The penultimate session of the 2018 Commercial Litigation Summit drew a large audience to hear the views of the most important players in a major dispute – GCs and senior in-house counsel. This debate featured a panel of two private practice litigators – Jenner & Block’s Jason Yardley and Simon Bushell from Signature Litigation, and two senior in-house counsel – Matthew Hibbert of Sky and Tarun Tawakley of Deliveroo. In the middle was a barrister, moderating – Richard Lissack QC of Fountain Court – and a PR veteran, Tim Maltin. Continue reading “Taking the gloves off”
City and Wall Street elite get behind legal tech app as the sector eyes consolidation
Clifford Chance (CC), Linklaters, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Latham & Watkins are among 12 City and US heavyweights to get behind a startup project to create an App Store for legal tech products.
The initiative responds to challenges faced by legal professionals with overkill setting in as unconnected products flood the market, forcing lawyers to upload client information and documents on a new platform each time the firm adopts a new tool. Continue reading “City and Wall Street elite get behind legal tech app as the sector eyes consolidation”
‘Part of a wider trend’: Flexible lawyering start-up Lexoo secures $4.4m for business development overhaul
Often described as the legal equivalent of Uber, flexible lawyering start-up Lexoo has secured $4.4m in financing to overhaul its global business development.
The backing has been led by investment house Earlybird with additional financing from Forward Partners and Zoopla general counsel (GC) Ned Staple. Continue reading “‘Part of a wider trend’: Flexible lawyering start-up Lexoo secures $4.4m for business development overhaul”
Linklaters sets sights on future talent as it raises trainee and NQ salaries for second time
Linklaters has announced the second increase in its trainee and newly qualified (NQ) salaries this year, with the latter now bringing home £83,000 in basic pay.
NQs have seen their basic pay increase by £2,000 since the firm last increased its rates in May, while trainees in year one have become the highest paid in the Magic Circle after remuneration rose by £3,000 to £47,000. Second-year trainees have seen salaries grow by £3,500 to £52,500. Continue reading “Linklaters sets sights on future talent as it raises trainee and NQ salaries for second time”
‘The right opportunity’: HFW reacts to client demand with strategic consultancy business
Maritime and insurance specialist HFW has set up a standalone consultancy arm, branded HFW Consulting.
The new business, launched today (3 October), will be headed up by the firm’s director of learning and development, Chris O’Callaghan, and will initially focus on Middle Eastern, Asian and Australian clients. Continue reading “‘The right opportunity’: HFW reacts to client demand with strategic consultancy business”
Disputes round-up: SFO abandons privilege appeal as funder Burford raises £193m
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has cut its losses after last month’s landmark Court of Appeal privilege judgment, opting not to appeal the decision.
In the case against the Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC), the SFO was denied access to a series of documents that the mining giant claimed were protected by legal professional privilege (LPP). Continue reading “Disputes round-up: SFO abandons privilege appeal as funder Burford raises £193m”
Workplace law: Doyle Clayton
UK Immigration – Rumsfeld déjà vu
Known knowns, known unknowns, unknown unknowns and…
There are few UK organisations where EU citizens living in this country are not clients or customers or, more importantly, employees. Throughout the private and public sectors – from chief executives through to middle management and minimum wage workers, EU citizens have been a cornerstone. Without them – the economic recovery, our attraction to foreign businesses and, of course, investors and entrepreneurs would all have been weakened. Continue reading “Workplace law: Doyle Clayton”
Kirkland continues inexorable rise with record 122-strong promotions round – including 10 in London
In a move befitting of its unstoppable upward trajectory, Kirkland & Ellis has scored a new record in partner promotions, making up a striking 122 partners, of which 10 are in London.
The overall tally across the Chicago-bred firms 14 international offices is an increase on last year’s mammoth round, which saw 97 new partners created, with 13 minted in the City. Continue reading “Kirkland continues inexorable rise with record 122-strong promotions round – including 10 in London”
Five stand as CC kicks off senior partner race but early favourite Sandelson not in contention
Leadership at Clifford Chance (CC) has over the last 20 years swung wildly between prestige and poisoned chalice but the just-launched race to become the London giant’s new senior partner shows no shortage of candidates.
Former London head David Bickerton (pictured) and ex-Europe chief Yves Wehrli launched their bids to become CC’s next senior partner, Legal Business has learnt. Other prominent figures in the race to replace Malcolm Sweeting after eight years include insurance head Katherine Coates, former capital markets chief David Dunnigan and continental Europe litigation chief Jeroen Ouwehand. Continue reading “Five stand as CC kicks off senior partner race but early favourite Sandelson not in contention”
City job cuts loom as Bakers puts 300-plus business staff under consultation in efficiency drive
Support roles in the City are under threat again as Baker McKenzie has launched a review of its entire London professional and business services (PBS) staff, estimated to include around 350 people.
Kicking off at the end of this month as part of the firm’s drive to improve profitability, the consultation will affect Bakers’ finance, business development, knowledge management, human resources, marketing and communications teams. A spokesperson for the firm said a decision had yet to be reached as to how many roles will be impacted. Continue reading “City job cuts loom as Bakers puts 300-plus business staff under consultation in efficiency drive”
International round-up: HFW opens in Abu Dhabi as Morgan Lewis hires new Tokyo head
HFW has added a fifth office in the Middle East, launching in Abu Dhabi after a double-partner hire from US firm Reed Smith.
Finance and corporate partners Vince Gordon and Tania de Swart have made the switch, with Gordon previously acting as Reed Smith’s managing partner for the Middle East. Continue reading “International round-up: HFW opens in Abu Dhabi as Morgan Lewis hires new Tokyo head”
