• November 29, 2012 |

    Carillion to drive panel firm work through new low-cost legal arm

    Carillion is to make all of its recently appointed panel firms use its new low-cost arm in Newcastle for commoditised work as the FTSE 250 construction group considers offering the service to other companies or law firms. The Newcastle base, known as Carillion Advisory Services (CAS), currently houses 60 paralegals providing support to Carillion on the commoditised elements of deals and other work, as well as providing legal aid advice to clients.

    1 minute read

  • November 28, 2012 |

    Simmons and Stephenson Harwood announce half-year financials

    Simmons & Simmons has reported a 3% decrease in revenue for the first half of the financial year, while Stephenson Harwood has seen H1 revenues hold steady. Simmons has posted a revenue figure of £124.8m for the first six months of 2011-12, with the 3% drop equating to a total of around £121m for the first half of 2012-13.

    1 minute read

  • November 26, 2012 |

    Bird & Bird cites strong Asia growth as firm reports double-digit H1 hike

    Bird & Bird has reported a double-digit rise in half-year revenues for the 2012-13 financial year, with fee income up 12% on the same period last year. The firm, which manages its accounts in euros, declined to reveal an exact half-year turnover figure, but estimates that it has seen 2% growth on a pound sterling basis when currency fluctuations are taken into account.

    1 minute read

  • November 22, 2012 |

    Tackling new territory – the court rules on whether LLP members can be 'workers'

    Neither case law nor statute had addressed whether or not members of a limited liability partnership (LLP) might have the legal status of 'workers' until the decision of the Court of Appeal in Clyde & Co v Bates van Winkelhof [2012] EWCA Civ 1207. The case also addressed territorial jurisdiction issues as the claimant worked mostly in Tanzania. The law creating LLPs is difficult to interpret. As regards to employment status, section 4(4) of the Limited Liability Partnership Act 2000 provides: "A member of a limited liability partnership shall not be regarded for any purpose as employed by the limited liability partnership unless, if he and the other members were partners in a partnership, he would be regarded for that purpose as employed by the partnership."

    1 minute read

  • November 19, 2012 |

    A&O, Wragges and Nabarro unveil H1 figures as firms tackle tough market

    Allen & Overy (A&O), Wragge & Co and Nabarro have announced their half-year results for 2012-13, as tough markets continue to impact on law firm financial performance across the UK top 50. A&O has seen revenues fall at the half-year point, with turnover down 2.7% to £566m from the 2011-12 H1 figure of £582m. However, the firm said that on a constant currency basis, reported turnover grew by 1%.

    1 minute read

  • November 19, 2012 |

    Keoghs set to take on 17-strong insurance fraud team from Clydes in Manchester

    Keoghs is poised to take on a team of around 17 insurance fraud fee-earners from Clyde & Co led by former Manchester fraud head Damian Ward, who quit the firm this summer. The team, which is expected to transfer over in the New Year, will join up with former Clydes Manchester head Dene Rowe after he joined Keoghs in June.

    1 minute read

  • November 14, 2012 |

    SJ Berwin sees marginal decline in revenues at half-year point

    SJ Berwin has posted a marginal decline in revenue for the first half of 2012-13, with billings for the first six months of the financial year coming in at around £83m. The turnover figure for the half year ending 31 October compares with £84m for the same period last year, with the City firm highlighting its international offices as strong contributors for the solid performance.

    1 minute read

  • November 13, 2012 |

    Clydes posts 37% half-year revenue hike following Barlows merger

    Clyde & Co has posted a 37% revenue increase at the half-year point of 2012-13, following last year's merger with Barlow Lyde & Gilbert. The UK top 20 firm has seen turnover reach around £145m for the first half of 2012-13. Discounting revenues gained from the Barlows merger, like-for-like turnover is up 10% on 2011-12.

    1 minute read

  • November 6, 2012 |

    Eversheds faces fresh challenge in Newcastle Airport negligence dispute

    Newcastle International Airport has confirmed that it will appeal against a High Court ruling clearing Eversheds of negligence over a refinancing deal which saw two airport chiefs secure multimillion-pound bonuses. Former airport chief executive John Parkin and now-deceased finance director Lars Friis each received large payouts after Eversheds advised the pair on a £377m refinancing deal for the airport.

    1 minute read

  • November 5, 2012 |

    Ex-Barlows chief exec Jabbari quits Clydes one year after merger

    Clyde & Co COO David Jabbari has left the firm, one year after the merger between Clydes and legacy Barlow Lyde & Gilbert went live. Jabbari, the former chief executive at legacy Barlows, resigned from Clydes at the close of last month. The specifics of his next move are as yet unknown, although it will be related to the "consolidation of the retail legal services market".

    1 minute read