In-house wrap: Air France confirms new law chief as EDF and PwC make senior hires

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In-house wrap: Air France confirms new law chief as EDF and PwC make senior hires

It has been a busy week for in-house moves, with three major companies seeing significant changes in their legal teams. First up, Air France-KLM has appointed a new head of legal after a near year-long process. Pauline Baron has been promoted to head of legal at Air France after serving as head of corporate and securities at the aviation group for over two years.

Baron assumed the role in July, replacing outgoing legal head Guillaume Hecketsweiler, who left the company last October. Jérôme Nanty, Air France’s executive vice president and corporate secretary, headed the company’s legal division in the interim period. Continue reading “In-house wrap: Air France confirms new law chief as EDF and PwC make senior hires”

Snap Inc names Munger, Tolles & Olson partner as new general counsel

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Snap Inc names Munger, Tolles & Olson partner as new general counsel

Snap Inc has named Michael O’Sullivan as its new general counsel (GC), after former legal head Chris Handman stepped down from the role in July leaving an interim GC in place.

O’Sullivan joins the California-based Snap Inc after spending over 20 years at US firm Munger, Tolles & Olson. He joined the firm in 1996, and focused his practice on financial law, M&A law and securities law.  Continue reading “Snap Inc names Munger, Tolles & Olson partner as new general counsel”

Snap Inc general counsel Handman to step down from role after three years

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Snap Inc general counsel Handman to step down from role after three years

Snap Inc general counsel (GC) Chris Handman has stepped down from his position to spend more time with his family, after three years at the US company.

California-headquarted parent company Snap Inc owns social media camera application Snapchat, which allows users send instant image messages, and was co-founded by chief executive Evan Spiegel in 2011. Continue reading “Snap Inc general counsel Handman to step down from role after three years”

Firms including Bond Dickinson, TLT and DAC Beachcroft appointed to local authority framework

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Firms including Bond Dickinson, TLT and DAC Beachcroft appointed to local authority framework

A host of UK firms including Bond Dickinson, TLT and DAC Beachcroft have been appointed to West Yorkshire authorities’ legal framework (WYLAW) for three years.

A total of nineteen law firms have been appointed across ten lots which include childcare law, general litigation, routine property and contracts, commercial and IT. National firms Browne Jacobson, Ward Hadaway and Weightmans also feature on the roster. The last WYLAW review was carried out in June 2013 resulting in a panel which included Eversheds Sutherland and Pinsent Masons. Continue reading “Firms including Bond Dickinson, TLT and DAC Beachcroft appointed to local authority framework”

Rebels with a clause – a new kind of group for a new kind of client

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Rebels with a clause – a new kind of group for a new kind of client

Tech-savvy, dynamic and fast-growing – the Disruptive GC group is on every law firm’s radar. Legal Business meets the hustling new kids on the block

For classists, the word ‘disruptive’ still carries negative connotations of damage, chaos and disarray. But these days in corporate circles it has become the phrase of the day – a complimentary shorthand to describe tech-driven innovators remaking all manner of industries. But the cult of disruption – birthed in Clayton Christensen’s hugely influential 1997 book The Innovator’s Dilemma – has truly come of age when it has reached not only the legal profession, but its in-house branch.

Continue reading “Rebels with a clause – a new kind of group for a new kind of client”

Client profile: David Fein, Standard Chartered Bank

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Client profile: David Fein, Standard Chartered Bank

The former law firm partner turned banking giant GC on his globally-demanding role

As a former senior staffer in the Clinton administration, David Fein has a tendency to chart his career and life against the backdrop of US politics. While working as a state district attorney, it was early in Barack Obama’s second presidential term that Fein found himself getting wistful for a new challenge, one that would see him become general counsel (GC) of the FTSE 100 banking group Standard Chartered in his first move in-house. ‘I was ready for a new challenge. I wanted something new and so I thought something I hadn’t done was be a general counsel.’

Continue reading “Client profile: David Fein, Standard Chartered Bank”

Co-op Group kicks off panel review as former Dixons Carphone GC takes top legal role

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Co-op Group kicks off panel review as former Dixons Carphone GC takes top legal role

The Co-operative Group has begun reviewing its corporate and commercial legal panels, as well as its property law and litigation advisers, as the former Dixons Carphone group general counsel (GC) Helen Grantham replaced Alistair Asher in the group’s top legal role.

Continue reading “Co-op Group kicks off panel review as former Dixons Carphone GC takes top legal role”

‘A bit unsettled’: Lloyds legal team to report to finance arm after latest restructure

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‘A bit unsettled’: Lloyds legal team to report to finance arm after latest restructure

The legal team at Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) will now report to the bank’s finance team in the group’s latest reorganisation, which led to the departure of chief people, legal and strategy officer and ex-Linklaters managing partner Simon Davies, after less than two years.

Continue reading “‘A bit unsettled’: Lloyds legal team to report to finance arm after latest restructure”