A cost-cutting working party of Law Society Council members is embroiled in a row with staff members and solicitors groups over its recommendations to abolish the society’s recruitment service. In a confidential report leaked to The Lawyer, Geoffrey Bignell, director of Law Society Services, expresses deep concern over the potential loss of the service, which […]
Words beginning with the letter ‘m’ have been taxing the legal profession recently. And mergers and moves by leading legal players to multidisciplinary practices have been hitting the headlines in the legal press. On the merger front, Eversheds has continued its growth and stayed in the number two position after its recent merger with niche […]
Media firm Olswang has become the latest medium-sized law firm to appoint a full-time finance director. The move reflects rapid expansion at the practice, which boasts a string of technology and communications clients. Brian Ayres, who has held financial management roles at Mobil and Polaroid, has secured the job. He said: “Olswang has grown to […]
Halliwell Landau’s recently-formed independent trustee company has been appointed trustee to a retirement scheme set up by Boddingtons, the drinks company taken over by rival Greenalls last year. The new company, Halliwell Landau Trustees, includes partner Ann Taylor who recently joined to head up the firm’s pensions department. “As the independent trustees of the scheme, […]
A voicemail system that recognises pulse and tone phones is now available from Leicester-based Voice Connect. Managing director Stefan Olsberg said that most phones used by the general public are pulse phones. Contact Voice Connect on 0116 232 2622.
Macfarlanes is to expand its corporate finance department, which has handled advisory work for companies such as BET, Cordiant, David Lloyd and Asprey. Corporate finance partner Robert Sutton said the firm is highly selective in its recruitment policy and new people are not taken on “unless we have plenty of work on our books”. “We […]
A South Wirral packaging company is to be accused in the High Court of supplying faulty drums to hold chemicals. In a £118,000 claim, chemical manufacturing firm Transpek Industry, of Vadodara, India, claims the drums supplied by Van Leer (UK), of Ellesmere Port, South Wirral, were claimed to be suitable for storage of the chemical […]
Linklaters & Paines has won its biggest City deal this year advising Royal Insurance on its proposed merger with Sun Alliance to form a company valued at over £6 billion. The firm is also representing two US companies, General Public Utilities and Cinergy, which are taking over Midlands Electricity for £1.7 billion. Other City firms […]
Sifiso Mahlangu, the 10-year-old Zulu boy at the centre of this week’s Analysis, has now flown back to South Africa to be re-united with his natural parents. But his tug-of-love case, which seems without precedent in Family Division circles, taxed the minds and emotions of some of the UK’s leading lawyers and judges. Mahlangu was […]
Alison Laferla reports IT security is an issue to ignore at your peril. The DTI produces a basic guide to security called the Business Manager’s Guide to Information Security, which is available free on 0171 215 1962. Also, a free magazine aimed at combating software theft will be launched next month. Produced by Microsoft, it […]
Ian Barber, executor of Ernest Barber, who died on 1 June 1993, is claiming damages from Atlas Stone Co, of Meldreth, Royston, Hertfordshire. The writ claims Ernest died as a result of asbestosis, contracted through work for the company. Writ issued by Field Fisher Waterhouse, London EC3. North Thames Regional Health Authority is being sued […]
Helen Sage reports Private practitioners prefer working alongside in-house local government lawyers rather than competing for their work, said departing secretary general of the Law Society and past chair of the local government group John Hayes. Speaking at the European Policy Forum on the future of the legal profession, Hayes said the trend of public […]