Gerard Starkey

July 30, 2013 | International Edition

DWF has made 38 fee-earner roles redundant following the completion of a consultation which kicked-off in May. The consultation, which placed around 80 jobs at risk across its Manchester, Coventry, Teesside and London offices, forms part of a wider restructuring which also saw 38 roles axed in its central services team earlier in the year. The firm declined to give a breakdown of where the reductions in headcount were made.

By Gerard Starkey

2 minute read

July 29, 2013 | International Edition

A team of 22 DLA Piper staff have turned down the opportunity to relocate permanently to Edinburgh from Glasgow following the end of a three-month trail. The test period, which came to an end on 1 July, was introduced after the firm decided to close its 85-strong Glasgow base in April following a review of its UK operations. After initially making 45 staff redundant, the firm offered 30 staff the chance to switch to Edinburgh along with the office's 10 partners.

By Gerard Starkey

2 minute read

July 29, 2013 | International Edition

Hill Dickinson has sold its Chester office to Knights Solicitors for an undisclosed fee following a review of its UK-wide business. The move, which will see the transfer of four partners and 20 staff, is the first acquisition by the Knights since the James Caan-led private equity house Hamilton Bradshaw bought a stake in the firm in June 2012.

By Gerard Starkey

2 minute read

July 26, 2013 | International Edition

Irwin Mitchell has posted a 5.3% increase in revenue which has seen the firm breakthrough the £200m turnover milestone for the first time. For the 12-month period to 30 April, the firm saw revenues increase to £200.2m compared to £191.1m the previous year, while profits rose 3% to £19.1m. The boost in turnover and profits comes in a year which the firm converted to an alternative business structure (ABS). The firm also recently switched to reporting results on an accrual basis rather than cash in hand, to mirror its LLP filings with Companies House.

By Gerard Starkey

2 minute read

July 26, 2013 | International Edition

Burges Salmon has posted improved figures for both revenue and profits per equity partner for the 2012-13 financial year with increases of 4% and 1% respectively. Revenue for the 12-month period ending 30 April 2013 totalled £73.7m compared to the previous year's figure of £71m. Meanwhile, PEP nudged up slightly from £418,000 to £423,000 as net profit grew 4% over the course of the year to £23.5m to £22.6m.

By Gerard Starkey

2 minute read

July 25, 2013 | International Edition

Eversheds has taken a central role for Citibank on its move to become the first US bank to expand into Iraq. Citibank opened a base in Baghdad at the end of June after being granted approval by the Central Bank of Iraq, and now plans to open further offices in Erbil and Basra. An Eversheds team led by Iraq managing partner Tawfiq Tabbaa advised Citibank on all aspects of project, while the Central Bank of Iraq used in-house counsel.

By Gerard Starkey

2 minute read

July 25, 2013 | International Edition

Eversheds' management consultancy arm has set out plans to double its turnover in the next two years after seeing a 100% year-on-year increase over the last financial year. Eversheds Consulting, which was launched in September 2010, has posted turnover of £5.6m for the last financial year – double the amount taken in by the business during 2011-12. The firm's stated aim is to increase income to £10m by 2015. The consulting division advises in-house teams on a range of issues including efficiency, record management, compliance and strategic reviews.

By Gerard Starkey

3 minute read

July 25, 2013 | International Edition

Addleshaw Goddard and Hogan Lovells have won work on a major rail deal that has seen the Department for Transport (DfT) place a £1.2bn order for 270 new high-speed trains for the East Coast Main Line. The DfT last week awarded the contract to Agility Trains, a joint venture between Hitachi Rail Europe and John Laing Investments, as part of its Intercity Express Programme (IEP) to upgrade the UK's rail system. The carriages will be manufactured at Hitachi's new factory in County Durham, with the deal coming after the DfT last year agreed an initial £4.5bn order with Agility.

By Gerard Starkey

2 minute read

July 24, 2013 | International Edition

DLA Piper is overhauling its management in the northwest as the firm moves to dismiss ongoing speculation over the future of its Manchester base. Manchester head David Gray, who also leads the firm's UK litigation and regulatory group, is stepping down on 31 December after four years as office manager, and will be replaced by finance and projects partner Liam Cowell.

By Gerard Starkey

3 minute read

July 24, 2013 | International Edition

Media firm Wiggin and Guilford's Stevens & Bolton have both scored roles on the £40m purchase of sports data company Opta by digital rights business Perform Group. The acquisition of Opta, well-known as a statistics provider for the Barclays Premier League, will see Perform strengthen its position as a provider of sports content to the media and betting sectors.

By Gerard Starkey

2 minute read