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  • December 3, 2010 | International Edition

    BLP, A&O and BAE scoop prizes at British Legal Awards

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), Allen & Overy (A&O), and BAE Systems were among the prize winners at last night's (2 December) British Legal Awards 2010, which took place in a snowy London at Old Billingsgate Market.

    1 minute read

  • December 3, 2010 |

    BLP, A&O and BAE scoop prizes at British Legal Awards

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), Allen & Overy (A&O), and BAE Systems were among the prize winners at last night's (2 December) British Legal Awards 2010, which took place in a snowy London at Old Billingsgate Market.

    1 minute read

  • December 1, 2010 |

    SNR Denton and Eversheds get client vote on cost and billing practices

    SNR Denton has emerged as the highest ranked top 20 UK law firm by clients for cost and billing practices, according to Legal Week research. The merged firm was closely followed by Eversheds, Simmons & Simmons and CMS Cameron McKenna, according to Legal Week Intelligence's seventh annual Client Satisfaction Report, which is based on responses from 1,265 senior in-house lawyers.

    1 minute read

  • November 26, 2010 |

    Partners fear MoJ cuts will lead to 'brain drain' from publicly-funded work

    The overwhelming majority of partners at commercial law firms believe Ministry of Justice (MoJ) plans to cut £350m from its annual legal aid budget will lead to a 'brain drain' of talented lawyers from publicly-funded work. Just under half of partners responding to Legal Week's Big Question survey said the scale of cuts will lead to a considerable brain drain from a sector already contending with low billing rates, with 8% claiming they will have an enormous impact and a further 40% saying they will make a small contribution to lawyers moving away from publicly-funded work.

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  • November 25, 2010 |

    Clydes partner lands new role as Middle East litigation chief for Al Tamimi

    Middle East firm Al Tamimi & Company has recruited a Clyde & Co City partner as its new regional head of arbitration. Litigation partner Paul Turner is set to join the UAE firm in January 2011, and will take responsibility for the dispute resolution practice across Al Tamimi's 10 offices. At Clydes he specialises in major cross-border disputes across the Middle East, with a focus on Iraq, Iran and Libya.

    1 minute read

  • November 25, 2010 |

    Taylor Wessing reports 4% H1 revenue rise

    Taylor Wessing has improved its financials at the half-year stage with the Anglo-German firm's global turnover up 4% on the same period last year. The increase comes after the firm last year reported a 15% drop in H1 revenues to £77m, with this year's 4% rise increasing turnover to £80m based on that figure. Taylor Wessing this summer posted a 5.3% drop in firmwide revenues to £178m for the full 2009-10 financial year, while the firm's UK arm saw turnover fall 7.3% to £84.5m.

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  • November 23, 2010 |

    Beachcroft posts 3% dip in H1 revenues alongside 10% rise for Clydes

    Beachcroft has announced its half-year financial results, reporting a 3% drop in turnover against the same period in 2009-10. The firm saw revenue fall to £60m, down from the figure of £62m reported last year when H1 turnover rose by 15% on 2008. Beachcroft attributed the drop to the public sector spending squeeze over the first six months of the year, as well as a decline in real estate and corporate revenues. However, the firm said that a number of well-performing areas had counteracted this.

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  • November 18, 2010 |

    Law Firm of the Year 2010 – irritatingly transparent, riskily unfixed

    While I'd personally be quite happy to run an awards ceremony that saw Legal Week hand out prizes to our mates in smoke-filled, bribe-strewn rooms, wiser counsel has prevailed in recent years meaning the British Legal Awards has had the benefit of an independent judging panel, drawn up largely of senior clients. However, one of the main areas in which Legal Week's editorial team is involved in the awards is in drawing up the shortlist for the Firm of the Year award. So, in this spirit of regrettable transparency, the following blog is an edited version of the notes we'll be providing to the judges to help them make their decision, including why the firms were shortlisted.

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  • November 16, 2010 |

    Africa rising

    As international law firms look for ways to boost their revenues in the current global markets, Africa's star continues to rise. The continent presents a wealth of new opportunities, welcoming a multitude of investors drawn by its rapidly-growing oil, gas, mining and telecoms industries, as well as major infrastructure developments. In a year when billion-dollar transactions were still few and far between, deals such as Bharti Airtel's $10.7bn (£6.6bn) purchase of Zain Africa and the $2.7bn (£1.7bn) acquisition by China Petroleum & Chemical of a 55% stake in Sonangol Sinopec International were a cause for celebration for the Africa practices of Allen & Overy (A&O) and Herbert Smith. On both deals, the firms advised the bidder. Linklaters meanwhile, adviser to the seller of Zain Africa, Mobile Telecommunications Company, notably dominates mergermarket's league tables by not only value but volume.

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  • November 16, 2010 |

    Clydes signs up Hill Dicks partner with eye on Asian expansion

    Clyde & Co has expanded its corporate insurance team with the hire of Hill Dickinson partner William Tsang earlier this month. Tsang has joined as a partner in Clydes' City corporate insurance practice, however he is expected to relocate to Clydes' Hong Kong arm early next year as the firm bids to expand its corporate insurance practice in Asia.

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