Claire Ruckin

February 05, 2009 | International Edition

Northwest firm DWF has boosted its corporate department with the hire of a new partner from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert. Peter Allen, who joins DWF's Manchester office, left Barlows' equity partnership in November. He has a particular focus on deals in the UK food sector, insurance and financial services. Allen has advised on many high-profile M&A deals including UK dairy co-op First Milk's £60m acquisition of Dairy Crest's cheese business in 2006 and its subsequent proposed £1bn merger with Milk Link in 2007, as well as Teather & Greenwood's takeover by Landsbanki Holdings and Swedish company Trelleborg's £500m acquisition of the polymer sealing solutions business of Smiths Group.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

January 15, 2009 | International Edition

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has launched two new consultations in preparation for the next round of reforms under the Legal Services Act (LSA). The first consultation will seek opinion on fundamental changes to the SRA's regulatory activities, which will see the body develop a firm-based approach to enforcement and disciplinary action, in contrast to the current process of focusing on individual solicitors. Key LSA reforms are due to come into force in March which will give the SRA new regulatory powers allowing the watchdog to regulate Legal Disciplinary Partnerships (LDPs) containing up to 25% non-lawyer partners.The SRA's website now contains application forms for firms that wish to set up LDPs from March onwards.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

October 23, 2008 | International Edition

Top chambers including Matrix and Outer Temple are looking at opportunities available through alternative business structures (ABS) as the Legal Services Act (LSA) gains momentum at the Bar. A number of sets are considering how they can benefit from the new structures, which would allow for outside investment into chambers as well as partnerships with non-barristers. Matrix is among those actively looking at its options. The chambers, which set up a working group more than a year ago to look at ABS, is considering a number of possibilities, including bringing in solicitors, paralegals and administrators for civil legal aid work.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read

September 10, 2009 | Law.com

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read

April 21, 2009 | National Law Journal

Herbert Smith has announced a redundancy consultation Monday, with up to 84 positions facing the ax. The cuts, all of which will come in the firm's London office, are expected to include up to 30 fee earners. Corporate is expected to lose up to 24 fee earners and professional support lawyers as well as nine paralegals, with up to 42 secretarial and support staff roles placed under threat firmwide.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

October 19, 2007 | National Law Journal

In a move reflecting U.S. firms' continuing push to launch in London, Nixon Peabody on Thursday unveiled its long-planned London arm, the firm's first foreign outpost. The new seven-lawyer branch includes three U.K.-qualified partners, who � in a highly unusual move � will simultaneously remain as partners at the Trinity International boutique, which Nixon Peabody describes as an "affiliated entity."

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

February 04, 2011 | New York Law Journal

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

March 11, 2009 | Daily Report Online

DLA Piper has sparked anger among its U.K. ranks as full details emerge of the firm's redundancy package.The details surfaced in leaked minutes from a Feb. 27 meeting with employee representatives involved in the firm's redundancy consultation. The firm, which saw the deadline for voluntary redundancy pass on Tuesday, launched its second U.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

January 22, 2008 | Law.com

DLA Piper has become embroiled in a $29.4 million negligence claim brought by U.K. property company Hampton Trust. The claim names legacy firms DLA, Dibb Lupton Alsop and Alsop Wilkinson -- now absorbed into the transatlantic giant -- as defendants. It centers on allegations of fraudulent activities between former Hampton Trust directors and a former partner of the legacy firms, who retired from the partnership two years ago. DLA Piper is not accused of any wrongdoing in its current form.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

June 16, 2008 | The Legal Intelligencer

DLA Piper is backing away from financial integration, Legal Week, a sister publication of The Legal, has learned, with the transatlantic giant instead opting for softer measures to help align the firm around the world.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read