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  • April 24, 2008 |

    OFT strikes blow in landmark overdraft fees case

    The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has scored a victory in the High Court against some of the City's top law firms regarding the fees charged by banks for unauthorised overdrafts. Mr Justice Andrew Smith ruled today (24 April) in favour of the OFT, which argued that the charges are subject to the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999.

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  • April 23, 2008 |

    Ashurst, Links cook up £950m Enodis buy-out

    Ashurst and Linklaters have won lead roles on the £950m takeover of UK kitchen equipment maker Enodis by US company Manitowoc.Ashurst is advising longstanding client Enodis, with City corporate partners Richard Gubbins and Anthony Clare leading the team, supported by competition partner Julian Ellison and employment partner Paul Randall.

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  • April 21, 2008 |

    FSA to draw up first formal adviser panel

    The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is gearing up to appoint its first-ever formal panel of external legal advisers, as the regulator faces an upturn in its workload following the global credit crisis. FSA general counsel Andrew Whittaker will be inviting firms to pitch for a place on the roster, with the tender process expected to take no longer than a few months.

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  • April 17, 2008 |

    City giants pledge £750k to finance trainee diversity drive

    A clutch of London's leading law firms have committed around three-quarters of a million pounds to an initiative that aims to increase diversity in the legal profession. Thirteen members of the City Solicitors' Educational Trust (CSET) have set aside £250,000 for next year to finance the new project - aimed at encouraging students from a wider range of universities and backgrounds to consider a career in law - with similar totals expected for 2009 and 2010.

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  • April 17, 2008 |

    Ashurst's lockstep overhaul reveals firm's top 10 earners

    Ashurst private equity chief Charlie Geffen is one of only two corporate partners to make it to the top of Ashurst's lockstep, following its recent overhaul. Legal Week understands that there are just 10 partners at the top of the lockstep, with finance making up the bulk of the places.

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  • April 17, 2008 |

    Editor's Comment: Wanted - high road

    Two of London's most interesting law firms face interesting times. The more obvious manifestation of this is Herbert Smith's decision to appoint its first managing partner since Andrew Congreve to back up David Gold as senior partner.The logic isn't hard to fathom, since Herbert Smith is one of the few major firms to operate without a managing partner. Bringing in the well-regarded corporate partner David Willis, seen as a natural for an implementation brief, has obvious advantages

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  • April 17, 2008 |

    City firms renew lobbying and step up local hiring as Indian Bar reform stalls

    A delegation of City lawyers headed to India this week as partners predict further delays in opening up the legal market to foreign firms while the country prepares for a general election. Talks about liberalising the legal sector are set to take a back seat as the Indian Government looks at prioritising wider issues such as poverty and infrastructure.

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  • April 17, 2008 |

    Webb to head up DLA Abu Dhabi team

    DLA Piper is to formally launch in Abu Dhabi later this month, with projects and finance partner Stephen Webb - currently based at the firm's Dubai office - appointed office managing partner. The new office is expected to have around 10 lawyers by the end of the month, including three partners. In addition to focusing on projects work, Webb expects the office to cover corporate and construction work as well as media and film financing issues.

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  • April 16, 2008 |

    Budding lawyers give A&O the thumbs up for work experience

    Allen & Overy (A&O) has been voted the UK's most popular firm for students and graduates looking to become a solicitor, according to new research. Sixty-four percent of more than 1,400 students and graduates polled rated A&O as 'excellent' and said that the firm provided the best work experience and internships, in the survey by graduate jobsite targetjobs.co.uk.

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  • April 16, 2008 |

    Diary sports special: jogo bonito comes to Legal Week

    Never mind the pulse-quickening Premiership climax or English clubs' magic circle-like hegemony of the Champions League semi-finals - the beautiful game will be at its most dazzling later this month as the sixth annual Legal & Financial Cup, in association with Legal Week, fast approaches. Thirty teams will be taking part (and taking each other apart) in this year's competition, which is held in sunny Lisbon on 18-20 April and is organised for the legal and financial services sectors by London sports agency Top Corner.

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