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  • October 31, 2008 |

    It's bonus time

    Since bonuses were introduced by law firms in the late 1990s as a way to limit the long-term effects of salary inflation, amounts paid out - and the hoops that lawyers have to jump through in order to get their hands on the cash - have varied wildly between firms. Some firms give tens of thousands of pounds to lawyers regardless of individual performance, while others require Olympian levels of all-round commitment in return for sums that could probably be more easily obtained through a few after hours' shifts at the local pub.We take a look behind the main bonus systems operating at the major City and regional firms and assess what the future of bonuses in the legal world is likely to be.

    1 minute read

  • October 29, 2008 | International Edition

    SJ Berwin helps Fyffes escape EC fine

    SJ Berwin's competition team has scored a victory for banana supplier client Fyffes as an investigation by the European Commission into price fixing comes to a close. SJ Berwin competition head Stephen Kon led the case for Fyffes, which learned this month (15 October) that it has escaped a fine following a three-year cartel investigation into the banana industry.

    1 minute read

  • October 29, 2008 |

    SJ Berwin helps Fyffes escape EC fine

    SJ Berwin's competition team has scored a victory for banana supplier client Fyffes as an investigation by the European Commission into price fixing comes to a close. SJ Berwin competition head Stephen Kon led the case for Fyffes, which learned this month (15 October) that it has escaped a fine following a three-year cartel investigation into the banana industry.

    1 minute read

  • October 29, 2008 |

    Loss leaders

    The lawyers that shepherd their clients down the road to the White House do everything from renting office space to vetting television ads to navigating the complex financial regulations that govern campaigns. These attorneys get front-row seats at the conventions, but are they making any money?"I can assure you that I do this for a profit and for a living," says Jan Baran of Wiley Rein, who most recently represented Stephen Colbert in his short-lived presidential run and acted as general counsel for George Bush senior's 1988 campaign. "But it is a lot easier dealing with business clients that recognise the need for counsel, pay for it promptly, and in amounts that would make most politicians blanch."This time around, the lead lawyers for the remaining candidates seem to be doing just fine, thank you. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Robert Bauer of Perkins Coie, general counsel to the Obama campaign, brought the firm close to $800,000 (£494,000) between January 2007 and July 2008. Trevor Potter of Caplin & Drysdale, general counsel for McCain, has raked in more than $400,000 (£247,000) during the same period. (The McCain campaign has made smaller payments to Bryan Cave, Dickstein Shapiro, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Akerman Senterfitt)."We're talking about a huge amount of money spent on a lot of innovative programming and outreach efforts," Bauer says. "At that level, there is a lot for lawyers to do."Both Bauer and Potter are loyalists. Bauer has worked for Obama since 2004, and his resume is packed with work for Democratic candidates and organisations reaching back through his 30 years of practice. Potter left his old firm, Wiley Rein, in 2001 over conflicts in his defence of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform act so he could continue representing the Arizona senator. Both say they have kept up with other clients to a certain degree although, as the election looms, they have devoted themselves fully to the campaign.

    1 minute read

  • October 23, 2008 | International Edition

    Freshfields associate takes on corporate role

    Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed associate George Swan as its new operations officer for the corporate department. Swan replaces fellow associate Richard Thexton in the role. Thexton stands down after completing a six-month term.The role was created by corporate partner Mark Rawlinson as part of a series of measures he introduced when he took over as head of corporate from Tim Jones in April this year. The position currently only exists in the corporate department.

    1 minute read

  • October 23, 2008 |

    Freshfields associate takes on corporate role

    Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed associate George Swan as its new operations officer for the corporate department. Swan replaces fellow associate Richard Thexton in the role. Thexton stands down after completing a six-month term.The role was created by corporate partner Mark Rawlinson as part of a series of measures he introduced when he took over as head of corporate from Tim Jones in April this year. The position currently only exists in the corporate department.

    1 minute read

  • October 17, 2008 |

    More staff laid off as Heller nears closure

    Today is the last day for most of the remaining Heller Ehrman staff, reports The Recorder. Affected employees were notified by an email from the dissolution committee on Thursday morning, similar to the email sent out last Friday when at least 100 employees were laid off. While it is unclear how many employees are being laid off today, employees in the firm estimate the number to be in the hundreds. The email said that staff would receive health insurance through the end of the month, but it is unclear whether insurance for current or former employees will continue beyond that point. "The firm is devoting intense effort to negotiate a continuation of benefits, and we will keep former employees informed by postings on the firm's internet site," the email promised. The homepage of Heller Ehrman's website has been wiped clean of all but one link to a list of placement opportunities for staff and lawyers.

    1 minute read

  • October 16, 2008 |

    Simmons hire from local rival beefs up Netherlands corporate expertise

    Simmons & Simmons has boosted its corporate capabilities in the Netherlands after adding a partner from Dutch rival Stibbe. Michiel Wurfbain will join the City law firm's corporate group as a partner in its Amsterdam office. He previously served as a senior associate at Stibbe, joining the firm in 2000.Wurfbain's practice focuses on equity capital markets (ECM) work, including advising banks on securities offerings, private placements and initial public offerings. With his arrival, Simmons' Dutch corporate practice now comprises six partners and 18 associates across offices in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

    1 minute read

  • October 15, 2008 |

    Global 100: Man of the world

    They came in saris, cheongsams, and Muslim headscarves - plus the usual black tuxedos and glittering gowns. After cocktails and tapas in the marble halls of the National Art Museum of Catalonia, they streamed into a Roman amphitheatre for an intimate sit-down dinner for 400 colleagues and another 300 or so of their significant others.If Baker & McKenzie ever wanted a sideline, party planning could be just the ticket. That soiree in Barcelona last spring was just one of the frequent global shindigs that Bakers uses to unite its far-flung lawyers. This one brought together Bakers' European and Middle East partners, just a fraction of the firm's 700 partners and its approximately 3,000 associates and counsel, who hail from more than 60 countries and speak 70 languages.

    1 minute read

  • October 14, 2008 |

    Nottingham Law School to offer revamped LPC

    Nottingham Law School has become the first school to respond to the overhaul of the Legal Practice Course (LPC) by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) by splitting the course in two. Students that apply for the LPC from September 2009 will be able to study the compulsory and optional sections of the course at different times. The proposed changes - subject to approval by the SRA - promote flexibility and choice for students, enabling them to have a greater say over what they study and when.

    1 minute read