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  • May 1, 2008 |

    Top 50 trio defy downturn with promotions rise

    A clutch of top 50 firms including Halliwells, Barlow Lyde & Gilbert and Watson Farley & Williams have announced their new partner promotions this week. The trio are the only three out of eight firms announcing over the last week to report an increase in partner promotions this year, with the majority promoting fewer partners this year than last.

    1 minute read

  • April 25, 2008 |

    US Briefing: Ex-clients sue Howrey after patent 'deal' sours

    Two former clients have sued Howrey partner Michael Dowler and the firm, alleging breach of fiduciary duty after an alleged deal to buy a patent for $1m went sour. The plaintiffs allege that Dowler was their lawyer in a variety of patent matters and that he brought a patent to them for potential purchase, demanded an "under the radar" verbal deal for 50% of net profits to be derived from the patent and breached his fiduciary duty by "misrepresent[ing] the value of the patent".

    1 minute read

  • April 24, 2008 |

    O'Shea takes top role at A&O New York following management re-jig

    Allen & Overy (A&O) has overhauled its management in the US, putting in place a new managing partner in New York. The firm has selected commercial real estate partner Kevin O'Shea (pictured) as the office's new managing partner, while Dan Cunningham will continue for another three years as New York senior partner.

    1 minute read

  • April 24, 2008 |

    Wragges boosts work-life rep with ultra-liberal flexi scheme

    Wragge & Co has moved to improve work-life balance with an extended flexible-working package. The news comes as the Birmingham heavyweight signs up for new premises that will bring together lawyers from three offices under one roof.The flexible working scheme, launched last month and presented to partners earlier this year, is intended to make it easier for lawyers and support staff to take time off during the working day - even to attend things such as gym classes.

    1 minute read

  • April 22, 2008 |

    Wragges lines up new Birmingham HQ for 2011

    Wragge & Co has agreed a deal to move to new Birmingham headquarters in 2011, the regional heavyweight announced today (22 April), in a move that will see the firm's three offices in the city brought under a single roof. Wragges is set to take up 250,000 sq ft on 11 floors at Two Snowhill, which is part of the £500m gateway site being developed by Ballymore Properties.

    1 minute read

  • April 17, 2008 |

    City giants pledge £750k to finance trainee diversity drive

    A clutch of London's leading law firms have committed around three-quarters of a million pounds to an initiative that aims to increase diversity in the legal profession. Thirteen members of the City Solicitors' Educational Trust (CSET) have set aside £250,000 for next year to finance the new project - aimed at encouraging students from a wider range of universities and backgrounds to consider a career in law - with similar totals expected for 2009 and 2010.

    1 minute read

  • April 17, 2008 |

    McDermott hit by $200m malpractice suit

    McDermott Will & Emery is being sued for legal malpractice by a bankruptcy trustee of former client St Vincent's Catholic Medical Centers of New York, writes the New York Law Journal, with the claim alleging that partners at the Chicago-based law firm "put their personal relationships and selfish economic concerns above the interests of the charitable institution they were entrusted to protect".

    1 minute read

  • April 15, 2008 |

    Kirkland captures Chicago trio from rival

    Kirkland & Ellis has hired a trio of partners from Mayer Brown in Chicago, adding in private equity, real estate and tax. Bruce Gelman, Thomas Geraghty and Joshua Hanna have all joined from the Chicago base of the rival US firm, where they were all partners.

    1 minute read

  • April 10, 2008 |

    Norton Rose gains from Links' latest German exit

    Linklaters has lost a partner, two associates and a counsel from its Frankfurt arm, continuing a run of departures from the City giant's German practice. Linklaters tax partner Martin Krause will join rival City firm Norton Rose on 1 May, along with two associates. They join the banking and capital markets practice group at their new firm.

    1 minute read

  • April 4, 2008 |

    US Briefing: Recruiter's Akin Gump suit dismissed

    A New York judge has thrown out a lawsuit brought against Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld by a recruiter who claimed the firm stiffed him on a partner placement commission. Eric Sivin of Sivin-Tobin Associates claimed he was entitled to a fee because he first introduced the firm to Korea specialist Chang-Joo Kim, who joined the firm as a lateral partner in 2006. The dispute highlighted the difficulties that can arise in a market for lateral partners that can be as competitive for recruiters as for the lawyers they represent.

    1 minute read