Global arbitration: French and British lawyers dominate appointments to ICSID arbitrations

Traditionally dominated by US lawyers, French and British arbitrators trumped their North American rivals last year by securing more arbitral appointments at the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

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Heading to the bar: Hogan Lovells streamlines dual management role as former arbitration co-head leaves

Hogan Lovells’ former co-head of international arbitration, Simon Nesbitt, is set to depart the firm and join the Bar, a move which coincides with the firm’s decision to streamline the dual management structure of the practice and continue with a single head.

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Targeting USA: Linklaters reshuffles teams to boost corporate and disputes

Magic Circle firm Linklaters has moved its TMT and tax groups from its commercial division into corporate. The firm has overhauled a three-strand structure – corporate, commercial and finance and projects – in a bid to strengthen its corporate team as the firm looks to crack America.

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Linklaters reshuffles to boost corporate and disputes

Magic Circle firm Linklaters has moved its TMT and tax groups from its commercial division into corporate. The firm has overhauled a three-strand structure – corporate, commercial and finance and projects – in a bid to strengthen its corporate team as the firm looks to crack America.

Around 40 lawyers globally from tax and TMT will come under the corporate umbrella, with the commercial group having been rebranded as dispute resolution.

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Double-edged – cutting both ways with third party funding

It’s been a turbulent year for third-party funders, from court battles shining a spotlight on risky investments to new entrants and exits. Legal Business scopes the changing landscape for litigation’s bankrollers.

In early autumn, high-flying disputes lawyer Harvey Rands was taking a vacation in upstate New York. While many spend breaks catching up on books and perfecting golf swings, Rands, one of Memery Crystal’s highest billers, held in his possession an embargoed draft of the Excalibur costs judgment, a Commercial Court ruling on one of the most controversial pieces of litigation in recent years. Crucially the ruling, made public on 23 October, found third-party funders liable for indemnity costs in what became a precedent for an industry historically dogged with a controversial reputation.

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Guerrillas in our midst: LCIA takes action on award delays and obstructionist tactics

Tom Moore assesses the impact of the new London arbitration rulebook

The battle lines between arbitration lawyers and litigators have long been drawn along arguments of efficiency and cost. The urban myth, somewhat manufactured by arbitration practitioners themselves, that arbitration is more expedient and less costly than its cousin in the courts has long been dismissed, while increasingly the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) is not only competing with courts for big-ticket cases, but other institutions around the world.

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Hiring a silk: Stone Chambers chief Steven Gee QC to depart for City disputes boutique Joseph Hage Arronson

High flying disputes boutique Joseph Hage Aaronson is set to enhance its City team with the hire of leading silk Steven Gee QC, who serves as the current head of Stone Chambers.

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‘Second major addition to the European disputes practice in as many months’: Skadden hires Dechert’s London arbitration head

US firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has enhanced its respected disputes practice having today (18 November) announced the hire of Dechert’s London arbitration head, Daniel Gal.

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