London firm Lewis Silkin has recruited Helen Garthwaite as a partner to head the firm’s construction and engineering unit. Garthwaite, who left Nabarro Nathanson, specialises in negotiating and drafting documentation for construction and engineering projects. She is also experienced in advising on administration and resolution issues arising from contracts, including arbitration and dispute resolution.
NEW chair of the Association of Women Solicitors Alison Parkinson has stressed her commitment to getting more women to the top of the profession. More than 50 per cent of entrants into the profession are now women and the association, which has increased its membership by over 1,500 in the last year to 8,000, now […]
PREDICTIONS that Law Society infighting will lead to an exodus of senior staff are beginning to bear fruit with news of a top official’s impending departure. Andrew Lockley, director of corporate and regional affairs at the society, is to leave Chancery Lane on 1 May to take up jobs at both Irwin Mitchell and the […]
Eversheds’ Birmingham branch has won the competitive tender to act as solicitors and advocates to Shropshire County Council in its local minerals plan. The Eversheds planning and environmental team in Birmingham, which includes Rod Bull and Judith Damerell, will provide advice on the council’s quarrying plans, deal with negotiations and act as advocates at any […]
The duties of professional advisers whose clients have controlling interests in family companies can be extremely onerous when the clients want to make gifts inter vivos of part of the holding with the rest being given on death. There are many traps for the unwary solicitor, barrister or accountant caused by the unforeseen consequences of […]
Michael Fabian Spungin, admitted 1962, practised as Armstrong Spungin & Scott, Nottingham, struck off and ordered to pay £5,675 costs. Allegations substantiated he wrongly drew client money, falsified accounting documents and failed to pay money into client account in breach of accounting rules. Andrew Jesson, formerly clerk with Emsleys, Leeds, banned from working for any […]
Practitioners have singled out other barristers outside the recognised professional negligence sets but who are flavour of the month. Ben Patten, at John Samuels QC’s set at 22 Old Buildings, Temple, is “quick and good on detail”, and Teresa Rosen Peacocke at Benjamin Levy’s set at Enterprise Chambers is “good on detail. A real terrier […]
The mushrooming of professional negligence work has been reflected in the growth of the Professional Negligence Bar Association. With fewer than 30 members when it started in October 1990, it now has more than 550. Coincidentally, the secretary Andrew Goodman and chair Robin de Wilde QC of the association are both in the same set […]
Toyota (GB) is heading for the High Court with a £700,000-plus claim against Asda Group and Elmswood after rainwater flooded its spare parts and accessories warehouse at Lutterworth, Leicestershire, in 1994.
As it approaches its 50th anniversary, the World Court is busier than it has ever been. It recently finished hearing the biggest case in its history in which over 40 states provided written pleas and 24 gave oral testimony. The issue at stake was whether the use or threatened use of nuclear weapons violated international […]
The 1995 Robson Rhodes survey highlighted the decline in the legal market’s satisfaction with its suppliers, a theme echoed since by many people involved in the industry. But what is the root of the problem and what can be done about it? The main area of dissatisfaction identified in the report is quality of service. […]
A Finely honed legal argument can at times be upstaged by the strangest things. Newcastle-upon Tyne solicitors AT Bryson & Co and Wilkinson Maughan, and counsel Ron Mitchell and Philip Walling will vouch for that after their most recent courtroom conflict. They headed for Newcastle County Court to argue over the law of nuisance. Two […]