Legal Week

August 24, 2009 | International Edition

Burges Salmon is set to launch its second redundancy consultation this year, with 31 jobs under threat. The firm announced today (24 August) that up to 27 support roles could go following a business services staffing review which began in March. In addition, the firm is also consulting on four fee earner roles in its property practice as a result of the ongoing market slowdown. Both redundancy consultations will formally commence next week.

By Legal Week

2 minute read

August 24, 2009 | International Edition

"I recently secured a two-year training contract with a magic circle firm. Last year I completed the LPC, and I am currently taking a year out before starting my TC in September 2010. "However, I am starting to wonder whether I might not have been better taking the New York Bar (which you can do if you have a Law LLB) and then applying to a US law firm to become an associate. The pay would be three times the amount I would get in London, the New York Bar takes 3-4 months rather than the year-long LPC, I would get to live in New York, and I would not have to spend two years doing a training contract before becoming an associate.

By Legal Week

2 minute read

August 21, 2009 | International Edition

Bird & Bird has sealed an alliance with a Chinese intellectual property boutique as the City firm aims to strengthen its contentious capacity in the country. The UK top 20 firm's tie-up with Beijing-based Xiang Kun Law Firm will not be exclusive, but will see Bird & Bird refer the majority of its Beijing contentious work to the local firm.

By Legal Week

2 minute read

August 21, 2009 | International Edition

Herbert Smith has bolstered its Dubai arm with the relocation of London dispute resolution partner Stuart Paterson to the region. Paterson, who is set to relocate in September, will work closely with Dubai-based litigation partner Craig Shepherd and a team of seven associates in a bid to further strengthen the firm's disputes practice in the Middle East.

By Legal Week

2 minute read

August 21, 2009 | International Edition

Arsenal Football Club has appointed a former MTV general counsel as its first-ever in-house lawyer. Former MTV Networks Europe lawyer Svenja Geissmar will begin her new role as general counsel at the Premier League club on 21 September.

By Legal Week

2 minute read

August 21, 2009 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) is facing an employment dispute in Germany as two former salaried partners accuse the firm of unfair dismissal related to its recent partnership restructuring. The former partners left the magic circle law firm's Duesseldorf arm as part of its partnership restructuring, which was launched this spring. The duo have filed claims for unfair dismissal in the local labour courts claiming that, as non-equity partners, they were employees rather than shareholders, which would grant them additional protection under local law.

By Legal Week

2 minute read

August 21, 2009 | International Edition

Is Slaughters still the firm all magic circle partners secretly want to join? Only if they want to get past the firm's 'good cop, bad cop' interview process.

By Legal Week

10 minute read

August 21, 2009 | International Edition

An energetic mid-market player that divides opinion among the market over its uncompromising approach.

By Legal Week

13 minute read

August 21, 2009 | International Edition

Mike Francies casts a long shadow over the New York giant's City arm.

By Legal Week

13 minute read

August 20, 2009 | International Edition

Almost every woman we know - and a few men - are fans of Sex and the City. And those fans are going to be very jealous of their friends who work at Hogan & Hartson when Sarah Jessica Parker and crew come to the US firm's New York offices early next month to film part of the movie sequel.

By Legal Week

2 minute read