Emma Sadowski

May 08, 2008 | Law.com

Clifford Chance has announced pay raises of just over 4 percent for its junior lawyers, bringing the U.K. giant broadly into line with Magic Circle rivals Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Pay for newly qualified lawyers at the firm is increasing from 63,500 pounds ($124,100) to a new figure of 66,600 pounds ($130,200) -- equal to what Linklaters pays its new associates and just above the 66,000 pounds ($129,000) offered at Freshfields.

By Emma Sadowski

2 minute read

March 04, 2009 | New York Law Journal

By Emma Sadowski

2 minute read

July 11, 2008 | Law.com

Nomura and Barclays Capital have become the latest financial institutions to cut legal jobs, with the Japanese investment bank making cuts in its U.K. legal team. Nomura confirmed that the cuts represent a little more than 2 percent of its 90-strong team in the U.K., with the affected positions sitting in business groups the bank had already scaled back on. The losses at Nomura follow those at other banks with UBS, Bear Stearns and Barclays Capital among those to recently announce headcount reductions.

By Emma Sadowski

2 minute read

April 24, 2009 | Corporate Counsel

Satellite services company Avanti Communications has appointed its first-ever general counsel with the hire of a former Eversheds lawyer. Patrick Willcocks joins Avanti as its sole legal adviser from Electronic Data Systems, where he was a senior lawyer for eight years. Willcocks was previously a banking and finance associate with London firm Eversheds and started his career as an investment banker at HSBC.

By Emma Sadowski

2 minute read

August 08, 2008 | The Legal Intelligencer

Fears that Taylor Wessing's U.K. arm was planning to tap outside investment under the Legal Services Act, or LSA, prompted the firm's French arm to enter breakaway merger talks with U.S. practice Nixon Peabody, it has emerged.

By Emma Sadowski

3 minute read

July 09, 2009 | Law.com

Clifford Chance has seen the departure of nearly 50 partners since the beginning of March, with London and New York most affected by the exits. The moves include normal retirements and lateral shifts, as well as those affected by the firm?s partner restructuring. Some 18 partners have left the firm's London headquarters since March, while the New York litigation practice has lost nine partners, including global litigation chief Mark Kirsch.

By Emma Sadowski

2 minute read

June 11, 2008 | Law.com

Canadian firm Gowling Lafleur Henderson has moved to broaden its international reach after launching a new office in London. The new office represents the second overseas base for the Ottawa-based intellectual property and IT giant and will primarily service clients in the energy, natural resources and infrastructure sectors. Commercial lawyer Andrew Gray, who is English-qualified and joins Gowlings from top 20 U.K. outfit Clyde & Co, will head up the new office.

By Emma Sadowski

2 minute read

May 30, 2008 | Law.com

Norton Rose has landed a lead role advising HSBC on the refinancing of a $1.86 billion project in Saudi Arabia. Norton Rose Bahrain chief Dominic Harvey took the primary role for HSBC, with Dubai banking partner Karl Rogers and newly promoted construction partner Martin Preston also advising. The deal, which is the first major project refinancing in Saudi Arabia requiring hedging, also marks the first projects deal for Rogers since he joined Norton Rose from Sentinel Advisors in March.

By Emma Sadowski

2 minute read

December 18, 2009 | Law.com

Four partners are leaving Mayer Brown's London office, which has launched a new redundancy consultation that is set to affect up to eight associates. The consultation, which began last week, will affect associates from a variety of practice areas, while the partner departures come in the firm's corporate department. The news comes nine months after the firm's London office cut 55 jobs, including 23 fee earners and 32 support staff.

By Emma Sadowski

2 minute read

May 12, 2008 | Law.com

Allen & Overy has frozen its associate salaries for 2008 -- becoming the first Magic Circle firm to hold back from handing pay raises to its junior lawyers. Newly qualified lawyers at the U.K. giant will again bank 65,000 pounds ($126,900), the same as last year, while associates with one year post-qualification experience will continue to pocket 71,500 pounds ($139,600). Lawyers with two and three years' PQE will again earn 84,000 pounds ($164,000) and 92,500 ($180,600) respectively.

By Emma Sadowski

2 minute read