Claire Ruckin

September 21, 2010 | International Edition

Hammonds has expanded its hotels and leisure sector with the hire of former Halliwells leisure group head Chris Eddlestone. Eddlestone joined the firm's Manchester arm as a consultant last month to take on a newly-created role heading up the firm's national hotel and leisure services team. He had been at the now-defunct Halliwells since 1999, prior to which he spent 16 years at Northwest practice Birchall Blackburn.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 21, 2010 | International Edition

The use of arbitration and mediation in the UK has risen dramatically in the wake of the financial crisis, according to research published by a new independent body of senior City figures. The report, 'Dispute Resolution in London and the UK 2010', which was released yesterday (20 September), is the first report to be published by TheCityUK's legal services and dispute resolution group, which is chaired by Serle Court's Khawar Qureshi QC.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 20, 2010 | International Edition

Total costs incurred by the administration of Halliwells have reached £1.13m, according to figures contained within the first joint administrators' report. The report, drawn up by BDO partners and joint administrators Dermot Power and Shay Bannon, shows that fees of £524,354 have been charged by the administrators, of which just £30,000 has so far been received. A further total of £606,082 relates to expenses incurred by the administrators, including £585,682 spent on legal fees for CMS Cameron McKenna and counsel fees of £19,043.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read

September 20, 2010 | International Edition

Berwin Leighton Paisner's (BLP's) managed legal services division has secured a second deal that has seen IT company Colt transfer its employment law team to the City law firm. The multimillion-pound agreement has seen the telecoms and IT provider turn to BLP to conduct all of its employment legal matters across the 13 European jurisdictions in which Colt operates. Colt's sole in-house lawyer dealing with employment matters has been transferred to the division and will be assisted by a lawyer from BLP's locum lawyer service, Lawyers on Demand.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 17, 2010 | International Edition

Mishcon de Reya has secured a US court victory for an Islamic banking client facing accusations of financing terrorist organisations in the run-up to 9/11. Dar Al-Maal Al-Islami Trust (DMI Trust), an Islamic financial institution, had faced trillions of dollars in claims after being accused of financing Al Qaeda. The claims had been brought by those directly affected by the 9/11 attacks, as well as a raft of insurance companies.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 16, 2010 | International Edition

The candidates to take over as Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's next chief executive have emerged as Ted Burke and Will Lawes set out their case to take the senior partner role at the firm's partnership conference in Paris. Current chief executive Burke has indicated that he would appoint Cologne-based global tax head Stephan Eilers as his successor if he were to be elected as senior partner.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 15, 2010 | International Edition

Eversheds is set to expand its business into the consultancy arena with the launch of a new business strand that will see it advise in-house legal teams on the management of legal services. Set to go live next week (20 September) Eversheds Consulting will see the firm advise general counsel on procurement, compliance, processes and record management matters.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 15, 2010 | International Edition

Addleshaw Goddard is set to lose another senior litigator to a disputes spin-off practice as tensions rise between the national firm and the departing partners. Michael Green is set to join colleagues Simon Twigden and Pietro Marino, who are setting up their own litigation boutique specifically targeting claimants, along with three associates.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 15, 2010 | International Edition

Addleshaw Goddard has scored a high-profile role advising on the cricket corruption scandal that has seen three Pakistan cricketers provisionally suspended from the sport interviewed by the police. Addleshaws' corporate crime team has been drafted in by the Pakistan Cricket Board to represent Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt in the fraud investigation being conducted by the Metropolitan Police's Serious Crime Directorate.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 08, 2010 | International Edition

Addleshaw Goddard has bolstered its City arm with the hire of leveraged finance partner John Cutler. Cutler joins the firm this week (6 September) as a partner in the national firm's London banking practice, which sits within the finance and projects division. He formerly spent more than 15 years at DLA Piper, where he was a well-respected City partner, advising banks and financial institutions.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read