The scene: A US firm boardroom, somewhere not in New York*. Big Cheese (furiously): ‘We’re not growing fast enough. What have you got?’ Smaller Cheese (panicking): Private equity! That’s the thing! Kirkland! Paul Weiss!’ Big Cheese: ‘Do whatever it takes. And do it now.’ Smaller Cheese: ‘Leave it with me. We’ll hire big in London. […]
A Big Four global leader in legal AI believes firms should build their own software to develop their competitive advantage. Speaking to The Lawyer, Saskia Vermeer de Jongh, global law AI leader at EY Law, said: “It’s important to start your journey with AI embedded in the lifecycle rather than using a standard product. Start […]
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has upped its newly qualified (NQ) solicitor salaries to compete with the US market. NQ salaries have increased from £125,000 to £150,000. There have also been changes to trainee compensation. First-year trainees will see an increase of £6,000 as salaries rise from £50,000 to £56,000. Second-year trainee salaries will increase from £55,000 […]
Litigation funders, defendant lawyers and claimant lawyers are divided over Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk KC’s plans to introduce a new law to reverse the Supreme Court’s PACCAR ruling last July, which ruled many litigation funding agreements (LFAs) unenforceable. The Government said it is also considering options for a wider review of the sector and how third-party litigation […]
Welcome to The Passport, your regular round-up of the most important stories to come from the European legal market. In this week’s edition, BonelliErede and Chiomenti battle it out in pursuit of PE dominance; White & Case provides a blueprint for growth in Sweden; and Wolf Theiss’ new Brussels office highlights the firm’s growing ambitions. […]
Addleshaw Goddard is leading for DIY retailer Homebase as it collapses into administration. On the other side of the table, Browne Jacobson is advising The Range’s owner CDS Superstores in its acquisition of the Homebase brand, a move that safeguards nearly 1,500 jobs. Addleshaws’ team for Homebase is led by Manchester-based restructuring partner Tim Taylor. […]
A former partner of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has been suspended for 24 months after a case was brought to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) over “inappropriate” conduct. Nick Williams was made up as a partner in the magic circle firm’s disputes and investigations team in March 2017, but left Freshfields two years later following the outcome of […]
The gap in revenue generation between firms in the UK and Germany has widened drastically in the last five years, illustrating the enduring strength of the UK legal market compared to its European competitors. According to data comparing the domestic revenue of The Lawyer’s top 100 firms with a similar ranking published by German publication […]
RBG Holdings, which comprises Rosenblatt and Memery Crystal, has dismissed market speculation it is looking to be acquired. The business, which includes the litigation-focused Rosenblatt and the corporate-focused Memery Crystal within its legal services division, RBG Legal Services, listed on the AIM market in 2018. However, it has seen revenue, profits and its share price […]
This dashboard: contains an overview of the claims at a selection of courts in the UK. allows you to compare activity at the courts in Q3 2024 against Q3 2023.
This dashboard: contains an overview of the judgments at a selection of courts in the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai during Q3 of 2024. allows you to compare activity at the courts in Q3 2024 against Q3 2023.
This is the first part of a two-part UK Litigation 50 report. The report contains: ranking of the top 50 global law firms in the UK based on their litigation headcount an analysis of litigation headcount over five years a review of headcount trends
This report contains: ranking of the 30 largest UK 200 firms by revenue generated in London analysis of key financial metrics like profit per lawyer (PPL), cost per lawyer (CPL) net profit and top of equity over the past one and five years insight into firms’ operational and strategic efforts they are making to increase […]
This report contains: an analysis of the UK revenues of the 300 largest legal businesses in the country, bringing together the traditional UK firms, the American firms in London, the Big Four and the other non-traditional and alternative providers of legal services.
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Kickstarting a legal career is an arduous journey that is likely to leave you saddled with debt. Firms and their clients are acutely aware of this, which is why buzz about solicitor apprenticeship programmes has amplified in recent years. City Century, established by the City of London Law Society, is the manifestation of that momentum. […]
Big-ticket disputes are fuelling headcount growth among the UK’s largest litigation firms. According to The Lawyer’s UK Litigation 50 report, five firms are now home to more than 150 disputes partners in the UK – four of which (DAC Beachcroft, Clyde & Co, Kennedys and Keoghs) have strong insurance roots. These firms are hunting for […]
The evolution of Leeds’ legal scene is representative of how the UK legal market is changing shape. Just 18 months ago, Leeds was dominated by five firms, including local stalwart (Walker Morris with 57 partners) and a group of national firms with regional roots: Addleshaw Goddard (44), Eversheds Sutherland (35), Pinsent Masons (34) and DLA […]
Has Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) turned a corner? Its new partners presumably think so. Certainly, for the six Londoners and 18 other senior lawyers around its international network who were yesterday unveiled as the firm’s newest partners, a personal milestone has been reached. Congratulations to all of the 24 lawyers in the partnership promotions […]
The world’s climate ambitions took a serious hit last week. With Donald Trump poised to return to the White House, there’s a strong chance the US will once again pull out of the Paris Agreement. This would leave the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in jeopardy as the world’s largest economy […]
The Lawyer is to launch a groundbreaking reporting project on the activities of the most powerful law firms in the world. The Lawyer Global Elite (TLGE) is a new, unashamedly high-end, analysis of the world’s most important legal markets, London and New York. Over the coming months, The Lawyer will articulate and define this market […]
The announcement that Herbert Smith Freehills would merge with US firm Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel has got chins wagging across the transatlantic market. But is this a new mega-firm in the vein of A&O Shearman, a shrewd building block for HSF to make advances in the US, or a bit of an anti-climax? What […]
Mishcon de Reya and South Square Chambers have secured a £177.5m judgment against the former CEO of London Capital & Finance (LCF) and others alleged to have been involved in a scheme which defrauded nearly 12,000 bondholders. The case was featured as one of The Lawyer’s top 20 cases of 2024. It went to trial […]
DLA Piper has appointed its next UK managing partner to take over from Liam Cowell in December, The Lawyer can reveal. Andrew Dyson – who is the Leeds office managing partner and co-chair of the data, privacy and cybersecurity practice – has been selected for the role. Dyson joined DLA Piper in 2003, having spent […]
Kingsley Napley has elected the former CEO of Taylor Vinters as its new managing partner from 1 April 2025. Matt Meyer will take over from Linda Woolley, who announced her retirement today (13 November) after 18 years in the position. Kingsley Napley says she will stay with the firm to ensure a smooth transition. The […]