Claire Ruckin

April 17, 2008 | Corporate Counsel

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

July 03, 2008 | Law.com

Linklaters is gearing up to defend itself in court after a $55 million negligence claim was brought by a former client in one of the largest cases against a top U.K. law firm in recent times. The Magic Circle firm is preparing for a 20-day trial in the High Court next January over claims it gave negligent advice to Baltic telecoms company Levicom. Linklaters was instructed to advise Levicom in 2000 over a dispute with telecoms company Tele2 AB.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 03, 2010 | Law.com

It looks like former Halliwells partners will be asked to repay more than £2 million in additional bank loans taken in 2010 as further details of the now-defunct firm's finances and partner liabilities emerge. Some partners could be liable for amounts in excess of £500,000.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read

November 21, 2007 | Law.com

The number of civil cases launched in the British High Court has jumped by 25 percent in a year -- reaching its highest level since the advent of reforms drawn up by former Lord Chief Justice Lord Woolf in 1999. According to research carried out by the Ministry of Justice, the number of commercial cases in 2006 reached 61,691 -- up from 49,442 the previous year. This news marks the first increase in civil cases launched in the High Court since the implementation of the Woolf Reforms eight years ago.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

October 28, 2010 | The Legal Intelligencer

DLA Piper has put plans to overhaul its partnership structure by moving to an all-equity partnership on the back burner.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 18, 2009 | Law.com

British law firms Halliwells and Manches have held a series of merger discussions, with partners in both firms confirming the talks after months of speculation. Meetings have been held during the past several months, with discussions now thought to have reached due diligence stage. It is understood that no decision has been made yet about whether the union will go ahead and, while some partners within the firms know of the talks, no formal announcements have been made to the partnerships at either firm.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read

November 06, 2007 | Law.com

Outer Temple Chambers is launching an Abu Dhabi office, the U.K. barristers' first overseas presence. The new annex will provide a base for the chambers' existing Middle Eastern clients and international companies involved in international and commercial arbitrations. Rivals are watching closely.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

October 30, 2009 | Law.com

Bird & Bird is considering converting to a legal disciplinary partnership in a move that could make it one of the largest U.K. law firms to do so. Bird is initially looking at allowing lawyers professionally qualified in jurisdictions not currently recognized by the U.K.'s Solicitors Regulation Authority into the partnership. This could include notaries and a number of the firm?s trademark and patent attorneys.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

July 19, 2010 | Law.com

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is set to try out a new system allowing corporate associates to apply for four alternative working schemes, including job-sharing and working from home, which will run for one year from this autumn. If successful, the firm may roll out the system more widely.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

March 12, 2010 | Law.com

Herbert Smith has bolstered its London capital markets group with the hire of the former head of Linklaters' U.S. practice in London. Steve Thierbach will join the top 10 U.K. firm as a partner on April 6 and will work closely with capital markets head Jim Wickenden. U.S.-qualified Thierbach joined Linklaters from Sullivan & Cromwell in 1995 and was the founding partner of the Magic Circle firm's U.S. securities practice. He led the U.S. practice in London until 2008 and left the firm at the end of 2009.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read