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  • January 24, 2008 | International Edition

    City giants to redeploy lawyers as markets shift

    Allen & Overy (A&O) is attempting to usher in a new era of flexibility among its lawyers in part to prepare for fluctuating market conditions, marking the strongest evidence yet that top UK law firms are having to adapt to the post-credit crunch environment.The magic circle firm has launched a scheme to move fee earners and staff around the firm more easily and is encouraging lawyers to gain a wider range of experience and build a more general practice.

    1 minute read

  • January 24, 2008 |

    City giants to redeploy lawyers as markets shift

    Allen & Overy (A&O) is attempting to usher in a new era of flexibility among its lawyers in part to prepare for fluctuating market conditions, marking the strongest evidence yet that top UK law firms are having to adapt to the post-credit crunch environment.The magic circle firm has launched a scheme to move fee earners and staff around the firm more easily and is encouraging lawyers to gain a wider range of experience and build a more general practice.

    1 minute read

  • January 24, 2008 |

    Minority students still hindered at top firms

    Ethnic minority and female students are still struggling to make their way into the UK's top law firms, comprehensive new research has found, despite attempts by commercial practices to tackle diversity.The annual Legal Week Intelligence Law Student Survey has found that while 25% of Legal Practice Course (LPC) students are from ethnic minorities, just 18% of training contracts are being taken by those from ethnic minority backgrounds.

    1 minute read

  • January 24, 2008 |

    CC, A&O win Abbey panel spots in review

    High street bank Abbey has finished a review of its UK panel, dividing up its legal roster into seven divisions. The new line-up, which is now listed by corporate, commercial, capital markets, financial services, property, employment and litigation, includes most of its previous advisers.Magic circle duo Allen & Overy and Clifford Chance have won places alongside firms Ashurst, Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, Lovells, Norton Rose, Dundas & Wilson, Travers Smith and long-term corporate adviser Slaughter and May. Former panel member Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer declined to tender for the work.

    1 minute read

  • January 23, 2008 |

    A&O and Ashurst among firms under scrutiny for Pakistan government ties

    Allen & Overy (A&O), Ashurst and Arnold & Porter have found themselves under the spotlight for their links with the Government of Pakistan, in the wake of growing unease among the UK legal profession over the regime's clashes with local lawyers. The three firms have previously advised the Pakistani Government, which was recently criticised by the UK's Law Society and Bar Council for the escalating political crisis in the region which has affected the country's under-fire legal community.

    1 minute read

  • January 23, 2008 |

    Herbies leads $2bn Abu Dhabi clean energy project

    Herbert Smith has boosted its profile in the Middle East after advising Hydrogen Energy - a joint venture between BP and Rio Tinto - on a deal that paves the way for the construction of a 'clean' power complex in Abu Dhabi, worth at least $2bn (£1bn). The agreement between Hydrogen Energy and the Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Development Company was reached earlier this week, with Herbert Smith fielding a team under City-based partners Andrew Newbery (project finance) and John Geraghty (corporate).

    1 minute read

  • January 23, 2008 |

    A&O creates new GC role after litigation overhaul

    Allen & Overy (A&O) has overhauled its litigation practice, with the City giant appointing an overarching steering group for the contentious team and, in a related move, creating a new role of firmwide general counsel. The magic circle firm has put together a four-partner global steering group to manage its worldwide litigation practice, with former litigation chief Andrew Clark stepping into the newly-created role of A&O general counsel.

    1 minute read

  • January 22, 2008 |

    DLA Piper embroiled in £15m negligence claim

    DLA Piper has become embroiled in a £15m negligence claim brought by property company Hampton Trust. The claim, which was issued in the High Court last week (18 January), names legacy firms DLA, Dibb Lupton Alsop and Alsop Wilkinson - now absorbed into the transatlantic giant - as defendants.

    1 minute read

  • January 18, 2008 | International Edition

    Popham follows Brown on India trade mission

    Clifford Chance (CC) senior partner Stuart Popham has joined Prime Minister Gordon Brown on his visit to China and India as the UK looks to improving trade links with the countries. Popham is the sole representative of the legal profession on the delegation which includes business leaders and cabinet members alongside Brown.

    1 minute read

  • January 18, 2008 |

    Popham follows Brown on India trade mission

    Clifford Chance (CC) senior partner Stuart Popham has joined Prime Minister Gordon Brown on his visit to China and India as the UK looks to improving trade links with the countries. Popham is the sole representative of the legal profession on the delegation which includes business leaders and cabinet members alongside Brown.

    1 minute read