Legal Week

July 27, 2009 | International Edition

Taylor Wessing has formed a working party to monitor opportunities emerging from the Legal Services Act (LSA), with the group concentrating on radical reforms to allow external investment in law firms. The five-partner group includes financial institutions chief Tim Stocks, finance partner Peter Shepherd, real estate partner Adam Marks and intellectual property partner Niri Shanmuganathan and will be chaired by newly-elected managing partner Tim Eyles.

By Legal Week

2 minute read

July 27, 2009 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) has become the last magic circle firm to announce its partner promotions, with the firm making up 17 new partners worldwide. The promotions mark a 50% drop on last year when CC made up 35 to its partnership. The overwhelming majority of the appointments are in the firm's overseas offices, with just three London associates making the grade.

By Legal Week

3 minute read

July 27, 2009 | International Edition

"I lost my job as a junior finance litigator a few months ago. Since then I have been looking for work, but I have still not been able to find a new role. "I am now thinking about taking a year out to do either a Masters or voluntary work overseas. However, as I only have one year's PQE, part of me thinks that I should continue looking for work and gain more experience in commercial law before taking a 'career break'.

By Legal Week

2 minute read

July 27, 2009 | International Edition

Third six pupil Rebecca Vanstone on her longer than expected journey to tenancy. When I decided to start applying for a third six it was a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. Although I am constantly told how common it is for pupils to complete a third (or fourth, fifth, even sixth) six these days

By Legal Week

3 minute read

July 24, 2009 | International Edition

Garrigues has voted in new co-managing partners with Fernando Vives and Ricardo Gomez to take over at the helm on 1 September. Vives heads the firm's corporate and M&A practice, while Gomez is head of tax. The duo will replace co-managing partners Miguel Gordillo and Jose Maria Alonso, who have run the firm together since 2000.

By Legal Week

2 minute read

July 24, 2009 | International Edition

The Law Society has increased the practising certificate (PC) fee for 2009-10 by nearly 20%, citing rising regulation costs and falling numbers in the profession. Chancery Lane said the 18.6% rise in the cost of the PC to £1,180 was the result of one-off spending on the Legal Services Board (LSB) and the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) - bodies being created as part of the Legal Services Act. In addition, the Law Society said it had to make up for a projected 5% fall in practising certificate holders.

By Legal Week

3 minute read

July 24, 2009 | International Edition

Linklaters Spanish tax head has joined Herbert Smith's new Madrid office, becoming the fifth partner to make such a move in the last three months. Nicolas Martin joined Herbert Smith this week along with two associates. He had been a partner in Linklaters' Madrid office since 2001 when he joined the firm from KPMG.

By Legal Week

2 minute read

July 23, 2009 | International Edition

Having remarked last week that gender politics engages the legal profession like no other issue, former cabinet minister Alan Milburn (pictured) popped up on Tuesday (21 July) to prove me wrong with the publication of a report on social mobility and the professions, which concluded that the law, alongside other popular professions, is dogged by a persistent lack of social mobility.

By Legal Week

4 minute read

July 23, 2009 | International Edition

PYV Legal, Camerons and Hailsham Chambers assess the increasingly risky outlook for professional negligence.

By Legal Week

1 minute read

July 23, 2009 | International Edition

Lord David Neuberger has been appointed as the new Master of the Rolls, succeeding Lord Anthony Clarke. Neuberger will become the ninety-fifth Master of the Rolls on 1 October this year when Clarke joins the Supreme Court after a four-year term.

By Legal Week

2 minute read