Whitehall should leave apprentices alone
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. […]
Clydes must take care of its associate army
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 […]
DLA is losing its grip on Leeds
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 […]
BCLP wants to think it’s turned a corner
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 […]
Reed Smith and A&O Shearman lead on climate finance
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 Passport: No firm is safe in Italy’s red-hot lateral market
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. […]
Addleshaws acts as Homebase falls into administration
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. […]
SDT suspends ex-Freshfields partner for “inappropriate” conduct
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 £9bn gap: Growth of top 100 UK firms outpaces German peers
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 quashes sell-off rumours in wake of share price slump
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 […]