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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 |

    British Legal Awards 2012: who won what – and why...

    A full run-down of all the winners at the British Legal Awards 2012

    1 minute read

  • December 13, 2012 |

    Major firms join influential 30% Club initiative to boost female partners

    Clifford Chance (CC), Ashurst and Eversheds are among a band of ten firms to have signed up to a major new initiative to boost women partner numbers across professional services firms in the UK.

    1 minute read

  • December 12, 2012 |

    Top Australian law firms rethink cost bases amid deal drought as global downturn goes Down Under

    A host of Australian law firms are cutting lawyers and support staff as market activity slows and firms gear up for a difficult 2013. Clayton Utz, Allens and DLA Piper are among those making lay-offs in recent months, with some partners expecting further cuts next year as firms attempt to slash costs.

    1 minute read

  • December 10, 2012 |

    Weil billings on MF Global administration reach £15m with £2m for Norton Rose

    Weil Gotshal & Manges has billed more than £15m for its work on the administration of MF Global in the past year, as total legal fees generated by the broker's high-profile collapse pass £18m. The second six-month progress report filed by administrator KPMG reveals that lead legal adviser Weil billed a total of £5.8m for the period from 1 May to 30 October this year.

    1 minute read

  • December 6, 2012 |

    Ashurst advises on £1bn Chelmsford construction project

    Ashurst is advising on a joint-venture between housing developer Countryside Properties and social housing provider London & Quadrant (L&Q) to build a new £1bn neighbourhood in north east Chelmsford. The 50/50 venture, called Countryside Zest, was last week granted outline planning consent by Chelmsford City Council for its proposal to build a mixed-use community in Beaulieu, which will include the construction of 3,600 new homes and will create 3,500 new jobs.

    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

  • December 5, 2012 |

    Ashurst boosts Asia litigation with double partner hire

    Ashurst has boosted its disputes practice in Asia with the hire of two Herbert Smith Freehills lawyers as partners. Rob Palmer will join the firm in Singapore early next year where he will work with an existing team led by energy disputes specialist Ben Giaretta. Chris Bailey will initially join Ashurst in Singapore before relocating to Tokyo, where he will launch the firm's dispute resolution practice in Japan.

    1 minute read

  • December 4, 2012 |

    K&L Gates and Australia's Middletons approve January merger

    K&L Gates is to merge with Australian firm Middletons from January next year, creating a 2,000 lawyer law firm with 46 offices worldwide. Confirmation of the tie-up earlier today (4 December) comes after 533 equity partners across both firms voted unanimously this week to combine their resources through a full financial and operational merger from 1 January, 2013.

    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