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  • September 23, 2009 |

    Commentary: Partner hires - the revolving door starts spinning again

    With the first half of 2009 defined by widescale redundancies and partnership restructurings at some of the City's top names, the fallout has meant the trend post-summer is equally clear: lateral hiring - and lots of it. Barely a day goes by without claim or confirmation of another partner move; generally someone heading out of a top 10 City firm for somewhere smaller, although not exclusively - as Linklaters' hire of Herbert Smith litigation partner Christa Band demonstrates.

    1 minute read

  • September 23, 2009 |

    Smart talking

    One of the first industries to ride the mobile email wave was the legal sector. Busy, often travelling and with a constant influx of calls and emails to manage, lawyers soon recognised that pocket-sized mobile devices were the ideal tools to remain connected to clients and colleagues and manage hectic diaries while out of the office. Access to email on the go is often credited with improving client service, greater efficiency and increased productivity. We are now witnessing a quiet revolution in the way its technology is being utilised by law firms.

    1 minute read

  • September 16, 2009 |

    Investment manager adds Addleshaws to legal panel

    Addleshaw Goddard has been appointed to the F&C REIT Asset Management legal panel for the first time. The national firm has been appointed alongside regular adviser Olswang, with the appointment coming after a competitive tender process involving some eight firms.

    1 minute read

  • September 16, 2009 |

    Proskauer seals 'coup' with hire of Travers investment funds chief

    Travers Smith is set to lose the head of its investment funds group, Bob Barry, to the London arm of US practice Proskauer Rose. Barry, who has been a partner at Travers since 2003, advises on fund formations for private equity, real estate, fund of funds and hedge fund clients. In the past, he has advised groups including RBS Asset Management and Silverfleet Capital Partners.

    1 minute read

  • September 9, 2009 |

    Reed Smith hires Addleshaws duo for finance push

    Reed Smith has bolstered its financial industry group (FIG) in the UK with the hire of two banking partners from Addleshaw Goddard. Phillip Slater and Lucy Newcomb are set to join Reed Smith's City acquisition finance practice. Slater has been a partner with Addleshaw since 2005 while Newcomb was promoted last year.

    1 minute read

  • September 9, 2009 |

    Pinsents signs deal to broker litigation insurance

    Pinsent Masons has sealed a groundbreaking deal with a major insurer that makes it one of the first major law firms with authority to broker after-the-event (ATE) insurance for commercial litigation clients. The national law firm signed a deal with FirstAssist Legal Protection to launch a package called CaseCover earlier this month (1 September). The package gives the firm delegated authority to insure an unlimited number of commercial litigation cases.

    1 minute read

  • September 7, 2009 |

    Barclays appoints Herbert Smith partner as deputy group GC

    Barclays has appointed Herbert Smith partner Michael Shaw to the role of deputy group general counsel. Shaw is a prominent lawyer in Herbert Smith's corporate practice, having advised on a string of major bids in recent years, including acting for EdF on its £12.5bn takeover bid of British Energy and for the investment banks advising Rio Tinto on BHP Billiton's $147bn (£89.6bn) hostile bid.

    1 minute read

  • August 19, 2009 |

    Addleshaws signs up two partners for disputes push

    Addleshaw Goddard has recruited two litigation partners from the London arm of Winston & Strawn, it has emerged. Winston UK litigation practice head Jamie Harrison and partner Kent Philips, both of whom specialise in commercial litigation and international arbitration, will join Addleshaws as partners in September.

    1 minute read

  • August 7, 2009 |

    Pupillage salaries at top sets rocket

    Several top commercial barristers' chambers are set to increase their pupillage salaries dramatically. Leading the way is One Essex Court, which will pay each of its four new recruits commencing pupillage in October 2010 a salary of £60,000 - a 33% increase on the £45,000 award that the set's pupils currently receive.

    1 minute read

  • July 30, 2009 |

    Pro bono with a point – assistants should help find the rough diamonds aspiring to law

    Last week's report on the professions by Alan Milburn, which criticised the legal profession for failing to deliver on social mobility, has generated plenty of debate. But when it comes down to it, the main barrier preventing candidates from poorer backgrounds from getting into a career in law is firms' requirement that recruits obtain a minimum A-level score (usually 320 UCAS points, or ABB).

    1 minute read