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  • March 7, 2013 |

    Pinsents adds partner duo with KPMG and Competition Commission hires

    Pinsent Masons has strengthened its EU and competition practice with the hire of ex-Simmons & Simmons partner and Postcomm legal director Jenny Block. Block will join Pinsents' London office on 19 March as a partner following a spell working as a legal adviser at the Competition Commission. Her arrival at Pinsents will bring the number of partners in the EU and competition practice to five.

    1 minute read

  • March 6, 2013 |

    Scots firm Semple Fraser set for administration as rivals eye teams

    Scots firm Semple Fraser is set to go into administration after being hit hard by the downturn and a drop-off in work in its key areas of corporate, property and construction. The firm today (6 March) confirmed it has filed notice of intention to appoint an administrator, with administration described as "the only option."

    1 minute read

  • March 5, 2013 |

    CC overtakes Links as top law firm in annual ranking of business brands

    Clifford Chance (CC) has moved ahead of Linklaters to regain its position as the top-ranked law firm in the annual Superbrands poll of leading UK business brands. CC dropped to second place behind its magic circle rival last year, but retook the top law firm spot this year - despite dropping 63 places to rank 241 out of a total of 500 brands.

    1 minute read

  • March 5, 2013 |

    BLP, Pinsents and Eversheds among winners on Heathrow Airport panel

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and Morton Fraser are among nine firms landing spots on Heathrow Airport Holdings' legal panel, with the duo appointed to the roster for the first time. The company, formerly known as BAA, has reappointed existing panel members Allen & Overy, Blake Lapthorn, Brodies, Eversheds, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Pinsent Masons, with the latter winning a spot after merging with longstanding adviser McGrigors last year.

    1 minute read

  • February 28, 2013 |

    Dundas overhauls partner capital contribution system

    Dundas & Wilson has overhauled the way partners pay capital into the firm, bringing in a new two-tier system that sees all partners put in total capital contributions of either £230,000 or £130,000. The new structure, which the firm began implementing last year, sees new partners pay in the lower level of capital in one payment while the bulk of partners contribute the larger amount.

    1 minute read

  • February 28, 2013 |

    Retention rates at top 20 decline as economic climate pushes firms to cut back

    Trainee retention rates across the bulk of the UK's largest law firms have fallen this year, with research by Legal Week finding the average rate has dropped by almost 10% on last spring's qualifying intake. At the top 20 UK firms with a spring intake, an average of 76.5% of newly qualified (NQ) lawyers have been kept on this year, 9% down on the equivalent intake last year and 3% lower than last autumn's qualifying round. Of 441 trainees at the firms to have released details to date, 343 have been kept on – down on the total of 358 of 422 NQs kept on across the same group in spring 2012.

    1 minute read

  • February 27, 2013 |

    Dundas sees two partners quit for Pinsents and Osborne Clarke

    Dundas & Wilson is to see the departure of two more partners, with restructuring head Claire Massie and real estate partner Shane Toal handing in their notice to join Pinsent Masons and Osborne Clarke respectively. Glasgow-based Massie, who is top ranked by Chambers, leaves Dundas after nearly 20 years with the firm. She was promoted to partner in 2007 and went on the head the firm's debt, recoveries and restructuring practice. She will move to Pinsents in the coming months where she will split her time between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

    1 minute read

  • February 21, 2013 |

    The gender agenda: what firms are doing to tackle female under-representation

    What are law firms doing to ensure more women rise to their senior ranks? Helen Mooney talks to several firms that have signed up to a new programme designed to tackle female under-representation...

    1 minute read

  • February 21, 2013 |

    Bond Pearce adds partner duo with DAC Beachcroft and Kennedys hires

    Bond Pearce has continued its recruitment drive ahead of its merger with Dickinson Dees, taking on planning partner Kevin Gibbs and insurance partner Jane Williams from DAC Beachcroft and Kennedys respectively. Gibbs, who is top ranked by Chambers and Partners for planning work, recently advised the Co-operative Group on planning aspects of an £800m regeneration scheme in Manchester. He is leaving DAC Beachcroft after less than two years at the firm following his arrival from Osborne Clarke in May 2011.

    1 minute read

  • February 18, 2013 |

    Pinsents takes on four-partner life sciences team in Fasken hire

    Pinsent Masons has secured the services of a quartet of life sciences partners from Fasken Martineau including practice head Paul Ranson. Partners Allistair Booth, Stuart Richards and Charles Waddle make up the remainder of the team, which will be joining Pinsents' City office in the coming months.

    1 minute read