• May 1, 2008 |

    Hammonds latest to seal LLP switch

    Hammonds has become the latest firm to convert to a limited liability partnership (LLP), the national giant announced today (1 May). The conversion to LLP status, which was backed via a partner vote last month, protects both full equity partners and fixed-share partners, though voting rights and internal management will remain the same under the new structure.

    1 minute read

  • April 28, 2008 |

    National trio picked for first Man United panel

    National trio Halliwells, Beachcroft and Pinsent Masons are among the firms to have scored spots on the new panel of legal advisers drawn up by Manchester United. The panel is the first of its kind at the football club, with the appointments taking effect from 1 May.

    1 minute read

  • April 28, 2008 |

    Pinsents trainees in line for £5,000 bonus

    Pinsent Masons has launched a new bonus scheme that will see trainees eligible for a £5,000 pay-out on qualification. Under the terms of the new scheme, which will be rolled out from September, trainees will be eligible for a £2,500 hand-out if they record 2,000 hours in each of their two years prior to qualification.

    1 minute read

  • April 23, 2008 | International Edition

    Commentary: Bird & Bird keeps drifting out of love with public sector

    There was a time when, before BlackBerrys were endemic and Google had reached world domination, if you wanted a 'computer lawyer' there was just one place you could go: Bird & Bird. Looking back to a meeting in the 1990s, one rival recalls: "I remember the guy from the Government introducing himself and saying: 'So, do you work closely with Hamish?' It never even crossed his mind that I didn't come from Bird & Bird." But with the once-unthinkable departure of former chairman and public sector head Hamish Sandison to technology, media and telecoms rival Field Fisher Waterhouse, the firm is facing a new chapter.

    1 minute read

  • April 23, 2008 |

    Commentary: Bird & Bird keeps drifting out of love with public sector

    There was a time when, before BlackBerrys were endemic and Google had reached world domination, if you wanted a 'computer lawyer' there was just one place you could go: Bird & Bird. Looking back to a meeting in the 1990s, one rival recalls: "I remember the guy from the Government introducing himself and saying: 'So, do you work closely with Hamish?' It never even crossed his mind that I didn't come from Bird & Bird." But with the once-unthinkable departure of former chairman and public sector head Hamish Sandison to technology, media and telecoms rival Field Fisher Waterhouse, the firm is facing a new chapter.

    1 minute read

  • April 16, 2008 |

    Online special: Partners hail gay initiatives

    More than 90% of leading lawyers believe the profession has improved its record on supporting gay staff, as highlighted by a number of law firms recently launching their own lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups. Emma Sadowski reports

    1 minute read

  • April 16, 2008 |

    Protected species

    Earlier this month HSBC admitted that it had lost a computer disc holding information on 370,000 life insurance customers. The banking group, which faces a potential investigation by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) as a result, was just the latest in a growing list of private and public sector organisations to have lost personal data. The most high profile case so far involved HM Revenue & Customs, which lost discs containing the country's entire child benefit database. These covered some 25 million claimants and included bank and building society details.

    1 minute read

  • April 16, 2008 |

    Manchester leads as Hill Dicks promotes eight

    Hill Dickinson has made up eight lawyers to its partnership, the national law firm announced today (16 April). The new appointments, which are effective from 1 May, grow the total partnership at Hill Dickinson to 154. The promotions fall just short of last year's tally of 10 new partners.

    1 minute read

  • April 14, 2008 |

    UK dominates as Hammonds promotes 19

    Hammonds has promoted 19 lawyers to its partnership, the national firm announced today (14 April), including seven in Birmingham and just three overseas. The new appointments, which are effective from 1 May, grow the firm's total partnership to 212. The promotions represent a significant hike on last year's partnership round, when the firm made up 11 new partners.

    1 minute read

  • April 11, 2008 |

    Eversheds targets City as 30 get partner nod

    Eversheds has made up 30 lawyers to its partnership, including eight in London, the national heavyweight announced today (11 April). The new appointments, which are effective from 1 May, match last year figure, when the firm also made up 30 new partners.

    1 minute read