Pui Guan Man

January 17, 2013 | International Edition

The closely-watched ruling in the case of a British Airways (BA) employee who was ordered to stop wearing a cross at work has been met with broad approval from lawyers, with the high-profile case raising important questions about how employers handle the religious beliefs of their staff. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) this week ruled that BA had discriminated against check-in worker Nadia Eweida, who was sent home without pay for several months in 2006 after refusing to conceal or remove her cross.

By Pui-Guan Man

5 minute read

January 17, 2013 | International Edition

Slaughter and May is overhauling its associate appraisal system in a move which will usher in merit-linked pay for the firm's more senior lawyers. The firm is not breaking with associate lockstep, but will have two salary bands available to lawyers from 4.5 years post-qualification experience (PQE) to partner - 'good' (where the majority will sit) and 'exceptional'.

By Pui-Guan Man

3 minute read

January 16, 2013 | International Edition

Farrer & Co has become the latest in a string of firms to announce job cuts, kicking off a redundancy consultation which will affect 12 staff. The review, first reported today on RollOnFriday, will cover one fee earner role, along with two professional support lawyers, three secretaries and six business services staff.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 16, 2013 | International Edition

Irwin Mitchell has confirmed the hire of a 14-strong team from DLA Piper's Manchester arm, following the news last year that the firm was set to take on a quartet of DLA real estate partners from the office. DLA Manchester real estate chief Anita Weightman, former office managing partner Roy Beckett and property partners Patrick Duffy and Tony Weightman will take up their new roles at Irwin Mitchell on 1 February.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 15, 2013 | International Edition

CMS Cameron McKenna has launched a review of its business which puts 40 UK roles at risk of redundancy, including 26 lawyers. The firm announced the review, which covers its business in the UK and CEE, to staff this morning (15 January), with the review including a proposal to cut 40 roles from the UK business.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 15, 2013 | International Edition

Addleshaw Goddard is set to boost its presence in the Middle East with the launch an office in Oman after recruiting two Trowers & Hamlins partners. The launch will mark the firm's second presence in the region alongside its base in Dubai, which opened in September last year.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 14, 2013 | International Edition

Baker & McKenzie has successfully challenged the proposed €5.2bn (£4.3bn) takeover of delivery giant TNT Express by United Parcel Service (UPS), which has collapsed after the European Commission moved to block the deal. FedEx challenged the merger on competitive grounds after UPS's bid was announced in early 2012, with the European Commission subsequently opening an investigation into the proposed deal in July.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 14, 2013 | International Edition

Italy's Bonelli Erede Pappalardo, White & Case and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have scored roles on Italian insurance company Generali's €2.5bn (£2bn) acquisition of a 49% stake in Generali PPF Holding (GPH) in Central and Eastern Europe. Generali, Europe's third-largest insurer after AXA and Allianz, will acquire the remaining stake in the joint venture from Czech company PPF in two phases, taking over 25% in March 2013, with the remaining 24% by the end of 2014.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 14, 2013 | International Edition

Nabarro's highest-paid partner took home £486,000 for the 2011-12 financial year, according to accounts recently filed with Companies House. The figure is marginally up on the top 2010-11 figure of £484,000, after a year in which the firm also saw increases in other key metrics.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 10, 2013 | International Edition

KPMG has entered into talks with the founders of the groundbreaking legal social mobility venture PRIME, which could see the big four auditor forge an equivalent model for the accountancy profession. The company is in early stage discussions with Allen & Overy (A&O), one of the founders of PRIME, about the work experience-focused programme, which was launched by 23 law firms in September 2011 in a bid to increase diversity and access to the legal profession.

By Pui-Guan Man

4 minute read