Month: December 2010

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Under review

Over the past decade panels have defined the relationship between law firms and the major banks. But as the nature of those relationships shifts, panels are becoming even more important

Mark Harding insists there’s been a shift of power. ‘Previously, with a lot of work, the boot was always on the law firm foot,’ Barclays’ general counsel asserts. ‘Now the boot is on the other foot.’ Coming from one of the most senior GCs in the City, head of a 900-strong in-house team with a legal spend of £100m, it’s something to take note of. Continue reading “Under review”

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Two’s company

After getting Beachcroft fit for the modern age, senior partner Simon Hodson and managing partner Paul Murray will run the firm for five more years. Time for a progress report

Beachcroft senior partner Simon Hodson (see left) often has his tongue firmly in his cheek when commenting on the industry, but this time he’s deadly serious. ‘These pissing contests over how many hundreds of thousands people get paid are obscene and, frankly, not good for the profession.’ You might expect this from a buyer of legal services, but not from the senior partner of the 23rd largest firm by revenue in the UK. To his left, managing partner Paul Murray (see right) nods in agreement. Continue reading “Two’s company”

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In the soup

Historically, the largest law firms have had a patchy relationship with the profession’s regulators. Can the Solicitors Regulation Authority build bridges?

Martin Baker, head of risk and compliance at Taylor Wessing, is sitting in a boardroom in front of a mountain of documents. He has only just read through the first few pages of the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) second consultation paper on its proposed new code of conduct. With a worried look on his face, he mentions that, in order to bring his firm’s current risk and compliance handbook up to date, he may as well start implementing the changes now before they come into force next October. Continue reading “In the soup”

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Italy 2.0

Rome Colloseum

The Italian legal market has modernised over the past decade as local firms have reacted to greater client demands and the influx of foreign practices. Now there’s greater pressure on fees and billing arrangements

Over the past decade the Italian legal market has gradually been modernising, entering its own 2.0 era. Firms have taken a more business-focused approach to how they run their firms. Italian lawyers who traditionally prided themselves on their ability to advise on a wide range of areas have become more specialised. Continue reading “Italy 2.0”