Jeremy Hodges

March 15, 2010 | The Legal Intelligencer

Linklaters has been embroiled in a fresh controversy over the collapse of Lehman Brothers after a new report revealed that the bank relied on an opinion letter from the firm for a transaction that flattered its financial strength.

By Jeremy Hodges

3 minute read

March 25, 2010 | Law.com

Justice Secretary Jack Straw has announced a series of measures aimed at reforming U.K. libel laws and preventing "libel tourism." Planned reforms announced Tuesday and put forward by the Ministry of Justice's Libel Working Group include a measure intended to discourage foreign claimants from using English courts to make libel claims against non-EU publications that can be accessed in the U.K.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

May 14, 2010 | Law.com

SJ Berwin is set to pursue a U.S. merger with Proskauer Rose in a deal that would create a global top 30 law firm with combined revenues of more than �600 million. SJ Berwin's discussions are being led by a small team, including senior partner Jonathan Blake, managing partner Ralph Cohen and Paris managing partner George Pinkham. A brief statement was issued to SJ Berwin's partners late last week confirming the discussions, though the partnership so far has little detail.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

April 01, 2008 | Corporate Counsel

Broadcasting giant ITV has shaken up its in-house legal team and appointed a new head of compliance following the news that long-serving department head Ian McBride is to retire. Head of legal Andy Griffiths steps up to become group director of legal and regulatory compliance in a newly created role. Griffiths, who joined ITV's in-house legal team eight years ago and is a former media lawyer with London giant Lovells, will oversee compliance across ITV's entire portfolio of channels.

By Jeremy Hodges

1 minute read

August 14, 2008 | Law.com

Herbert Smith has won the lead role on the 13 billion pound ($24.3 billion) restructuring of its long-time client British American Tobacco. The proposed restructuring, along with a related secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, has been requested by luxury goods company Richemont and investment group Remgro. A team from Slaughter and May advised both Richemont and Remgro.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

June 01, 2008 | Corporate Counsel

Broadcasting giant ITV has shaken up its in-house legal team and appointed a new head of compliance following the news that long-serving department head Ian McBride is to retire.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

March 13, 2009 | New York Law Journal

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

October 22, 2009 | Law.com

One in three law firm managers expects to be involved in a merger or acquisition during the next year, according to joint research published by accountancy firm BDO and legal consultancy Jomati. The survey, which canvassed the opinions of management at 55 U.K. and international firms, reveals that two-thirds of law firms have been involved in some form of merger or acquisition talks during the past 12 months.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

February 26, 2010 | Law.com

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has become the first leading U.K. law firm to announce its associate salary rates for 2010, with the firm lifting the freeze on associate lockstep it put in place last year. The Magic Circle firm, which also led the market last year when it froze both pay levels and lawyers' progression through them, told staff Thursday that the freeze would be lifted at the start of the new financial year.

By Jeremy Hodges

2 minute read

June 20, 2008 | Law.com

The grim trends of plunging morale and droves of junior lawyers quitting the profession have been substantially reversed, according to Legal Week research that shows job satisfaction among U.K. associates is sharply rising. The survey found that three years of heavy investment, a stream of quality-of-life initiatives and a little help from the credit crunch have collectively made junior lawyers distinctly happier with their lot.

By Alex Novarese and Jeremy Hodges

3 minute read