Claire Ruckin

March 17, 2010 | International Edition

Hammonds and Clifford Chance (CC) have won leading roles on Bridgepoint Capital's £281m acquisition of social care provider Care UK. Hammonds corporate partner Trevor Ingle advised health and social care provider Care UK, a longstanding client of the firm, on its sale. The national law firm worked opposite CC corporate partners Lee Coney and Kem Ihenacho, who led the team advising Bridgepoint.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

March 17, 2010 | International Edition

Eversheds is considering taking shares in client companies in exchange for fees as growing numbers of law firms look at more innovative pricing options including fee rebates. The top 10 UK firm is in the early stages of considering shares for fees - a practice that has not been commonly seen in the UK since the dotcom boom.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read

March 17, 2010 | International Edition

What does Macfarlanes stand for these days? Macfarlanes senior partner Charles Martin certainly puts it succinctly: "Our goal is to be a pre-eminent independent City law firm, offering our clients a service that is partner-led and that takes advantage of our single site and compact size."

By Claire Ruckin

5 minute read

March 17, 2010 | International Edition

F&C Asset Management has settled its long-running £19m discrimination dispute with former legal head Gillian Switalski. The undisclosed settlement comes after Switalski's claims of sexual discrimination, harassment and victimisation were upheld, having been heard by the Central London Employment Tribunal and twice by the Employment Appeal Tribunal over the past two years.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

March 17, 2010 | International Edition

DLA Piper has named Russell Orme as the firm's new Birmingham managing partner, replacing Chris Rawstron in the role. Orme will take up the post next month (1 April), while also remaining as the firm's head of corporate in the region - a role he took on in 2000.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

March 16, 2010 | International Edition

DLA Piper is this week defending itself in a Liverpool employment tribunal against sexual discrimination allegations brought by a former partner. The six-day hearing kicked off yesterday (15 March) after former real estate partner Sarah Sweeney started proceedings against DLA Piper last year. Sweeney, who joined DLA Piper as a trainee in 1996, was asked to leave the firm in 2008 while pregnant with her son.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

March 15, 2010 | International Edition

Osborne Clarke has taken a lead role advising French Connection on its sale of the Nicole Farhi fashion label to private equity house OpenGate Capital - the firm's first instruction for the clothing retailer. Osborne Clarke corporate partner and co-head of retail Kalpesh Tanna led a team advising French Connection on the deal - valued at approximately £5m - after being instructed by the fashion house for the first time earlier this year.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

March 15, 2010 | International Edition

Shoosmiths has restarted its trainee recruitment programme following its controversial move last year to withdraw training contracts without offering financial compensation. The national firm has opened the recruitment process for trainees for its 2011 and 2012 intake after seeing an increase in client demand. Future trainees will have until 31 July this year to apply.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

March 11, 2010 | International Edition

Addleshaw Goddard has overhauled its non-partner bonus system after staff received no payout last year. The national firm has lowered its profit trigger to a 26% margin after last year posting a margin of 26% on its 2008-09 turnover of £173m.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

March 10, 2010 | International Edition

Wragge & Co has become the first top 30 UK firm to announce its 2010 partner promotions, with the national firm selecting three lawyers to join its partnership. Birmingham-based lawyers Paul Carberry and Sue Ryan have been made up to partner in the pension and construction teams respectively, while Munich-based intellectual property lawyer Alex Bayer has also been promoted to the partnership.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read