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  • July 21, 2008 |

    BLP recruits A&O partner for regulatory role

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has turned to the magic circle for its latest hire with the appointment of Sidney Myers (pictured) to its financial services practice. Myers heads up the regulatory investigations group at Allen & Overy and has been a partner at the firm since 1991. He will make the move to BLP in January.

    1 minute read

  • July 17, 2008 |

    Welcome to legalweek.com 2.5

    Regular visitors to legalweek.com will have noticed a change to its look and feel. Eighteen months since the ambitious relaunch of legalweek.com as the…

    1 minute read

  • July 17, 2008 |

    Global focus drives UK top 50 as firms weather global crunch

    The UK's top law firms have pressed through the initial onslaught of the credit crunch and defied gloomy expectations to achieve double-digit revenue growth for the third year running. Legal Week's 2007-08 results, the first finalised picture of the performance of the UK top 50, demonstrate how the group tapped busy foreign markets to help offset the pronounced global slowdown.Total revenue across the group rose by 14.3% from £10.5bn to just over £12bn, while the top 50 averaged revenue growth of 12.5% to bill an average of £241.9m.

    1 minute read

  • July 17, 2008 |

    Partners rise above gloom to predict growth

    With the bulk of the top 50 reporting a solid financial year, City partners remain optimistic about the next 12 months, despite the gloomy outlook in the wider economy. Research by Legal Week into confidence levels at the UK's top law firms revealed that 64% of respondents believe their firms will continue to increase revenues over the next 12 months despite the poor market conditions.While few are predicting the soaring increases in turnover firms have enjoyed in recent years - most (54%) expect their firm to boost billings by between 1% and 10% - partners are broadly confident that revenues will not plunge dramatically.

    1 minute read

  • July 17, 2008 |

    Emerging markets prove fertile ground as UK firms reap benefits of international strategies

    International offices have played a significant role in boosting revenues over the last year, cushioning firms as economic conditions in the UK have deteriorated. With most of the UK's biggest players investing heavily in overseas offices in recent years, most have been able to benefit not just from the stronger markets in regions such as the Middle East and Asia but also from the strength of the euro against sterling.

    1 minute read

  • July 17, 2008 |

    In-house lawyers confident advisers still offer value despite record turnover and PEP levels

    Senior in-house lawyers are confident they are still getting value from their legal advisers, despite last year's financial performance, which took many firms to record highs in terms of both turnover and profits per equity partner (PEP). General counsel claim the increases in revenues at the UK's leading law firms will not necessarily translate into a hike in fees for clients. Their response comes despite the fact that magic circle firms such as Clifford Chance, Linklaters, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Allen & Overy all reported turnover of more than £1bn this year.

    1 minute read

  • July 17, 2008 |

    Testing times ahead: top lawyers' verdict on what the next 12 months holds in store

    Leading figures give their views on how the legal world fared over the past financial year and what they expect to happen next

    1 minute read

  • July 16, 2008 |

    City Lofts instructs Norton Rose alongside administrators E&Y

    Norton Rose has landed a role advising London residential property developer City Lofts Group on its administration.

    1 minute read

  • July 16, 2008 |

    Nabarro seals corporate coup with Travers partner hire

    Nabarro has moved to strengthen its position in the mid-tier corporate market with the hire of highly-regarded corporate lawyer Alasdair Steele from Travers Smith. Smith joined Travers in 1996 and made partner in 2005. Between 2000 and 2003 he was a director in the corporate finance team at ntl.His practice focuses on UK and cross-border corporate finance including public and private M&A.Nabarro corporate head Iain Newman told Legal Week: "Alasdair is an excellent lawyer and will be an excellent addition to the corporate department. The firm is committed to expanding the practice and we will continue to look for the right opportunities."

    1 minute read

  • July 16, 2008 |

    Rising in the east

    UK-qualified lawyers are in huge demand in China, with law firms looking for people with partnership potential. Philip Hoult looks at the state of play in the Asia-Pacific legal markets

    1 minute read