German firm Noerr has announced another strong year with turnover rising by 7 per cent to €197.2m (£145.2m) for 2014, up from €184.5m the previous year. The firm has now recorded growth of 41 per cent since 2010. Revenues derived from Germany increased by 9 per cent, from €163.3m to €177.9m. Meanwhile income from the […]
Taylor Wessing has opted for an all-equity partnership in the UK following a review of its merit-based equity structure, while maintaining a two-tier system outside of the country. The firm had been considering an all-equity partnership since last year (14 February 2014), a concept only partly linked to changes in the so-called ‘disguised salary’ of […]
Karanovic & Nikolic has supported a pre-moot arbitration competion that was organised by the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law. The preparatory tournament for the 22nd global competition in international trade and arbitration law, called the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, was attended by more than 68 teams from 32 countries. Milan Lazić, partner and […]
Eversheds has advised the Department for Transport (DfT) on a new directly awarded rail franchise agreement with FirstGroup plc subsidiary First Greater Western Ltd to operate the Great Western rail franchise until 1 April 2019 (with an optional extension period). The Great Western franchise provides key rail passenger services over a large area of the […]
Eversheds has advised FMC Technologies, on an agreement with France-basedTechnip, to form an exclusive alliance and to launch Forsys Subsea. According to the firm, the 50/50 joint venture will unite the skills and capabilities of the two subsea industry leaders, and define the way subsea fields are designed, delivered and maintained. Bringing together FMC Technologies […]
Blackstone Chambers’ Dinah Rose QC and the Guardian have successfully defended a Government appeal to the Supreme Court over the disclosure of secret letters written by Prince Charles to ministers. In a 5:2 majority verdict, the Supreme Court agreed with the Court of Appeal (CoA), saying that then-attorney general Dominic Grieve MP was not entitled […]
Cooley has replaced Edwards Wildman as Amazon’s primary trademark and competition panel firm in Europe following the latter’s merger with Locke Lord. Former Edwards Wildman partners Becket McGrath and Nicholas Bolter took the client across to Cooley when the US firm opened in London in January (9 January 2015). Bolter initially advised Amazon on trademark […]
Mr Justice Eder is stepping down from the bench after just four years to return to arbitration practice at Essex Court Chambers, The Lawyer understands. He revealed his intention to step down from the judiciary and is in talks with his former chambers about returning to the bar in a move expected to be publicly announced in […]
39 Essex Street Chambers has dropped the ‘street’ from its name ahead of its move to 81 Chancery Lane in September. The newly-named 39 Essex Chambers has also appointed its first ever woman as head of chambers, Alison Foster QC, who replaces Stephen Tromans QC. Tromans is standing down when his term ends on 1 […]
Covington & Burling has hired Bird & Bird partner Grace Chen to join its international employment practice based in Beijing. Chen’s exit to Covington follows a six-lawyer departure from Bird & Bird to IP consultancy AWA Asia earlier this year, in a lineup that included IP rainmaker Ai-Leen Lim (9 February 2015). Chen has more […]
After two years at the helm of High Speed Two, general counsel Betty Morgan has retired following Herbert Smith Freehills’ appointment as adviser on infrastructure issues. HS2 has turned to Stephenson Harwood transport partner Suzanne Tarplee to fill the role until it finds a permanent replacement. Tarplee took over from Morgan this month, and is in […]
Slaughter and May has promoted four lawyers to its partnership in London, boosting its overall female partnership to 22 per cent. This number is lower than the six-year high of 2014, when seven associates were made up to partner (19 March 2014). The firm also promoted a new partner in Hong Kong later in the […]