EVERSHEDS is in talks with accountancy practice KPMG as part of its “open-minded” strategy on a merger with a Big Six accountancy firm. The firm is in continuing talks with Big Six firm KPMG and is also believed to have been approached by Coopers & Lybrand, although talks presumably led nowhere because, in February this […]
ROBERT Sayer, the Law Society’s deputy treasurer, has sent a letter to council members identifying a series of financial problems which he believes the Law Society must tackle. In the letter, Sayer, who helped expose the massive overspend on the Law Society’s Regis computer project, said there were reports that the refurbishment of Chancery Lane, […]
TWO high-profile US lawyers – former vice president Walter Mondale and the former European Bank for Reconstruction general counsel Andre Newburg – have returned to private practice. Mondale is returning to his old practice Dorsey & Whitney LLP, as one of the senior partners after a stint as US Ambassador to Tokyo. Peter Kohl, managing […]
Cripps Harries Hall, of Tunbridge Wells, has set up a private banking unit with Citibank providing banking services. The move is a bid to target wealthy private clients. The service, called Private Office, offers an integrated package to look after all matters related to personal and family wealth, including investment management, tax planning, pensions, trust […]
Eversheds in Birmingham has closed its private client trust and probate department in order to concentrate on commercial and corporate work. Keith Dudley, former senior associate, who ran the department, together with two executives and their secretaries, have joined Martineau Johnson’s private client department. Hugh Carslake, head of Martineau Johnson’s private client department, said the […]
Four leading US law firms have approached Price Waterhouse in the past month about an association or possible merger. The move is a first indication that US law firms may globalise their businesses hand-in-hand with the Big Six accountants rather than with UK law firms. Paul Downing, head of Price Waterhouse’s European legal network, told […]
The five-lawyer offshore tax and private client team at Dibb Lupton Alsop’s London office has moved to join Lawrence Graham. The team, which is headed by Andrew Young, includes partner Glen Hurstfield, Barry Lock, who will be a consultant at the new firm, and two assistants. It boasts the giant Far Eastern trading house The […]
Chris Fogarty reports Troubled set 22 Old Buildings is to merge with Manchester’s Byrom Chambers. The new chambers will be headed by Benet Hytner QC, the current head of Byrom Chambers, while 22 Old Buildings head, John Samuels QC, will move into sole practice. Byrom Chambers, a common law set with 12 silks at its […]
US firm Brown & Wood LLP has expanded its UK practice by taking on three UK lawyers within the past two months, including Margaret Boswell, formerly of Allen & Overy, who joins the firm as a securitisation partner. London-based partner Drew Salvest said the firm, which has the “largest securitisation practice in the world”, was […]
Environmental pressure group Transport 2000 is using an article by Lovell White Durrant construction partner Nicholas Gould as ammunition in its war against roads which have been built under the Government’s PFI scheme. Transport 2000 objects to the Government’s DBFO (Design Build Finance Operate) road schemes because they encourage private road builders and operators to […]
Pension litigator Gary Cullen is set to leave Hammond Suddards in London to head up a London pensions practice for Birmingham firm Edge & Ellison as a partner. Cullen, who was a nine years qualified assistant at Hammonds said: “Good pensions litigators are in short supply. I am one of the leading pensions litigators so […]
THE COMMON Law set 36 Bedford Row has signalled its intention to branch out into commercial work with its adoption of planning specialist David Altaras. Altaras, who acted for the Department of Transport in the M3 Twyford Down inquiry, has left planning chambers 1 Sergeants’ Inn to join the set, led by James Hunt QC. […]