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  • October 30, 2008 |

    Top firms line up for 2008 British Legal Awards

    Ashurst, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have been named among the nominees for a number of top accolades at the 2008 British Legal Awards. The trio have been shortlisted for the coveted law firm of the year award alongside Baker & McKenzie, Eversheds and Latham & Watkins.Linklaters has been shortlisted for three further awards, including cross-border M&A team of the year, while Freshfields is among the nominees for M&A team of the year. Allen & Overy also secured nominations in both of these categories.

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  • October 30, 2008 |

    Simmons appoints former Herbert Smith employee as new HR director

    Simmons & Simmons has appointed John Lucy as its new director of human resources (HR) to replace former HR director Anita Tovell, who retired this July. Lucy, who was previously head of HR at Herbert Smith, took up the position earlier this month (6 October) after 10 years at the firm. He left the firm in March for a six-month sabbatical, during which time he trained as a mediator and did some consultancy work.During his time at the City firm Lucy was responsible for the global HR function, as well as overseeing the graduate recruitment function alongside the graduate recruitment partner.Lucy said: "How you manage intellectual capital is absolutely vital. Simmons convinced me that their vision was the same as mine as to how HR can add value to the practice, increasing its profile and profitability and making it a great place to work."Following Lucy's departure, Herbert Smith subsequently appointed Chris Lynch as its new global head of HR in May this year. Lynch joined the firm from Baker & McKenzie, where she was a director in the HR team. She joined Bakers in 2004 from Allen & Overy, where she was head of HR for the corporate department. Lucy added: "Herbert Smith went through a phenomenal change, which I got to be a part of, growing its commitment to individual development. I worked very much on a one-on-one basis for personal development, something that previously did not exist. That was probably the most satisfactory part of working with the firm."

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  • October 29, 2008 |

    Scandinavia: A piece of the action

    Change is in the air in Scandinavia. The region's legal centre, Stockholm, has long been dominated by a combination of the major Swedish players and a number of international outfits. However, ambitious Finnish firms are increasingly looking to muscle in on the action. At the same time, there are signs that the Norwegian and Danish legal markets - long considered rather local-minded - may be beginning to open up.

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  • October 29, 2008 |

    Bakers' doyenne

    Several years ago, I attended an event in Paris at which Christine Lagarde, the then chairman of Baker & McKenzie, was also present. At one point a…

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  • October 29, 2008 |

    Addleshaws partner joins Proskauer's City office

    Proskauer Rose has made its first partner-level hire in London since January with the arrival of Michael Crosby from Addleshaw Goddard. Crosby will head up the firm's corporate finance group in the City. He advisers lenders and borrowers on all aspects of acquisition financings, debt restructurings, recapitalisations and leveraged buyouts.Proskauer's London managing partner Matthew Hudson said: "Michael's background and practice will allow us to fully expand our finance platform into the UK and capitalise on these opportunities on behalf of our clients."

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  • October 22, 2008 |

    Former Morgan Lewis partner sets up own firm

    Former Morgan Lewis partner Rory Graham has set up his own practice specialising in complex technology deals, product liability and dispute resolution. Graham, who has also been a partner at Baker & McKenzie and Bird & Bird, joins forces with Baker & McKenzie associate Robert Coffey to create Coffey Graham. Graham's practice focuses on technology and outsourcing while Coffey is a dispute resolution lawyer.

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  • October 15, 2008 |

    Global 100: Man of the world

    They came in saris, cheongsams, and Muslim headscarves - plus the usual black tuxedos and glittering gowns. After cocktails and tapas in the marble halls of the National Art Museum of Catalonia, they streamed into a Roman amphitheatre for an intimate sit-down dinner for 400 colleagues and another 300 or so of their significant others.If Baker & McKenzie ever wanted a sideline, party planning could be just the ticket. That soiree in Barcelona last spring was just one of the frequent global shindigs that Bakers uses to unite its far-flung lawyers. This one brought together Bakers' European and Middle East partners, just a fraction of the firm's 700 partners and its approximately 3,000 associates and counsel, who hail from more than 60 countries and speak 70 languages.

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  • October 15, 2008 |

    ...Legal Week Lunchbox: 16/10/08...

    The five most popular articles on legalweek.com today; the pick of the day's posts; and more

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  • October 15, 2008 |

    Hogan launches two new offices with Heller hires

    Hogan & Hartson is set to launch two offices in California with the hire of a nine-partner group from Heller Ehrman. The firm will open offices in San Francisco and Silicon Valley with the new hires, while two of the nine partners will join Hogan in New York. Four of the partners will join the new Silicon Valley office, while three will join in San Francisco along with one of counsel.The partners are spread across the securities, white-collar crime, consumer class action, antitrust, M&A and employment litigation practices.

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  • October 13, 2008 |

    More than 100 staff laid off as Heller winds down

    At least 100 Heller Ehrman employees were laid off on Friday (10 October), without receiving the 60 days' wages required by federal law or accrued vacation due under California law, reports The Recorder. Heller staff arriving at work on Friday received one of two emails, either notifying them that they had been laid off, effective immediately, or that the firm would be retaining their services for the time being. The emails did not address whether employees would be paid for accrued vacation or other wages owed to them under federal law. The layoffs were directed at staff not involved in client-service positions and lawyers who were already known to be leaving. At least some legal assistants, library staff, marketing staff, recruiting staff and the firm's group of about 10 IT trainers were laid off.

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