Sofia Lind

April 21, 2011 | International Edition

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is set to begin a major review of the regulation of UK law firms' overseas activities as the body moves to establish the scope of its extra-territorial powers. Speaking at Legal Week's Future of Legal Services Forum last week (14 April), ex-Linklaters partner and SRA City law adviser Nick Eastwell said that the review of law firms' international activities would begin later this year.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

April 21, 2011 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) is attempting to position itself as the top law firm for advice on post-financial crisis regulatory issues with a new partner training scheme. The firm has launched a firmwide education scheme, dubbed 'Sea of Change', which will see all client relationship partners trained to provide regulatory advice to clients, including those who are not part of the firm's specialist regulatory group. The programme, which is being led by managing partner David Childs and co-ordinated by London managing partner David Bickerton, will see the firm roll out internal training on recent global regulatory developments, with a particular emphasis on financial services.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

April 21, 2011 | International Edition

Officially, the Vickers report on UK banking reform was met with the cold shoulder by City lawyers last week but, in many ways, the initial proposals seemed an ideal outcome for banking advisers. The Independent Commission on Banking (ICB) was set up by the coalition Government last year to examine reforms to reduce systemic risk in the banking system and "to investigate the complex issue of separating retail and investment banking in a sustainable way". Despite being billed as considering radical steps to tackle the excesses of banking, the ICB's initial recommendations were widely viewed as modest, leading the share price of a number of large UK banks to rise on the day of their announcement on 11 April.

By Sofia Lind

4 minute read

April 20, 2011 | International Edition

SNR Denton is reviewing the focus of its UK business as part of a push to boost profitability, with profits per equity partner (PEP) at the firm's UK arm expected to drop by more than a third this year. The newly-merged law firm is reviewing the practice and sector focus of its UK limited liability partnership (LLP) as it attempts to shore up revenues and profits going into the new financial year.

By Sofia Lind

3 minute read

April 20, 2011 | International Edition

SNR Denton has announced its UK LLP partner promotions, with eight to be made up in the EMEA region in the largest promotions round since 2008. All bar one of the new partners are based in the firm's London office, with the exception based in Doha.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

April 15, 2011 | International Edition

Bird & Bird has made up just two partners in a significantly diminished partner promotions round for the firm. Both of the new partners are based in the firm's City HQ and are both female. Sophie Eyre, a member of the international dispute resolution group who joined the firm via its merger with City boutique Lane & Partners in 2008, and corporate lawyer Helen Gavin-Brown, who has worked at the firm for six years, will join the partnership as of 1 May.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

April 15, 2011 | International Edition

SNR Denton is set to lose advocacy chief and former deputy chairman Rory McAlpine to the London arm of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, it has emerged. McAlpine was part of the small group of senior partners from the legacy Denton Wilde Sapte that negotiated the firm's transatlantic merger with US firm Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, which went live in September last year.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

April 14, 2011 | International Edition

CMS Cameron McKenna has won the lead role for Royal Mail on its largest transaction since cutting down its legal panel to just three firms at the end of last year. The UK top 15 law firm advised Royal Mail on an agreement to extend its facilities management contract with joint venture (JV) company Romec for a further 10 years, with the deal worth up to £1.8bn.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

April 14, 2011 | International Edition

Torus Insurance has appointed its first global general counsel after sealing the hire of the US deputy general counsel of rival insurance company Chartis, Jose Ramon Gonzalez. The hire marks the first-ever general counsel appointment for the insurer, which said that it has brought in the role in response to the increasing number of regulatory requirements facing the insurance industry in the wake of the financial crisis.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

April 14, 2011 | International Edition

Hire part of practice shake-up as asset finance gets strategic focus

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read