Claire Ruckin

October 30, 2007 | Law.com

A majority of disputes launched by companies are led by executives' hearts rather than their heads, according to new research published Monday. Almost half of the respondents to a poll conducted by London law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse conceded that a personal dislike of the other side had led their company into litigation. And over half of the executives and in-house lawyers polled said the adversarial stance taken by their external lawyers had contributed to the escalation of a commercial dispute.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

February 09, 2011 | Law.com

Olswang has deferred its September trainee intake and cancelled its 2013 London recruitment round to reduce the firm's trainee numbers due to "changes in client demand". The firm's September 2011 trainees will now start their contracts in 2012, with the 2012 intake deferred until 2013.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read

November 28, 2007 | Law.com

Law students in the U.K. will be able to turn their Bar Vocational Course into a Masters degree under new proposals to widen access to the Bar, in one of 57 proposals unveiled in Lord Neuberger's report Tuesday. The proposals, which have been announced a month earlier than expected, would allow students who do not secure a pupillage to turn their BVC into a Masters. The recommendations will now go to the Bar Council, which will decide which measures to introduce and how.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read

July 10, 2009 | Law.com

Addleshaw Goddard earlier this year asked partners to return some profits handed out ahead of schedule in order to pay a tax bill. The top 20 U.K. law firm requested that equity partners pay back some profits that had been distributed in late 2008, when the collapse of Lehman Brothers prompted fears that it may not have been safe to leave the money in the bank. It has now emerged that half of the distribution originally due for February was recalled by the firm in January to help pay an impending tax bill.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 03, 2010 | The Legal Intelligencer

Squire Sanders & Dempsey chairman Jim Maiwurm is set to become global chairman following its proposed merger with Hammonds, as details of the new firm's framework begin to emerge.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 25, 2009 | Law.com

The long-running class action brought by 30,000 claimants against oil company Trafigura has settled for 30 million pounds ($48 million). The settlement, approved by U.K. Justice Alistair MacDuff on Wednesday, will give the claimants, represented by Leigh Day & Co, 950 pounds ($1,526) each. The class action claimed that they were poisoned by "slops" -- toxic waste dumped near Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in 2006.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

September 27, 2010 | Law.com

U.K. law firm Bevan Brittan has launched its third round of redundancies since 2008, with 26 jobs placed under threat. The firm confirmed Friday that it is starting a consultation process that could result in layoffs evenly split between fee earners and personal assistants.

By Claire Ruckin

2 minute read

December 14, 2007 | Law.com

The Welsh Assembly is in the final stages of the first-ever review of its legal advisers, with the body set to unveil its debut law firm roster in the new year. The panel, which is being overseen by the assembly's legal services director, Jeff Godfrey, is expected to include up to eight law firms.

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

September 10, 2009 | Law.com

Eversheds, a top 10 U.K. law firm, has entered into its fourth redundancy round, which could lead to as many as 117 layoffs. The consultation, announced Thursday, will lay off up to 22 fee earners in the real estate practice in what the firm said was a result of the negative economic climate and long-term decline of the real estate sector. The review will also consider sabbaticals and reduced hours. The firm is set to cut up to 95 secretarial posts.

By Claire Ruckin

3 minute read