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  • November 14, 2011 |

    Leeds Building Society turns to Bradford & Bingley for new head of legal

    Leeds Building Society has appointed a new head of legal services, bringing in Bradford & Bingley's former group head of legal for the post. Paul Jordan joined the building society earlier this month after 20 years with Bradford & Bingley, including more than 10 years as group head of legal.

    1 minute read

  • November 9, 2011 |

    Rise of iPad generation sees firms face up to mobile working demands

    Many of the UK's leading law firms are overhauling their IT strategies as the rapid rise of mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPad and increased demand for mobile working pushes firms to rethink the way their lawyers use technology. The proliferation of mobile technology has blurred the distinction between professional and personal for many lawyers, prompting firms to look at ways to boost their mobile working capacity as increasing numbers of lawyers use their own devices for work purposes.

    1 minute read

  • October 14, 2011 |

    China's Jun He continues recent growth with Weil Gotshal hire

    Leading Chinese firm Jun He Law Offices has bolstered its Beijing corporate practice with a hire from Weil Gotshal & Manges, marking the firm's fourth new partner addition since August. Jasson Han is set to rejoin Jun He as a partner, after leaving in 1993 to pursue a degree in commercial law. Since then, he has worked at Simmons & Simmons in London and Hong Kong, and then in Weil Gotshal's Beijing and Hong Kong offices as a partner-level senior consultant.

    1 minute read

  • October 12, 2011 |

    More connected - BT's GC on plans to overhaul the telecoms giant's legal team

    When Dan Fitz took over as BT's group general counsel in April 2010, it was with the mandate to assess whether the FTSE 100 telecoms giant was getting value for its internal and external legal expenditure – a not insignificant task, considering BT has operations in 170 countries and a legal function divided into six distinct groups headed by six general counsel or chief counsel. Job cuts of around 20% of BT's workforce in 2008 and 2009, including around the same percentage of cuts within the legal team, also meant Fitz was required to assess whether the structure of the remaining 430-strong legal team was fit for purpose.

    1 minute read

  • October 7, 2011 |

    Bird & Bird becomes latest UK firm to target Morocco with alliance deal

    Bird & Bird has become the latest firm to enter the Morocco market after sealing an alliance with Casablanca's El Amari & Associates. El Amari's founding and managing partner, Mohieddine El Amari, has an existing relationship with Bird & Bird, having worked with the firm on joint projects in Paris.

    1 minute read

  • October 7, 2011 |

    US firm Edwards Wildman's City base hires third 2Birds partner this year

    Edwards Wildman Palmer has made its third London partner hire from Bird & Bird this year, as the US firm completes a rebrand in the wake of its merger with Chicago's Wildman Harrold Allen & Dixon. The firm, formerly known as Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, has recruited Bird & Bird telecoms partner Stuart Blythe as part of an effort to grow a London telecoms practice.

    1 minute read

  • October 5, 2011 |

    Top 50 German law firms post 8% hike in fees in 2010-11 but eurozone fears dampen mood

    CMS Hasche Sigle has overtaken Hengeler Mueller to emerge as the largest German law firm by revenue, with the 10 largest firms in the country seeing an average revenue rise of 4% during their last financial year, according to new research. The rankings, compiled by German legal publication Juve, show Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer retaining its position as the largest law firm in Germany with turnover of €334m (£286m), while CMS Hasche Sigle has passed Slaughter and May ally Hengeler with 3.9% revenue growth to rank second with revenues of €212m (£182m).

    1 minute read

  • October 5, 2011 |

    Linklaters and Bird & Bird lead on Investec deal in Takeover Code first

    Linklaters and Bird & Bird have taken lead roles on Investec's £233m acquisition of UK stockbroker and fund manager Evolution Group. The South African financial services group was advised by Linklaters on the deal, which was agreed last week after a month-long bidding process including Canadian company Canaccord.

    1 minute read

  • September 21, 2011 |

    McDermott adds Paris partner amid busy local lateral market

    McDermott Will & Emery has strengthened its fledgling Paris office with a hire from local firm Jeantet Associes, with the hire marking the latest in a string of partner moves in the city in recent weeks. Jonathan Wohl joined McDermott as a partner in its Paris corporate practice last month from Jeantet, where he was a senior counsel specialising in cross-border M&A. Wohl joined Jeantet as a partner in 2006 after 27 years with now-defunct firm Coudert Brothers. When he moved to Jeantet in January that year he became the final partner from Coudert's flagship Paris office to find a new home in the wake of the firm announcing plans to wind up in the summer of 2005.

    1 minute read

  • September 21, 2011 |

    Independent law firm network Lex Mundi names Clayton Utz partner as new chair

    Clayton Utz partner Simon Truskett has been elected chair of independent law firm network Lex Mundi. Truskett, a senior partner in the Australian firm's corporate and M&A group, was elected to the role by the international network's board of directors at its annual meeting in Vienna this month (10 September).

    1 minute read