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  • July 30, 2009 |

    Twelve months in recession and more to come - top lawyers reflect on an uncertain market

    Top 50 leaders give their perspective on an extraordinary 12 months - and their expectations for the year ahead

    1 minute read

  • July 30, 2009 |

    UK firms with strongholds on the continent come out ahead

    Continental Europe has proved an important international stronghold during the last financial year, with the firms heavily invested in the region seeing revenues inflated by the strength of the euro. The weakness of the pound against the euro and dollar demonstrated the importance of international spread, with Lovells joining the growing rank of firms including Linklaters and Clifford Chance (CC) making more than half of their revenue outside London.

    1 minute read

  • July 30, 2009 |

    UK law leaders suffer PEP plunge but revenues hold steady

    The UK's top law firms have suffered a dramatic fall in profitability and a shrinking market in what has been confirmed as the worst trading conditions for the profession since the early 1990s.

    1 minute read

  • July 29, 2009 |

    Mixed fortunes for £100m-plus City firms as profits fall by 23%

    Firms in the City-based £100m group have fallen further behind the magic circle over the last financial year. The 11 firms in the group, which include all of the City top 10 outside the magic circle as well as CMS Cameron McKenna, SJ Berwin, Bird & Bird, Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), Denton Wilde Sapte and Nabarro, on average saw turnover drop by 2%, with profits per equity partner (PEP) down by just over 23%.

    1 minute read

  • July 23, 2009 |

    Ashurst takes Europe role for Intel on €1bn EC fine appeal

    Ashurst has won the lead European adviser role for Intel on its appeal against one of the largest fines ever dished out by the European Commission (EC). Last May Intel was handed a penalty of €1.06bn (£914m) by the EC for anticompetitive behaviour and abusing its leading position in the market for the production of microchips, in a case which dates back to the beginning of the decade.

    1 minute read

  • July 23, 2009 | International Edition

    Commentary: Private equity - tough for the committed, worse for the rest

    It's not easy to write about private equity right now – half of London's buyout partners seem to have headed to the beach early and, in the current market, who can blame them? With deal volumes plummeting and brand name houses including Candover, Permira and Terra Firma going through very public difficulties, there does not seem much reason to stay in the office.

    1 minute read

  • July 23, 2009 |

    Commentary: Private equity - tough for the committed, worse for the rest

    It's not easy to write about private equity right now – half of London's buyout partners seem to have headed to the beach early and, in the current market, who can blame them? With deal volumes plummeting and brand name houses including Candover, Permira and Terra Firma going through very public difficulties, there does not seem much reason to stay in the office.

    1 minute read

  • July 23, 2009 |

    Women failing to crack law's glass ceiling

    Women are still substantially underrepresented at senior level in City firms, according to new research with more than half of partners believing the profession has a poor record at retaining female lawyers. The latest Legal Week Big Question survey found more than two thirds of respondents (67%) felt representation of women at a senior level was either 'poor' or 'could be better'.

    1 minute read

  • July 22, 2009 |

    Perks of the job

    Legal Week takes a look at some of the bait law firms are using during vacation schemes to hook potential recruits - including treasure hunts, medieval banquets and trips to New York. Linklaters underlines its credentials as an employer of sophisticated people with a taste for the finer things in life by whisking off its vac schemers to the theatre.

    1 minute read

  • July 22, 2009 |

    Trio of major firms look to usher in merit-driven pay

    CMS Cameron McKenna, Eversheds and Simmons & Simmons have launched reviews expected to usher in merit-driven pay for assistants. The trio are mid-way through consultations that could see new pay structures in place by the next financial year - joining the growing rank of firms moving away from assistant lockstep.

    1 minute read