Of the long list of changes I had in mind for Legal Business when I agreed to join the title as editor in chief, perhaps the biggest was a root-and-branch overhaul of the magazine’s online presence. In beta form, at least, you are looking at our first major step in achieving that aim with the launch today of a totally new and much improved website. Continue reading “The beta goes on – Legal Business gets a brand new site”
What credit crunch? – Forsters gives reporting season a boost with 16% hike in revenues
Europe may be stuck in the doldrums and the UK property market mired in a five-year slump but no one seems to have told West End boutique Forsters, which posted a revenue rise of 16% in its latest financial year.
Total fee income at the 120-lawyer firm grew to £32.5m for the 2012/13 year, up from £28m, while profits increased 11%. Profits per equity partner (PEP) rose 6% to £431,000 from £392,000 in 2012, while earnings per partner grew 3% to £308,000.
Hogan Lovells gets brand boost Apple-style with $17bn bond role
Hogan Lovells’ corporate team has received a welcome profile-raiser after advising Apple on its record-breaking $17bn bond issue.
Stuart Stein, Hogan Lovells’ global co-head of corporate, is advising the technology giant alongside corporate and securities partners Eve Howard and Gregory Parisi, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing on Tuesday (30 April). Apple’s legal fees and expenses were not disclosed.
Continue reading “Hogan Lovells gets brand boost Apple-style with $17bn bond role”
Taylor Wessing snares Harbottles IP head Owen
Taylor Wessing (TW) bolstered its strong IP credentials last month, recruiting the head of Harbottle & Lewis’ IP group Mark Owen into its City TMT team.
The arrival of Owen will add further strength to TW’s leading soft IP practice. The former Clifford Chance lawyer has advised significant media and entertainment clients on copyright, designs, trade mark, database rights and data privacy issues for the last 25 years.
Continue reading “Taylor Wessing snares Harbottles IP head Owen”
Nabarro’s talent programme reaps eight partner promotions
Nabarro has promoted eight lawyers to its partnership, with the majority of appointments in the firm’s City office.
The promotions, effective from 1 May, are split across the construction, real estate, tax, corporate and disputes practices.
Five London lawyers were promoted in this latest round, namely construction lawyer Alistair McGrigor, real estate specialist Chris Oakley, tax lawyer Kirsten Prichard Jones, disputes associate Andrew Taplin and real estate disputes lawyer Nick Wood.
Continue reading “Nabarro’s talent programme reaps eight partner promotions”
Insurance giants move into legal services market
Three insurance companies announced significant moves into the legal services market in April after sealing alternative business structure (ABS) joint ventures with law firms.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) granted Admiral, Ageas and RAC ABS licences to extend their services beyond insurance to provide legal services for customers making no-fault personal injury claims.
Continue reading “Insurance giants move into legal services market”