Sponsored foreword: Litigation amid a pandemic – 2021 and beyond
One of the strangest features of Covid-19 is that it manifests itself in the human body in a random and…
Comment
UK’s robust disputes framework holds firm amid the crisis
I have always very much enjoyed talking to the City’s disputes practitioners, and after two years away from covering my…
The Last Word: Law in a time of Covid
‘A year ago, the penny was beginning to drop about the significant challenges of the pandemic. The strength and diversity…
Comment: Hired guns and troubleshooting – privilege confusion in UBS rape probe another jolt for City law
Legal hacks frequently stand accused of making sensationalist statements once the dust has settled when it comes to lawyer conduct…
Guest comment: Collaboration in isolation
As client issues become increasingly complex, working collaboratively to provide solutions is critical. But Professor Laura Empson and David Morley…
Comment: Hope floats for City listing overhaul but American audacity is vital
City business has had cause to take heart in recent days with a clear display of political will behind an…
The Last Word: So far so good?
‘We may finally be seeing the end of the “greed is good” mentality, as younger generations demand that their time…
Guest comment: Balancing acts – partnership versus corporation
Professor Laura Empson and David Morley ask what makes partnerships so distinct from corporations in what they demand of the people…
Guest comment: Calling all the reluctant leaders
Successful professional people are notoriously reluctant to take on the mantle of leadership. Increasingly, there are excellent reasons why they…
Comment: Depressing end to Weinstein gagging order narrative means closure for none
The whimpering conclusion to the three-year saga that dragged City law into the middle of #MeToo could hardly have been more frustrating for everyone concerned. The Solicitors…
Guest comment: A call to arms for the Bionic Lawyer
‘I am you. I am your colleagues. I am what your customers have always dreamed of. I am The Bionic…
Comment: Failings in Beckwith prosecution undermine #MeToo fight and muzzle regulator
The ink is barely dry on Friday’s High Court ruling that overturned the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal’s finding against ex-Freshfields partner…
Comment: Last orders – The final reflections of a veteran legal pundit
I’ve always suspected that, like politics, careers in journalism largely end in failure. Here is how mine ends. After 20…
Comment: Litigators prepare as market enters phoney war but battle lines are yet to be drawn
The received wisdom is that a downward trajectory in the economy results in an upward trajectory in contentious work as…
The totally scientific secrets of leadership – What I learnt from years of drinking with managing partners
The upheavals of 2020 have given me more time than normal to reflect on something that I’ve spent a good…
‘Stay home, save jobs’ – How the legal elite are charting a course through half-lockdown summer
Try driving across London or walking its crowded parks in sunny May and it becomes hard to remember that the…
Comment: Welcome back to the office? Re-thinking law’s real estate for the post-corona age
If we can already make a few forecasts about some aspects of the post-coronavirus world, currently pole position among things…
Comment: Law firm leaders already know a lot about the post-Corona world but dare they take advantage?
What we do not know about the surreal period we’re in thanks to the coronavirus pandemic would fill the proverbial…
Comment: Denial and a brutal end – Why cutting partners is still taboo
The issue no law firm leader wants to address right now is whether partner ranks need to be thinned. Polite…
The slaughter of innocence – A&O’s former chief on the stark staffing choices facing crisis-hit law firms
Law firms around the world are being forced to contemplate something a good many have never had to face before,…