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  • July 14, 2010 |

    2009-10's standout firms: Allen & Overy

    In revenue terms, Allen & Overy (A&O) was the strongest performing of the magic circle firms this year, seeing revenue dip just 3.8% over the period compared to an average decline of 7.2% across the group. The magic circle firm saw profits per equity partner (PEP) increase 10% to £1.1bn, boosted in part by a 3.2% decrease in equity partner numbers, which have fallen from 370 to 358 over the last financial year in the wake of a major restructuring exercise.

    1 minute read

  • July 13, 2010 |

    RPC recruits Clydes partner for disputes team

    Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) has recruited Clyde & Co's head of dispute resolution and co-head of international arbitration, Jonathan Wood, for its commercial disputes practice. Wood, who joined Clydes in 1983, making partner in 1986, joined RPC as a consultant on 28 June and will work alongside eight partners in commercial disputes.

    1 minute read

  • July 7, 2010 |

    Clydes recruits Howard Kennedy corporate partner for London arm

    Clyde & Co has hired Howard Kennedy partner Martin Davies to its London corporate practice as the firm continues its acquisitive streak. Davies, the 27th hire for the firm in the last 14 months, was head of the international group at Howard Kennedy and joins Clydes to focus on the firm's strategy in the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and separately in North America.

    1 minute read

  • June 18, 2010 |

    Norton Rose posts marginal drop in revenues for 2009-10

    Norton Rose has posted a marginal drop in turnover for the last financial year, with an announcement on profit per equity partner (PEP) delayed while the firm finalises its 2009-10 figures. The UK top 10 firm saw revenues fall by 2% over the year to £307m, from a total of £314m taken in during 2008-09.

    1 minute read

  • June 14, 2010 |

    Clydes records 10% profits rise against 4% increase in turnover

    Clyde & Co has posted a 3.8% increase in fee income for 2009-10 with revenues increasing from £185m to £192m. Clydes also saw profits per equity partner (PEP) rise by 10% to £605,000, after profits had remained static at £550,000 for the past two years.

    1 minute read

  • June 9, 2010 |

    Linklaters set for next stage of £3.5m claim as defendants grow to five

    Linklaters is gearing up to fight a £3.5m court battle in the autumn against five defendants over issues relating to the maintenance of its City HQ. Following a recent ruling (21 May), the magic circle law firm's original claim against construction and civil engineering company Sir Robert McAlpine and its holding company will now include a total of three additional parties.

    1 minute read

  • June 1, 2010 |

    Barlows adds partner in Hong Kong with Reed Smith hire

    Barlow Lyde & Gilbert has expanded its Hong Kong practice with the hire of partner Andrew Horton from Reed Smith's local partnership. Horton started work in the firm's marine, energy and trade (MET) practice on 2 June. He is joined in the group by senior associate Gary Yin, who comes to Barlows from DLA Piper in Hong Kong.

    1 minute read

  • June 1, 2010 |

    Wages of spin - the rise of salaried partners

    When it comes to employment prospects at the UK's leading law firms, the global recession has been the bloodiest period in recent memory. There is, however, one category of senior lawyer whose ranks have swelled dramatically - that of the salaried partner. Legal Week research reveals that collectively the top 30 UK law firms added 435 lawyers to their non-equity partner headcount between 2007 and 2009. Far from reflecting a profession in rude health, however, this phenomenon is a direct result of the fight by leading law firms to manage their way through the recession.

    1 minute read

  • June 1, 2010 |

    Middle East: Struggling for breath

    Perhaps it's something to do with the heat, but there appears to be a shortage of air in the Middle East. A recurring theme when speaking to partners in the region is breathing: conversations are peppered with references to 'negotiating breathing space', 'holding of breath' and 'breathing life back' into a market that until very recently was one of the most coveted international markets for law firms. What these analogies illustrate is a market in a state of flux: no-one is quite sure how their strategy for the region should look any more. "We are living a new reality," admits Amjad Ali Khan, managing partner of 35-lawyer Alfridi & Angel.

    1 minute read

  • May 24, 2010 |

    Clydes boosts US with double partner hire

    Clyde & Co has bulked up its US insurance practice with two lateral hires from Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold and Duane Morris. Peter Whalen and Edward Kirk will join Clydes' offices in San Francisco and New York respectively.

    1 minute read