Colt Group’s longstanding group general counsel Robin Saphra (pictured) has left the company following an internal structural review. He is succeeded by Caroline Griffin Pain, who becomes company secretary and legal counsel.
Continue reading “Colt Group legal chief Saphra departs following structural review”
From time to time, I am asked to talk at panels and conferences. Though I usually weasel out of such commitments on account of deadlines looming threateningly over my head, I did recently agree to a one-on-one discussion with the senior partner of a mid-tier UK player at the firm’s partnership conference. Continue reading “Comment: What I (very roughly) said about the future of law for the quality mid-pack player”
Manchester, mergers and management merry-go-rounds – 2015 has been as tumultuous a year as any in recent memory. In our annual review, law firm leaders reflect on what has happened and look ahead to 2016
EXCITING TIMES
‘Understandable client nervousness about China and markets generally meant that the busy autumn period got off to a slow start but recovered. Whether that will be sustained into 2016 is hard to call. There is a lot for our clients and the markets to worry about out there. It is also a time of rapid change in the legal world and that means there are lots of new ideas to work on: exciting times.’
Charles Martin, senior partner, Macfarlanes
Our fourth annual client survey shows the maturing role of in-house counsel leading to greater job satisfaction. But in winning more responsibility, are they taking on more than they can handle?
Career-wise, in-house is the new black. As Chris Fowler, general counsel (GC) for BT’s UK commercial legal services division, observes, there is now much more of a desire among millennials to work for companies than in private practice. With in-house teams evolving in status to become more important to the business, the role of the corporate counsel now is far more attractive to law graduates than ever before.
Continue reading “The In-House Lawyer Survey – More than a number”
Brad Smith, Microsoft’s general counsel, has been appointed as the company’s president and chief legal officer in a rare move that will see the lawyer take a broader role.
Continue reading “Microsoft general counsel promoted to president and chief legal officer”
As a consultant spending most of my professional time working with general counsel (GCs), so concerned have I become at the pressures and strain on the mental health of in-house counsel, that this summer I authored a report on what I see as the crisis in well-being in-house.
In a flagship report last year, we teamed up with BLP to assess the state of innovation in law – and the role of leaders in forcing through change within conservative law firms. We assemble a group of GCs and academics to get the client perspective
Innovation it seems is everywhere and nowhere in the legal industry these days. Given the dramatic upheaval in the global economy over the last six years and an unmistakable shift in in-house legal teams – teams that are increasingly able to take over work being unimaginatively handled by external counsel – providers are at pains to stress their progressive credentials.
Continue reading “The right questions – The client view on innovation”
In its reshuffle of senior management, The University of Law (ULaw) has appointed Lord Grabiner QC (pictured) as president after the departure of the incumbent-holder and chief executive, John Latham, by ‘mutual consent’.
Standard Chartered has appointed an acting global head of legal and compliance as incumbent Jamie Kelly goes on sabbatical while the bank’s group general counsel (GC) office has been reorganised amid the large scale overhaul of management by new chief executive Bill Winters.
FRESHFIELDS BREAKS CITY LOCKSTEP TO BRING IN KIRKLAND’S McKIMM
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s hire of Kirkland & Ellis high-yield heavyweight Ward McKimm made waves in the City in June. Joining as co-head of European leveraged finance, McKimm’s salary is understood to be well above the firm’s City top of equity.
