Moving on: Pinsents sells early New Law investment to Dow Jones

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Moving on: Pinsents sells early New Law investment to Dow Jones

Pinsent Masons has sold one of its earliest New Law investments to financial information giant Dow Jones for an undisclosed sum, citing a need for it to move on for its next phase of growth.

The firm has sold online compliance solutions business Cerico, which it launched in 2013 as a joint venture with IT consultancy Campbell Nash and latterly upped its investment to a majority stake in 2015. Pinsent Masons retains a ‘strategic relationship’ with Dow Jones following the sale, meaning it will continue to provide and be paid for legal content, compliance support and consultancy to Dow Jones clients, when required. Continue reading “Moving on: Pinsents sells early New Law investment to Dow Jones”

Let’s be friends – Hogan Lovells hooks up with NewLaw darling Elevate for flexi-lawyer service

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Let’s be friends – Hogan Lovells hooks up with NewLaw darling Elevate for flexi-lawyer service

Hogan Lovells is the latest firm to venture into flexible lawyering after agreeing a partnership with New Law pioneer Elevate.

The deal announced today (15 February) will give the transatlantic giant access to a pool of 1,500 self-employed professionals worldwide to support its UK business. Elevate will provide a group of pre-vetted lawyers to choose from for specific projects, with Hogan Lovells’ paying Elevate for the cover. Hogan Lovells expects to use between 30 and 50 lawyers from the pool every year and will be looking at four to ten-year qualified lawyers across all practice areas. Continue reading “Let’s be friends – Hogan Lovells hooks up with NewLaw darling Elevate for flexi-lawyer service”

Dentons targets in-house lawyers as it adds new consultancy service to Nextlaw family

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Dentons targets in-house lawyers as it adds new consultancy service to Nextlaw family

Dentons has embarked on yet another chapter in its experimentation with the legal services model as the 8,000-lawyer giant announced the launch of Nextlaw In-House Solutions yesterday (15 November).

The fifth service line to come out of the firm’s spin-off Nextlaw business, the new consultancy service will see 50 of the firm’s lawyers – all former GCs – advise existing in-house lawyers on matters including procurement for panels, relationship with the c-suite and use of technology. Continue reading “Dentons targets in-house lawyers as it adds new consultancy service to Nextlaw family”

As Nextlaw swells, will Dentons’ platform mark the end of referral clubs… or something bolder?

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As Nextlaw swells, will Dentons’ platform mark the end of referral clubs… or something bolder?

Marco Cillario assesses whether Nextlaw is a network or Dentonsʼ Uber

With typical distaste for the status quo, Dentons chair Joe Andrew last year described the launch of Nextlaw Global Referral Network as the beginning of the end for traditional law firm networks. The new platform, conceived and paid for by Dentons, differed from other networks in not charging membership fees and being open to any number of members globally. Continue reading “As Nextlaw swells, will Dentons’ platform mark the end of referral clubs… or something bolder?”

PwC aims to take bite out of contract lawyering market with new flexible resourcing arm

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PwC aims to take bite out of contract lawyering market with new flexible resourcing arm

If the accountants’ forays into the legal market have yet to challenge law firms in key markets, a concern in the profession is that the Big Four would make a major play with alternative service models. As such there will be some nervous glances cast as PwC this week confirmed that the accountancy giant is to launch a contract lawyering service, entering a fast-growing market so far dominated by firms like Axiom and Lawyers On Demand.

The service, called Flexible Legal Resources, will initially focus on the financial services sector but PwC’s pool of contract lawyers will eventually cover clients from all sectors providing support work for corporate, commercial and data protection. Continue reading “PwC aims to take bite out of contract lawyering market with new flexible resourcing arm”

Fieldfisher extends global reach as it launches alternative service Condor in South Africa

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Fieldfisher’s unrelenting international growth this year shows no sign of slowing, as the firm takes its alternative legal services platform Condor to South Africa through a partnership with Cognia Law.

Condor, headed by former Ashurst securities and derivatives chief Christopher Georgiou alongside derivatives partners Guy Usher and Luke Whitmore, is the firm’s platform combining document data management and technology solutions with low-cost legal expertise. The partnership with legal service outsourcing provider Cognia Law will see the launch of Condor South Africa, which will integrate into the wider Condor platform. Continue reading “Fieldfisher extends global reach as it launches alternative service Condor in South Africa”

In the money: Gateley veterans reap six figures in £10m share sale

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In the money: Gateley veterans reap six figures in £10m share sale

For listed law firms, recent months have been a period of brutally mixed fortunes. While Slater and Gordon has suffered a string of high-profile reverses, select partners at fellow pioneer Gateley have taken home almost £500,000 after a stake in the top 50 UK law firm was sold for nearly £10m.

Documents at the London Stock Exchange (LSE) show a sale of 6.21% of the firm’s equity, or 6,641,333 aggregate ordinary shares. Continue reading “In the money: Gateley veterans reap six figures in £10m share sale”

Investment costs force insurer LV= to pull plug on legal services

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Investment costs force insurer LV= to pull plug on legal services

In a further setback for insurers hoping to take advantage of the post-Legal Services Act landscape, Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society (LV=)’s legal arm has been discontinued less than two years after it was created through a partnership with Bristol firm Lyons Davidson.

In January 2016 the insurance company joined forces with Lyons Davidson to offer legal advice at a fixed rate for wills, power of attorney, probate, conveyancing, personal injury and employment law.

Continue reading “Investment costs force insurer LV= to pull plug on legal services”

Another first for global law’s self-styled mavericks as Dentons’ mega-referral network expands into lobbying

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It has already made a much-hyped move into the referral network game, now the headline-grabbing Dentons is plotting another iconoclastic move by extending its Nextlaw group to cover public affairs advisers across the world.

The 8,000-lawyer giant today (12 September) unveiled the launch of what it calls the Nextlaw Global Public Affairs Network, having signed up 60 organisations spanning 100 countries. Continue reading “Another first for global law’s self-styled mavericks as Dentons’ mega-referral network expands into lobbying”

Cog on the Tyne – Norton Rose expands Newcastle legal services hub following successful trial

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Cog on the Tyne – Norton Rose expands Newcastle legal services hub following successful trial

After a year-long trial, Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) is following up on its recent transatlantic merger with further investment in its Newcastle legal services hub.

Supporting the firm’s operations globally, the Newcastle operation will move to larger premises on 1 November amid plans to increase headcount in the North East from 28 to 100 over the next two to three years. Continue reading “Cog on the Tyne – Norton Rose expands Newcastle legal services hub following successful trial”