• November 23, 2011 |

    Ashurst construction partner engineers a role at Bechtel

    Ashurst real estate partner Alex Cunliffe has left the firm to take up an in-house role at engineering company Bechtel. Cunliffe, a member of Ashurst's non-contentious construction team in London becomes the 27th partner to leave the firm since May 2010.

    1 minute read

  • November 21, 2011 |

    Mallesons and King & Wood partners to vote on union this week

    Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Chinese giant King & Wood are set to vote on a potential tie-up this week as groundbreaking talks between the two firms continue. Mallesons partners will vote on the deal on Wednesday (23 November), with partners at King & Wood also expected to vote on the union this week.

    1 minute read

  • November 18, 2011 |

    First Bribery Act sentencing sees former court clerk handed six-year term

    A former magistrates' court clerk has become the first person to be sentenced under the UK Bribery Act, after he admitted accepting a £500 bribe to "get rid" of a speeding charge. Munir Patel has been sentenced to six years in prison at Southwark Crown Court today (18 November) after last month pleading guilty to bribery and misconduct in public office during his employment as an administrative clerk at London's Redbridge Magistrates' Court.

    1 minute read

  • November 18, 2011 |

    Ashurst and SNR Denton in prime position as Westfield considers Croydon mall

    Ashurst and SNR Denton have scored advisory roles as Westfield considers developing its third shopping mall in London. Ashurst is advising longstanding client Westfield on negotiations to develop a site in Croydon, South London, which could give the Australian developer its third site in the capital, alongside one in Shepherd's Bush and one in Stratford.

    1 minute read

  • November 16, 2011 |

    BLP boosts finance group with Ashurst partner hire

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has strengthened its finance practice with the hire of Simon Small from Ashurst, 
who will join the firm towards the end of this year. Small, who joined Ashurst from Linklaters in 2006, will be part of BLP's banking & capital markets group. He has experience in capital markets transactions across a range of asset classes including residential mortgages, trade receivables, auto loans, credit cards, commercial real estate and project bonds. He also advises on corporate trusts. His departure takes the number of partners to leave Ashurst since May 2010 to 26. At Linklaters, Small was a partner for 11 years and was one of the partners to found the magic circle firm's securitisation business.

    1 minute read

  • November 16, 2011 |

    A&O posts 11% revenue rise for first half as Eversheds income climbs 6.7%

    Allen & Overy (A&O) and Eversheds have both confirmed increases in revenue at the half-year point, with A&O posting an 11% hike while Eversheds saw fee income climb by just under 7%. A&O cited recent investment in key international markets as the principal driver of its double-digit growth, with the firm bringing in revenues of £582m for the period from 1 May to 31 October, up from the figure of £526m the firm took in during the equivalent period last year.

    1 minute read

  • November 16, 2011 |

    US pair excel as 1,000 clients give verdict on major firms

    A select band of US-based law firms – including Weil Gotshal & Manges and Reed Smith – have outperformed key UK rivals according to a major research project based on responses from more than 1,000 clients. Legal Week Intelligence's eighth annual Client Satisfaction Report found the duo topping a ranking of major law firms operating in the UK based on feedback from 1,069 companies, including 78% of the FTSE 100.

    1 minute read

  • November 14, 2011 |

    Leeds Building Society turns to Bradford & Bingley for new head of legal

    Leeds Building Society has appointed a new head of legal services, bringing in Bradford & Bingley's former group head of legal for the post. Paul Jordan joined the building society earlier this month after 20 years with Bradford & Bingley, including more than 10 years as group head of legal.

    1 minute read

  • November 14, 2011 |

    BLP boosts finance practice with Ashurst partner

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has strengthened its finance practice with the hire of Simon Small from Ashurst, who joins the firm today (14 November). Small, who joined Ashurst from Linklaters in 2006, will be part of BLP's banking & capital markets group.

    1 minute read

  • November 14, 2011 |

    Eversheds sees first half revenues rise 6.7% to hit £184m

    Eversheds has posted a 6.7% increase in revenues for the first half of the 2011-12 financial year. Turnover at the top 10 firm increased to £184.2m over the six month period, against an equivalent figure of £172.6m last year. Last year's H1 figure was marginally down on the first six months of 2009-10.

    1 minute read