Christian is the Litigation Editor at The Lawyer, where he covers domestic and global disputes, as well as writing The Hearing and Disputes Signal. He also co-hosts and produces The Lawyer Podcast. Prior to joining The Lawyer, he worked at Times Radio. Christian was a commercial and sports disputes solicitor for several years in London and New Zealand before becoming a journalist.
The latest episode of The Lawyer Podcast is out now! Tune in as hosts Catrin Griffiths and Christian Smith speak to reporter Maria-Ward Brennan about the downfall of the Ince Group, while Horizon editor Katy Dowell joins the podcast to reflect on previous law firm collapses. Director of insight Matt Byrne takes us on a […]
Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of The Hearing. As most of the population looks forward to a month of long weekends and royal celebrations, we’re hearing that the UK’s litigators are busier than ever. So, why not give yourself a break and catch up with what is happening in the wider world of […]
Magic circle firm Allen & Overy has today announced 36 global partner promotions, including 12 in London. The new partners come from 13 of the firm’s offices, with four promoted in New York, and three in Paris, Brussels and Sydney. The number is down slightly on last year’s 39, although still up on 2021’s 30. […]
The Easter court term is here, which means The Hearing is too. This week, in your insider’s guide to the UK disputes market, promotions season is well and truly upon us. We dive into the data available so far, revealing the mixed fortunes of the country’s aspiring disputes lawyers. The long road to partnership: Macfarlanes’ […]
The High Court’s decision to refuse the judicial review application over the sale of Bulb Energy is set to be appealed, The Lawyer understands. British Gas, represented by Towerhouse’s Paul Brisby and Shearman & Sterling’s Jonathan Swill, has applied for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal alongside E.ON, which is represented by Pinsent […]
On this latest episode of The Lawyer Podcast, editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith speak to director of insight Matt Byrne, who reveals how litigation funder Harbour is set to evolve into something of a bank to law firms. Keep an eye out for the article next week. Meanwhile, in-house reporter Lucie Cruz […]
The latest episode of The Lawyer Podcast has just landed. If you think the last few years have been buoyant for recruiters, then check out what director of insight Matt Byrne has to say about just how busy the lateral market has been. Elsewhere, do you like virgin piña coladas? After her LinkedIn post about […]
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Hearing, your insider’s guide to the UK litigation market. This week, in the interests of balance, we look at why 7KBW is having a cracking month, and why the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is not. Need an insurance barrister? 7KBW is fully booked: The mountain of aviation suits […]
It’s been a busy season for the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the governing body of English rugby: from head injury claims and Eddie Jones’s sacking, to club administrations and controversy over the game’s disciplinary process, the media has eaten up a parade of stories at the heart of the game. Whether you’re a rugby expert […]
In this week’s edition, we look at Kingsley Napley’s daring move to enter the London IP disputes market. Plus, we discuss how your opposing counsel’s emotional opening salvo in their skeleton argument isn’t really written for you. But first, let’s look at the latest litigation updates on the London Metal Exchange’s (LME) dramatic suspension of […]
The new episode of The Lawyer Podcast has just dropped! On this episode, editor Catrin Griffiths and deputy editor (City) Rachel Moloney bring you all the drama from Cravath’s raid on Shearman & Sterling’s leverage finance team. Meanwhile litigation editor Christian Smith quizzes deputy editor (UK) Richard Simmons and in-house reporter Lucie Cruz on how […]
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Hearing, your insider’s guide to the UK litigation market. Following last week’s first anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine, we consider how the landscape has changed for Russian litigation in London. First though, a judgment from the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) last week has provided a rare example of […]