Mark Goddard

June 04, 2009 | International Edition

Fulbright & Jaworski has secured its first lateral partner hire in London for more than a year, with the US firm bringing in McGrigors competition head Rod Lambert. Lambert joins the disputes practice in Fulbright's City arm.

By Mark Goddard

2 minute read

June 04, 2009 | International Edition

British Energy general counsel Robert Armour has resigned after 20 years with the company, as the organisation nears the end of an overhaul of its legal function in the wake of its takeover by EDF. Armour has been replaced by British Energy's former head of legal Jean MacDonald, who becomes general counsel and company secretary at the newly-merged EDF Energy.

By Mark Goddard

2 minute read

June 04, 2009 | International Edition

Field Fisher Waterhouse has named corporate partner Nicholas Thompsell as its new senior partner following a contested election. Thompsell saw off competition from dispute resolution partner Stephen Gibbs to replace Jon Fife in the role.

By Mark Goddard

2 minute read

June 04, 2009 | International Edition

Dorsey & Whitney has bolstered its City corporate practice with the hire of Addleshaw Goddard partner Matthew Doughty. Doughty, who is set to start at the US firm's London office later this month as a partner in the corporate team, joins the Minneapolis-headquartered firm after only two years with Addleshaws. He previously worked in the London office of O'Melveny & Myers.

By Mark Goddard

2 minute read

June 04, 2009 | International Edition

Taylor Wessing has appointed corporate partner James Robertson as one of its three divisional directors, handing him a seat on both the UK and international management boards. Robertson took up the new post at the beginning of this week (1 June), taking over Tim Eyles' former responsibility for the division, which includes the corporate, commercial & projects practice, as well as practices such as private client, tax & incentives, employment & pensions, private equity and financial institutions.

By Mark Goddard

2 minute read

June 04, 2009 | International Edition

Pinsent Masons and Salans have launched a strategic alliance, with Pinsents set to pull out of its international network, PMLG, as a result. The tie-up, which went live earlier this week (1 June) after months of discussion, will see the firms conducting joint pitches for cross-border work and committing to joint training and secondments in a bid to access new clients and boost their international scope.

By Mark Goddard

3 minute read

June 04, 2009 | International Edition

After a succession of senior departures from its Paris office, Dewey & LeBoeuf has moved to plug the gap for its French managing partner with a three-partner management committee. The firm lost its Paris managing partner in April when firmwide international arbitration co-head Eric Schwartz left the position to launch a French base for US rival King & Spalding.

By Mark Goddard

2 minute read

June 04, 2009 | International Edition

Simmons & Simmons has incorporated its Middle East and Japanese practices into a limited liability partnership (LLP) structure ahead of plans to launch a UK LLP. Simmons, the only top 10 City law firm aside from Slaughter and May not to have adopted the structure, registered Simmons & Simmons Middle East LLP and Simmons & Simmons Japan LLP at Companies House on 22 April.

By Mark Goddard

2 minute read

June 04, 2009 | International Edition

Eversheds has expanded its international presence into Mauritius and Albania after adding two new offices to its Eversheds International network. The firm has opened an office in Mauritius, through South African Eversheds International member firm Routledge Modise, and an office in Albania through Italian arm Eversheds Piergrossi Bianchini.

By Mark Goddard

2 minute read

June 04, 2009 | International Edition

If the general message from hard-pressed clients is that they are expecting real ground on costs this year from advisers, research from Legal Week suggests that the message is getting through to private practice. General information on billing policies from the UK's 10 largest law firms by revenue, reveals that at least half of the group have put in effect blanket freezes in charge-out rates this year with DLA Piper, Herbert Smith, Eversheds and Ashurst all confirming they have put benchmark rates on hold.

By Mark Goddard

5 minute read