Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has rejigged its global executive for the first time since its Anglo-Australian merger in 2012, trimming back regional management in a bid to boost its integration effort.
Your Legal Friend brings £9m shareholder group action against Quindell
Liverpool-based law firm Your Legal Friend, formerly known as Camps Solicitors, has launched a shareholder group action against Quindell under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA), following the £312m swing from profit to loss in its professional services division (PSD).
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Deus ex machina: Riverview Law targets in-house with legal tech consultancy
Alternative legal services provider Riverview Law has launched a new service in a bid to help in-house teams develop automated legal processes.
Referred to as its ‘Solutions Prototyping Consultancy‘, Riverview is targeting large global corporations and mid-sized companies with the aim of helping them develop a technology-driven operating model.
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Concerns raised as consultation closes on court fee hikes
City lawyers have voiced concerns over government policy once again as the deadline for written submissions closes this month on the latest round of court fee hikes proposed by justice minister Shailesh Vara.
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Allen & Overy closes in Toronto one year after launch as office head quits
Allen & Overy (A&O) is closing down its Canadian office, one year on from becoming the first Magic Circle firm to set up a representative office in Toronto.
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Joining the club: Osborne Clarke to convert to LLP status next month
Legal Business 100 firm Osborne Clarke (OC) has become one of the last firms in the UK top 50 to convert to a limited liability partnership (LLP).
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Gates set to open for new financial court in London
A newly created financial court at the Rolls Building in London, the first of its kind in the City and a sales pitch for the English courts, will open next Monday, 5 October.
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Key decision looms for controversial legal aid contracts
Criminal defence solicitors are expected to find out this week whether they will receive funding as the government will reveal who has been awarded new legal aid contracts as part of controversial cost cutting reform.
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In-house: Severn Trent’s Kelly returns to Network Rail as its first deputy group GC
Network Rail has appointed Severn Trent’s deputy general counsel (GC) Stuart Kelly as its first deputy group GC. Kelly, who returned to the rail company in June, had worked there for more than four years as a commercial legal advisor, prior to his five year stint at Severn Trent.
Clifford Chance and Shearman deliver advice on Italy’s €4bn post office IPO
Clifford Chance (CC) and Shearman & Sterling have landed lead advisory roles on the floatation of Italy’s post office, in an initial public offering expected to be valued between €8 and €10bn, allowing the government to raise up to €4bn from its partial privatisation.
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Debevoise and White & Case to battle out South Korea tax arbitration
Debevoise & Plimpton and White & Case are among firms drafted in to fight out an arbitration claim against South Korea from Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).
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Revolving Doors: clutch of firms including Ashurst, Penningtons Manches and White & Case make key hires
A number of firms have made noteworthy appointments this month, including Ashurst, Squire Patton Boggs, Penningtons Manches, Dentons, White & Case and Eversheds who have all added to their teams.
Quinn Emanuel leads as 12 banks pay $1.87bn in swap settlement
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan took on some of Wall Street’s finest firms including Sullivan & Cromwell and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, as a dozen major banks, data provider Markit and International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) were accused by investors of rigging the credit derivatives market in a case which resulted in a $1.87bn settlement.
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Hardwicke Chambers and White & Case take barristers from soon-to-be-dissolved 11 Stone Buildings
Hardwicke Chambers is the latest to take members from soon-to-be-dissolved London commercial and chancery set 11 Stone Buildings (11SB), confirming today it will take a junior barrister quartet and 11SB’s business development manager.
Brexit wounds: UK law market faces up to £1.7bn hit from EU exit, claims report
New research commissioned by the Law Society has found the legal services sector would be ‘disproportionately disadvantaged’ as a result of complete UK withdrawal from the EU.
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On trend: White & Case launches London white-collar practice with Dechert hire
White & Case is preparing to meet the next wave of regulatory and enforcement investigation work as it launches its first City white collar practice with the hire of white collar and securities litigation partner Jonathan Pickworth from Dechert.
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Weightmans re-elects Schorah and Cutts to serve second term
National LB100 firm Weightmans has re-elected its management team of John Schorah and Dan Cutts to serve another three year term commencing 1 May 2016.
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King & Spalding lands $12bn arbitration case against Russia for Pugachev
King & Spalding’s London office has been instructed on a $12bn arbitration brought against the Russian government by Sergei Pugachev, a tycoon once dubbed ‘Putin’s banker.’
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Weir Group starts search for successor as general counsel retires
Weir Group has kicked off a search for its next legal chief as its incumbent general counsel (GC) and company secretary, Keith Ruddock, will retire from the engineering firm at the end of the year.
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Rapidly recruiting: Kirkland takes Linklaters’ corporate heavyweight Johnson
Kirkland & Ellis has hired a fourth partner this year from Magic Circle rival Linklaters, as the head of private equity in the Nordic region and City corporate partner Roger Johnson is to depart.
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