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  • December 13, 2012 |

    New Hong Kong laws push firms to review paternity pay policies

    Law firms in Hong Kong are facing an overhaul of their paternity leave policies following a move to force all private companies in the region to provide employees with at least three days' paid leave. The government proposals, endorsed by the Hong Kong Labour Advisory Board last month, will see men paid at least 80% of their salaries for the paternity leave period.

    1 minute read

  • December 13, 2012 |

    Partners scale back hopes for year ahead as economic woes hit business confidence

    The prolonged eurozone downturn and economic stagnation in the UK are continuing to dent business confidence within the legal profession, with one in three partners expecting revenues to fall or remain static at their firm over the coming year. Legal Week's latest business confidence survey found 28% of respondents forecasting static revenues for 2013 – almost double the proportion making the same prediction in July, when the survey was last conducted – while a further 7.5% expect revenues at their firm to drop next year.

    1 minute read

  • December 11, 2012 |

    SNR Denton and Pinsents on board £1.2bn MoD-BAE submarine deal

    SNR Denton and Pinsent Masons have taken advisory roles on the negotiation of a £1.2bn contract between BAE Systems Marine (BAE) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the fourth of the Royal Navy's Astute Class nuclear-power submarines.

    1 minute read

  • December 10, 2012 |

    LG confirms layoffs of eight fee earners and eight support staff

    LG has concluded the redundancy consultation it began last month, with 16 employees - including eight fee earners - asked to leave the firm. The news comes after the firm announced an 18-strong redundancy consultation in early November, with the cuts attributed to an attempt to align "resources with what remains a difficult market".

    1 minute read

  • December 7, 2012 |

    Pinsents to cut 15 back office jobs in post-merger redundancy round

    Pinsent Masons has made 15 back office job cuts as a result of its second redundancy consultation since its merger with Scots firm McGrigors went live in May. The national firm has confirmed that the consultation, which kicked off last month, has ended, with 13 voluntary and 2 compulsory departures in the finance and knowledge management teams. No fee earner roles have been affected

    1 minute read

  • December 6, 2012 | International Edition

    Friends with benefits – can Linklaters go a third way to globalisation?

    Linklaters & Alliance has long since been consigned to history. But as firms of all sizes try to reposition themselves in today's marketplace, Links seems to be making its best efforts to create a second version, albeit with a very different vision. Its forthcoming alliance with South Africa's Webber Wentzel – just months after a similar tie-up with Australian leader Allens – means it has this year gained access to 1,000 lawyers in strategically touted markets with no financial outlay and no appreciable risk. And if the passing years show Linklaters needs more from the relationship than just an alliance, then it is well-positioned to turn it into something more (or perhaps cherry-pick choice individuals).

    1 minute read

  • December 6, 2012 |

    Friends with benefits – can Linklaters go a third way to globalisation?

    Linklaters & Alliance has long since been consigned to history. But as firms of all sizes try to reposition themselves in today's marketplace, Links seems to be making its best efforts to create a second version, albeit with a very different vision. Its forthcoming alliance with South Africa's Webber Wentzel – just months after a similar tie-up with Australian leader Allens – means it has this year gained access to 1,000 lawyers in strategically touted markets with no financial outlay and no appreciable risk. And if the passing years show Linklaters needs more from the relationship than just an alliance, then it is well-positioned to turn it into something more (or perhaps cherry-pick choice individuals).

    1 minute read

  • December 6, 2012 |

    Slaughters among firms advising on Autumn Statement lending initiative

    Slaughter and May is advising the Treasury on the first set of investments made as part of the Government's Business Finance Partnership venture, announced yesterday (5 December) in Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne's Autumn Statement. The Government will invest £600m in the venture, which is intended to increase the supply of capital through non-bank lending channels, with fund managers Alcentra Limited, Haymarket Financial, M&G Investment Management and Pricoa Capital to raise a further £650m. An additional £100m is expected to be invested with a fifth fund manager.

    1 minute read

  • November 30, 2012 |

    Diversity initiative PRIME surpasses work experience targets by 10%

    Social diversity initiative PRIME has exceeded its target for the number of work experience placements offered, with 10% more opportunities offered at law firms than was aimed for.

    1 minute read

  • November 29, 2012 |

    Willkie Farr and Pinsents lead on Eurotunnel ferry deal

    Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Pinsent Masons have taken lead roles on Eurotunnel Group's controversial acquisition of assets owned by failed ferry operator SeaFrance, a long-running deal which was this month cleared by French competition regulators. The deal, which stems from SeaFrance's liquidation at the start of 2012, saw Eurotunnel, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, subsequently chosen by the Commercial Court of Paris as the successful bidder for three SeaFrance ferries.

    1 minute read