Former International Bar Association executive director Madeleine May, who resigned her post at the end of 1994 after more than 15 years in the role, has established a new award for excellence in pro bono work. May made an announcement at a formal dinner given in her honour at the opening of the IBA conference. […]
MORE THAN 10 experienced lawyers are to be taken on as part of a recruitment drive by big City firm Herbert Smith. The new staff are being recruited for the corporate department and will bring the number of lawyers employed by the firm across the globe to about 500. Herbert Smith is looking for solicitors […]
Howard Kennedy acted for the City Mortgage Corporation in the £1 billion mortgage facility granted to it by an affiliate company of a major US investment banking firm
Slaughter and May is handling a ‘protective’ legal action on behalf of Barings’ administrators, Ernst & Young, against former derivatives trader Nick Leeson. A High Court writ was issued to “preserve the position of the administrators of Bishopscourt (BS) and Bishopscourt (BB & Co)”, formerly Baring Securities and Baring Brothers & Co said a spokesman […]
COUDERT Brothers will introduce 80 new attorneys to its US practice next month if current merger talks with intellectual property lawyers are successful. Chair of the firm’s executive committee Anthony Williams last week confirmed Couderts was planning to strengthen its IP practice through acquisitions in New York, Washington and Los Angeles. New York, the base […]
Justices’ clerks are furious over a Sunday Express newspaper article alleging that clerks are advising magistrates to be “too lenient on thugs”. The story, which the Justices’ Clerks Society (JCS) calls “inaccurate, outrageous and mischievous”, claims clerks are advising magistrates to hand out light sentences because of fears they could be financially liable in the […]
SJ Berwin says it is the sole UK law firm participating in the Britain Means Business exhibition in South Africa this week. The Johannesburg event, to be opened by the UK’s new Minister for Trade Anthony Nelson, will see up to 100 major UK companies, including British Aerospace, Rolls Royce and BP, and many small […]
LEGAL directors of the top corporations earn two-thirds of the average boardroom salary, a new survey reveals. Research by New Bridge Street Consultants shows that legal specialists can expect to be paid about £75,000 less than other members of the board. The survey also shows that the profession is under-represented in the top corporate echelons, […]
Akbar Ali, a leading international construction law expert, has left London-based Nabarro Nathanson to join Davies Arnold Cooper as a partner. Formerly an in-house lawyer with Trafalgar House, he has been involved in major civil engineering arbitrations, including attracting business from European civil engineering contractors in former common law jurisdictions, such as West Africa and […]
THE BAR Council faces rebellion against the proposed reform of its complaints system because of fears that barristers will be exposed to a welter of unreasonable compensation claims from dissatisfied clients. Ronald Thwaites QC, criminal silk and head of chambers at 10 King’s Bench Walk, is mounting a challenge to the council by calling for […]
WESTMINSTER has treated Scottish law with contempt by ignoring its uniqueness, according to the Liberal Democrat Scottish leader Jim Wallace. Speaking at a lawyers’ fringe meeting during the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow, Wallace said a new Scottish parliament would end 300 years of neglect of its legal system. Earlier the conference had endorsed joint […]
Cyril Dixoin BIRMINGHAM firm Wragge & Co has added Wycombe District Council to a 30-strong list of local authority clients. Lawyers from Wragges’ public sector department will advise the council’s in-house team on its western sector development programme. The scheme, started two years ago, involves a strategic redevelopment of the western side of Wycombe. Council […]