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  • May 1, 2008 |

    Hammonds latest to seal LLP switch

    Hammonds has become the latest firm to convert to a limited liability partnership (LLP), the national giant announced today (1 May). The conversion to LLP status, which was backed via a partner vote last month, protects both full equity partners and fixed-share partners, though voting rights and internal management will remain the same under the new structure.

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  • May 1, 2008 |

    UK firms eye Singapore opportunities as local-law licences go up for grabs

    A raft of City firms are hoping to expand their presence in Singapore by applying for licences to practise local law in the country. Legal Week has learned that DLA Piper, Lovells, Ashurst, Herbert Smith and Norton Rose are all planning to apply for licences to provide local-law advice in Singapore. However, Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have told Legal Week they have no plans to do so, while Clifford Chance (CC) is intending to hold off making a decision until it sees further details from the Singapore Government.

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  • April 25, 2008 |

    Lovells in talks to recruit O'Melveny heavyweight

    Lovells is in talks to bolster its London corporate practice with the hire of O'Melveny & Myers partner Chris Ashworth. Partners at Lovells are understood to be voting on the hire at the moment but it is thought that Ashworth is likely to join the firm as head of corporate finance.

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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.

    1 minute read