Pui Guan Man

January 10, 2013 | International Edition

Moves to establish an apprenticeship route to the profession have drawn considerable support from senior lawyers, despite fears that such candidates will struggle to compete with university-track practitioners. The latest Legal Week Big Question survey comes after news last month that BPP Law School is in talks to create a vocational job route, which could help non-traditional candidates qualify as solicitors.

By Pui-Guan Man

5 minute read

January 10, 2013 | International Edition

Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs has launched in Uganda as the firm continues its recent expansion across Africa. The firm has secured the launch via a takeover of local outfit Synergy Solicitors and Advocates. The office will be managed by Synergy corporate consultant Donald Nyakairu and will focus on energy, finance, telecoms, refining and infrastructure work.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 10, 2013 | International Edition

The Bar Council's BARCO initiative, which will allow barristers to handle all client money for the first time, has been given the green light by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The FSA approval will now see the initiative enter an interim phase involving a number of chambers, ahead of a full rollout in spring this year.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 09, 2013 | International Edition

Nabarro has cut back the number of trainee vacancies if offers by almost 30%, as the firm becomes one of the first of the UK top 50 to confirm its retention figures for this spring's qualifying intake. The firm has slimmed down the number of available training contracts to 25 for the July 2013 deadline, down from thirty-five on offer in July last year.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 08, 2013 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) antitrust partner Michael Reynolds has been appointed as the new president of the International Bar Association (IBA). Reynolds, who launched A&O's Brussels office in 1979, where he has since been based, will now hold the position for two years.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 07, 2013 | International Edition

The former secretary-general of the alliance between Herbert Smith, Stibbe and Gleiss Lutz, Olivier Clevenbergh, has teamed up with five partners from Benelux law firms to launch a new practice in Brussels. Clevenbergh, who was managing partner of Stibbe's Brussels arm from 2005 to 2011, has launched new firm Strelia with a team of partners including former Stibbe colleague Jean-Pierre Fierens, who was board chairman and Brussels litigation head at his former firm.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 04, 2013 | International Edition

DLA Piper has taken the lead role for Qatar-based news network Al Jazeera on its acquisition of former US vice president Al Gore's cable television channel Current TV. The US-based news channel was co-founded by Gore and and former Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison lawyer Joel Hyatt. The value of the deal was undisclosed but is widely estimated to be worth around $500m (£309m).

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 04, 2013 | International Edition

Erskine Chambers has added two silks to its ranks, with the moves coming as former chairman of the Bar Council and head of chambers, Michael Todd QC, has returned to full-time practice. The company law and commercial set has recruited Peter Arden QC and Raquel Agnello QC from Enterprise Chambers and 11 Stone Buildings respectively.

By Pui-Guan Man

2 minute read

January 03, 2013 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) and Slaughter and May have taken lead roles on a key legal publishing deal which has seen business information group Thomson Reuters acquire Practical Law Company (PLC). UK-based legal publisher PLC, which has more than 750 employees across its operations in London and New York, will become part of Thomson Reuters' legal product portfolio.

By Pui-Guan Man

3 minute read

January 03, 2013 | International Edition

SJ Berwin has sealed the appointment of former Dechert London head Steven Fogel as a non-executive director, marking the firm's second non-exec addition to its partnership board. Real estate specialist Fogel is the former senior partner of legacy Titmuss Sainer, which he led into its merger with Dechert in 2000, one of the first-ever transatlantic law firm tie-ups. He went on to serve as managing partner of the merged firm's City office.

By Pui-Guan Man

3 minute read