Anna Reynolds

June 06, 2013 | International Edition

Linklaters, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May are playing key roles on the Government's plans to privatise Royal Mail. The sale has been heralded as Britain's most ambitious privatisation since former Prime Minister John Major broke up and sold the railways in the 1990s.

By Anna Reynolds

3 minute read

June 06, 2013 | International Edition

Hogan Lovells has recruited a three-partner team from US firm Chadbourne & Parke to strengthen its litigation and arbitration practice in New York, as the firm continues to keep a close eye on the fast-growing Mexico market. The hires include Oliver Armas, the co-head of Chadbourne's international arbitration group and Phoebe Wilkinson, the co-head of the firm's product liability group, who are joining Hogan Lovells in New York.

By Anna Reynolds

3 minute read

June 05, 2013 | International Edition

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has announced across-the-board increases in its junior salary bands for 2013-14, with pay rises of up to 3% for the firm's trainees and associates. The changes will take effect from 1 June and will see newly-qualified (NQ) lawyers now paid £63,000, up £1,500 from last year's salary of £61,500.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

June 04, 2013 | International Edition

Ashurst has confirmed its associate salary rates for 2013-14, with lawyers with two years' post-qualification experience (PQE) seeing the biggest pay rise of an extra £3,000 on last year. The new rates, which came into effect from 1 May, see lawyers with one year's PQE earning £69,000, £2,000 more than last year's salary of £67,000. The firm is also raising the rate for lawyers with two years' PQE by £3,000 to £77,000.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

June 04, 2013 | International Edition

Olswang has announced its 2012-13 financial results, with the firm posting a 3% rise in revenue, taking it to £111.3m, up from £108m last year. Meanwhile, profits per equity partner (PEP) has fallen 4% from £530,000 in 2011-12 to £510,000 this year, although the firm's profit pool is expected to be the same size as last year. Last year the firm announced an impressive 17% rise in revenue, taking it over the £100m mark to £108.1m, up from £92.6m in 2010-11. PEP was also up by 22% on the previous year's figure of £435,000, to £530,000.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

June 03, 2013 | International Edition

The Bar Council and the Bar Standards Board (BSB) have warned that the Government's proposed legal aid reforms could do "irreparable damage" to the UK justice system and potentially destroy the criminal Bar, in their responses to the Ministry of Justice's (MoJ's) consultation on the controversial plans.

By Anna Reynolds

5 minute read

June 03, 2013 | International Edition

The Department of Health and the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) have appointed a new panel to provide legal advice to 16 health organisations. In total, 14 firms have won places on the panel, which replaces the previous roster which advised the NHSLA alone. The panel is sub-divided into clinical liability, non-clinical liability and regulatory, health and disciplinary. Eleven firms will advise on the clinical negligence roster, while six firms have taken places on the non-clinical panel. Meanwhile, 11 firms have taken places on the newly created regulatory, health and disciplinary panel.

By Anna Reynolds

3 minute read

May 31, 2013 | International Edition

The Employment Tribunal has rejected an age discrimination claim by lawyer Leslie Seldon against his former firm Clarkson Wright & Jakes (CWJ), which had initially seemed likely to threaten law firm's ability to enforce a compulsory retirement age for partners. The ruling, made on Tuesday (28 May), ends a long-running battle between Seldon and his former firm, which began in an employment tribunal in 2007 when Seldon, who was ousted from CWJ's partnership in 2006 when he turned 65, argued that the firm's compulsory retirement age constituted age discrimination.

By Anna Reynolds

3 minute read

May 31, 2013 | International Edition

Kennedys is to merge with specialist aviation and aerospace law firm, Gates and Partners from tomorrow (1 June) after partners at both firms approved the tie-up. The union, under the Kennedys banner, will allow Kennedys to provide full legal advice to the the aviation sector and will strengthen its aviation and liability offering to its insurance and reinsurance clients.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read

May 30, 2013 | International Edition

SJ Berwin has advised longstanding client British Land and its joint venture partner Oxford Properties on the letting of City landmark the Leadenhall Building to insurance group Amlin. The lease is for 111,000 sq ft of office space in the 47-storey building, with the option to take up further space of up to 36,760 sq ft. The annual rental price for the space is around £7m. The SJ Berwin team was led by the firm's international real estate head Bryan Pickup and fellow real estate partner Pat Jones, while Clyde & Co acted for Amlin with real estate partner Malcolm Rogerson in the lead role.

By Anna Reynolds

2 minute read