• July 2, 2009 |

    Trowers posts double-digit rise in turnover

    Trowers & Hamlins has posted a double-digit increase in turnover for the last financial year, with the law firm one of a band within the UK top 50 to report their 2008-09 financial results during the last week. Trowers saw revenues hit £89.5m during the last financial year compared with £77.6m the year before, representing a 15% jump in fee income.

    1 minute read

  • June 29, 2009 |

    Addleshaws reports 30% partner profit falls for 2008-09

    Addleshaw Goddard saw its profits per equity partner (PEP) plunge by 30% over the last financial year, the firm announced today (29 June). The national firm saw turnover for 2008-09 fall by just over 11% to £173.3m down from £195.4m. PEP meanwhile dropped by 30.8% falling from £586,000 in 2007-08 to £405,000 for the last financial year.

    1 minute read

  • June 26, 2009 |

    BLP makes A&O partner hire for finance practice

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) is to bolster its finance practice with the hire of high profile Allen & Overy (A&O) leveraged finance partner Andrew Bamber. Bamber is set to join BLP over the coming weeks after seven years as a partner in A&O's leveraged finance team. He came over to the magic circle firm in 2002 from Norton Rose as part of a team of four partners to leave the firm, including current leveraged finance chief Tim Polglase.

    1 minute read

  • June 25, 2009 |

    Global disputes: On the up

    The air cargo price-fixing litigation looks promising from a plaintiffs lawyer's perspective. Since US and European antitrust authorities raided the offices of more than a dozen airlines in February 2006, settlements and fines have been racking up. The US Department of Justice has levied more than $1.6bn (£1bn) in fines against 15 airlines and air cargo companies. In 2006, Deutsche Lufthansa settled claims from a class of US plaintiffs for $85m (£54m). Class actions against other airlines are pending in the US and Australia.

    1 minute read

  • June 24, 2009 |

    Manches boosts IP litigation with Addleshaws partner hire

    Manches has signed up intellectual property (IP) and litigation partner Margaret Tofalides from Addleshaw Goddard. Tofalides, who headed up Addleshaws' retail and data and information groups, has experience of working on a wide range of IP matters with a focus on litigation. She has acted for the likes of Argos, Homebase and Harrods.

    1 minute read

  • June 23, 2009 |

    Partnership for Schools unveils expanded 17-firm panel

    Partnership for Schools (PfS), the delivery body for the Government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative, has unveiled the firms on its new legal panel. Seventeen law firms feature on the roster. They are: Addleshaw Goddard, Beachcroft, Bevan Brittan, Burges Salmon, Dickinson Dees, DLA Piper, Eversheds, Mills & Reeve, Nabarro, Norton Rose, Pinsent Masons, Sharpe Pritchard, TPP Law, Trowers & Hamlins, Walker Morris, Ward Hadaway and Wragge & Co.

    1 minute read

  • June 18, 2009 |

    ITV looks to panel firms for training and pro bono ideas

    ITV is calling on its legal panel firms to supply a range of new training and pro bono initiatives. The broadcaster is launching its ITV legal excellence and responsibility programme next month, which will see it team up with panel firms for a series of training initiatives, including secondments.

    1 minute read

  • June 11, 2009 |

    Eversheds moves its cash in fear of future bank collapses

    Eversheds has moved at least £18m of firm and client money into different banks to offer protection in the event of further financial institutions failing. The law firm has transferred the bulk of the funds since October 2008, cutting back the number of institutions it uses from around 20, including Investec, to six UK clearing banks - including Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

    1 minute read

  • June 9, 2009 |

    Senior legal figures join forces with accountants for mediation group

    Lord Woolf and Cherie Booth QC are heading up a scheme in association with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) which will see accountants and lawyers mediating alongside each other. The ICAEW has put together a group of senior lawyers and accountants who will work together to advise on high-value business disputes for FTSE 250-level companies.

    1 minute read

  • June 4, 2009 |

    Field Fisher names new senior partner after election

    Field Fisher Waterhouse has named corporate partner Nicholas Thompsell as its new senior partner following a contested election. Thompsell saw off competition from dispute resolution partner Stephen Gibbs to replace Jon Fife in the role.

    1 minute read