Claire Ruckin

April 18, 2008 | National Law Journal

Reed Smith has ended its self-imposed ban on litigating against banks with the firm now reviewing financial disputes on a case-by-case basis. The move, an apparent reaction to the expectations of a surge in bank-related litigation due to prolonged credit turmoil, is a shift for the firm, which ended legacy U.K. firm Richards Butler's practice of acting against banks after a 2007 merger. The news comes before next month's expected judgment in a $600 million case involving JPMorgan Chase.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

November 12, 2007 | National Law Journal

Italian leader Gianni, Origoni, Grippo & Partners is to officially split at the beginning of December, with 95 lawyers now likely to break away, in the latest phase of an ongoing saga. The break-up follows disagreements between the firm's executive committee and founding partner Francesco Gianni last month over strategic issues including the firm's hiring policy, billable hours and the importance of regional offices.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

December 02, 2008 | Law.com

DLA Piper has announced a redundancy consultation that could see up to 40 jobs affected in real estate and finance. The consultation, which was launched Monday, will see up to 20 fee earners and 20 support staff across the firm's U.K. offices in Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Glasgow and Manchester facing the axe, as a result of the current economic climate. This August, the firm cut five fee earners from its technology, media and commercial group.

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

October 26, 2010 | Law.com

London-based Macfarlanes has introduced a senior associate rank for its up-and-coming lawyers. However, the firm said the new position will not be linked with additional remuneration and insisted that it will not become a compulsory career step in the route to partnership.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 18, 2007 | National Law Journal

Cohen Milstein Hausfeld & Toll is launching a major class action against airline carrier Virgin Atlantic. The news comes after Virgin on Friday filed a court stipulation admitting its involvement in an alleged price-fixing scandal over fuel surcharges that has already seen rival group British Airways fined by competition authorities. Virgin gained immunity from the U.S. government after alerting regulators to anti-competitive practices.

By Claire Ruckin

1 minute read

March 12, 2008 | Law.com

White & Case and Jones Day are celebrating after the House of Lords blocked an attempt by the U.S. to extradite a British citizen accused of price-fixing, bringing to an end one of the most high-profile white-collar crime investigations of recent years. The Lords ruled Wednesday that White & Case client Ian Norris could not be extradited over his alleged involvement in the price-fixing of carbon products before the Enterprise Act 2002 made price-fixing a criminal offense in the U.K.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

January 23, 2009 | Law.com

LG has launched its second redundancy consultation, with the firm telling staff members Tuesday that 37 jobs are at risk. The top 50 U.K. law firm is in talks with 17 fee earners, including several partners, with 20 support staff also likely to be affected. The consultation will last 30 days. The planned cuts come after LG launched a separate consultation with 21 support staff in September.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

June 23, 2008 | National Law Journal

Howard Kennedy launched a 30-day redundancy consultation Thursday that could affect up to 20 fee earners and as many as 30 further support staff. The review will be carried out across the firm, but the property department could be most at risk given the slowdown in the market. News of the consultation follows two negligence claims filed against the firm last year, for $4.7 million and $3.4 million respectively. Both claims related to advice the company gave clients in regard to property deals.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

January 14, 2011 | The Legal Intelligencer

A host of leading UK law firms are set to overhaul their retirement policies for partners and employees.

By Claire Ruckin

7 minute read