Jeremy Hodges

February 09, 2010 | International Edition

Lovells has retained 81% of its March intake of newly-qualified lawyers, with 26 of 32 applicants winning jobs at the City firm. The news marks a significant increase on September 2009's retention rate of 69%, when 36 trainees from a qualifying intake of 40 applied for a job at the firm, with a total of 25 taken on. Last March's intake saw a retention rate of 78%.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 09, 2010 | International Edition

K&L Gates has made its second lateral partner hire in as many weeks with the addition of finance lawyer Stephen Moller from Simmons & Simmons. Moller, who joined Simmons in 1994 and made partner in 1998, has a structured finance and banking practice focusing on real estate loans and acquisition finance facilities.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 08, 2010 | International Edition

Lovells and Hogan & Hartson have finalised their top-level management team, naming the international management committee that will drive the combined firm's strategy. Joint chief executives David Harris and Warren Gorrell will lead the Hogan Lovells committee, which will oversee all operations including client and business development, practice management and expansion.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 08, 2010 | International Edition

Unilever has appointed Tonia Lovell as its new chief legal officer and group secretary, replacing longstanding legal head Steve Williams. Williams will step down at the end of the year after 24 years at the company in a variety of roles.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 08, 2010 | International Edition

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) is to ditch its modified lockstep in favour of a merit-based pay system for the firm's partners. The overhaul will also affect associate salaries as the firm becomes the latest to move away a salary model based solely on post-qualification experience.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 05, 2010 | International Edition

White & Case has lost its 13th partner to Latham & Watkins, with Doha-based M&A specialist Andrew Macklin becoming the latest to switch between the two firms. Macklin, who made partner at White & Case in January 2009 after joining the firm in 2005, relocated to Doha in October last year to head up the US firm's new office in the region.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 05, 2010 | International Edition

Ashurst has secured a boost for its energy team with the hire of Centrica Energy & Europe general counsel Peter Roberts. Roberts will join the City firm's global energy team, which is headed up by Geoffrey Picton-Turbervill.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 05, 2010 | International Edition

Herbert Smith has elected James Palmer and Malcolm Hitching as its new global heads of corporate and finance respectively. Palmer, who stood uncontested, will replace Michael Walter, who has held the corporate role since 2005.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 04, 2010 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has launched a global investigations practice to advise multinational corporates on regulatory issues relating to corruption and financial reporting. The practice, which sits within the wider disputes group, will house 65 partners across 13 countries. It will be jointly led out of London and New York by litigation partners Geoff Nicholas and Adam Siegel respectively.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 03, 2010 | International Edition

Two of the City's leading law firms are preparing for a number of top-level changes, with Linklaters' global corporate head role and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's senior partner, managing partner and chief executive positions to be decided this year. Linklaters corporate chief David Barnes is to step down in April after five years in the role, with the magic circle firm expected to make a decision on his successor in the spring.

By Jeremy Hodges

4 minute read