Roger Pearson looks ahead A High Court test case is now pending over the rights of port and airport owning local authority to interfere in livestock exports from the UK to Europe. The case centres on a challenge by a consortium of farmers and animal dealers, CC Freight, and an air transport company, Phoenix Aviation, […]
Home Counties law firm Taylor Walton has set up a new business law unit in Luton. The unit, comprising two thirds of the firm, will handle all company, commercial property, employment and litigation law matters referred to the firm. The unit’s managing partner, Clive Borthwick, says: “In these days of increasingly complicated transactions it will […]
BUSINESS confidence am-ong law firms is picking up and is expected to grow even more next year, according to a nationwide survey of legal practices by business consultants Grant Thornton. The results of the survey of 180 law firms indicate that 1994 was a better year for business than 1993, and over half of the […]
INTERNATIONAL firm Coudert Brothers has taken on top European law expert David O’Keeffe as counsel. O’Keeffe is professor of European law at the University of London and director of University College London’s Centre for the Law of the European Union. He will work mainly in the London, Brussels and Paris offices. He is an expert […]
ADVISERS to charities are being warned to be wary of letters from phoney lawyers offering fictitious legacies. The fraud, much of it emanating from West Africa, is a type of advanced fee fraud. The letters, purporting to be from lawyers, claim the charity has been left a legacy, and the charity is then asked to […]
LAW Society of Northern Ireland president Andrew Carnson told MPs at the House of ommons last week: “There must be Northern Ireland solutions for Northern Ireland problems.” The society was holding an open day, sponsored by solicitor-MPs, Peter Temple-Morris, Jonathan Evans, Elfyn LLwyd and John Fraser, to highlight its concerns over the need for sensitivity […]
Should lawyers learn ethics? is the question asked this week at a workshop by the University of Central Lancashire, Preston. Organised by the university’s Centre for Professional Ethics and The Association of Legal and Social Philosophy, it will consider ethics in legal education and the profession. Jane Pritchard, solicitor and researcher at the centre, says […]
UK NOTARIES Martin Scannall and Robert Urquhart have been admitted as Avocats O la Cour de Paris. The two, both partners in the French law department of London firm De Pinna, Scorers & John Venn, were told of their admission earlier this month. They have an extensive history of Anglo-French legal work and became eligible […]
Institutional shareholders in international property business Heron Group vote this week on whether to accept a major debt and equity purchasing plan on which Travers Smith Braithwaite and Allen & Overy has advised. The deal involves an offer by HNV Acquisition (HNVA) to acquire Heron International NV’s entire issued share capital, and around u407 million […]
The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) is targeting 500 leading law firms with details of its business licensing service to encourage them to comply with the requirements of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Roger Bull, business licensing officer at the CLA, says: “The legal profession cannot plead ignorance of the law as businesses of […]
LONDON FIRM Withers is linking its Paris office with 20-strong French practice PDGB. The two firms will move to new premises in mid-December. London-based business development partner, Andrew Gerry, says the move will strengthen Withers’ French practice, which centres around its commercial and maritime work. He says there are no plans for a merger between […]
Philip Hamer is one of the fastest growing legal firms in the Yorkshire and Humberside region with offices in Hull, Doncaster, Sheffield and Leeds. It has used regional TV advertising to market its personal injury services. Three years ago, the firm ran what senior partner Philip Hamer calls an “ambulance-chasing advert”. But, on the basis […]