lawyers are flying. LB maps the trends driving the sector There are many sectors of the economy that governments can afford to scrimp on when times get hard, but luckily for power, oil and gas companies, energy is not one of them. Power is …
In finding value for money, in-house lawyers rate quality of service very highly. Here we assess their attitudes to overlawyering, offshoring and global networks. The devil is in the delivery. While the cost of external legal advice is a priority for general counsel (GC), how that service is delivered to clients is no less critical. …
Despite constant talk that hourly billing is dead, our survey shows otherwise. In-house lawyers’ responses on fees contain a few surprises One of the standout findings of our survey is that hourly billing is still alive and kicking. The hourly rate is often used as a billing method by 59% of respondents, with just 4% …
Demand for external law firms is increasing but choosing the right law firm is more difficult than ever. Time to examine the factors determining law firm selection Despite the pressure on in-house teams to reduce their legal spend and keep as much work in-house as possible, demand for external legal services has still managed to …
Extracting greater value from dwindling resources is top of the agenda as general counsel look to flex their muscles. Welcome to our first-ever in-house survey ‘It’s just like a marriage: a relationship between a law firm and a company is one that needs to be nurtured to make sure both are on the same page.’ …
A clear message from last month’s LB100 report was that the merger of two firms that have ‘simply cuddled together for bodily warmth to escape the chill of the recession’ could be a defective strategy. However, it seems that the appetite for mergers between struggling firms in the mid-market shows no signs of slowing down.
The resurgence of commercial activity in the Middle East is prompting international law firms to strengthen their presence in the region, with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and CMS announcing their first regional offices within a week of each other. Cleary announced at the beginning of September that it would be opening its first Middle …
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