Claire Ruckin

May 11, 2010 | International Edition

Eversheds is set to launch a new training academy as part of a major shake-up of its learning and development framework, in a bid to move further away from promotions based on post-qualification experience (PQE). Junior lawyers at the firm will be able to apply to study courses on business accounts and reporting, building commercial relationships, marketing and business development from June. The firm will also run a shortened Master in Business Administration programme.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

May 10, 2010 | International Edition

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has dropped criminal proceedings against four British Airways (BA) executives accused of price-fixing. The case, which was being heard in Southwark Crown Court in front of Mr Justice Owen, collapsed following the discovery of new email evidence last week. In a statement, the OFT said: "The OFT has decided to withdraw its criminal proceedings against four current and former BA executives for price-fixing. Following the OFT's decision, the four defendants were acquitted by the jury at a hearing this morning."

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

May 10, 2010 | International Edition

Salans has bolstered its restructuring team in the City with the hire of Halliwells corporate recovery head David Grant. Grant joined Salans' London office last month as a partner in the reorganisation, restructuring and insolvency (RRI) group after his January departure from Halliwells' London office, which left the national firm without a single equity partner in the City.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

May 07, 2010 | International Edition

Slaughter and May has restarted its associate lockstep and overhauled its salary bands, as the firm narrows the pay gap between its one and three-year qualified lawyers. The new pay structure, which is effective as of 1 May, will see the firm's salaries now range from a newly-qualified (NQ) rate of £61,000 to £82,000 for solicitors with three years' post-qualification experience (PQE).

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

May 06, 2010 | International Edition

Beachcroft has signed an outsourcing deal with Williams Lea which could see staff from the firm's Birmingham and Newport offices transferred over to the business process outsourcing company. The UK top 25 firm is set to outsource back office functions including data support, reception, post, copying and filing as well as purchasing and supply, scanning, indexing and archiving.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

May 05, 2010 | International Edition

Bond Pearce has boosted its energy team with the hire of industry expert Stuart Carter as a partner in the firm's London office. Carter joined the national law firm earlier this week (4 May) as a partner in the oil and gas team, having previously acted as a consultant to a number of multinational oil companies, including ExxonMobil, BG Group and Total.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

May 05, 2010 | International Edition

Eversheds' pensions team has secured a mandate as the official advisers to the trustees of the John Lewis pension scheme following a competitive tender process. Eversheds London senior partner and pensions head Anthony Arter will lead a six-lawyer team appointed as the ongoing advisers to the trustees of the £2bn John Lewis Partnership Trust.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

May 05, 2010 | International Edition

Olswang has overhauled its client pricing arrangements as the firm prepares to shift from traditional billing methods. The UK top 50 firm has developed a pricing menu for clients and aims to eventually use the hourly rate as an exception rather than the rule. Chief executive Kevin Munslow brought in pricing consultants SKP at the end of last year to advise on how the firm could be more transparent in its billing processes.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

May 05, 2010 | International Edition

Hammonds has bolstered its pension team with the hire of Charles Russell's head of pensions Kris Weber. Weber joined the national law firm's London office at the beginning of the month (1 May), bringing the total number of London-based pensions partners to five. He also brings with him pensions associate Stephen Moore.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

May 05, 2010 | International Edition

Leading law firms have continued to aggressively expand their salaried partner ranks over the last three years as firms move to protect partner profits in the face of tough trading conditions. The total number of salaried partners at the UK top 30 firms increased by 17.6% between the 2007 and 2009 partnership rounds, according to research conducted by Legal Week. The figure increased even more dramatically for top 10 City law firms, rising by 22.1% during the period. In contrast, equity partner numbers only increased by 2.9% across the top 30 and by 0.5% across the top 10 City firms.

By Claire Ruckin

4 minute read