Sofia Lind

October 22, 2010 | International Edition

SJ Berwin has elected its new managing partner, with corporate partner Rob Day set to take the helm next month (1 November). Day, who was the favourite to take the top job, saw off competition from fellow corporate partner Perry Yam to win the final vote, which closed earlier today (22 October). The third candidate for the post, London litigator Hilton Mervis, was eliminated in a first round of voting that closed last week.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

October 22, 2010 | International Edition

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has launched the final consultation in its fundamental overhaul of the way it regulates solicitors and law firms. The regulator issued a paper yesterday (21 October) setting out a unified regulatory handbook that will apply to both traditional law firms and alternative business structures (ABS) from 2011.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

October 21, 2010 | International Edition

The Bar Standards Board has appointed a new director with Vanessa Davies to take on the role in December. Davies will replace Mandie Lavin in the top position at the Bar regulator after two years in the role for Lavin. Davies's appointment is for an unfixed term. Davies, a non-practising barrister, will join following a spell as director of operations at legal aid charity Refugee and Migrant Justice, where she was responsible for professional training, standards and compliance for accredited paralegals and caseworkers, as well as solicitors and barristers.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

October 21, 2010 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) has overhauled the management of its global antitrust group with the introduction of new managing partner and chair roles for the practice. London-based competition partner Oliver Bretz will take on the managing partner role while Brussels partner Thomas Vinje becomes the firm's new practice chair.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

October 20, 2010 | International Edition

Simmons & Simmons has told its partners that a transatlantic tie-up remains an option for the firm, despite the breakdown of merger discussions with Mayer Brown earlier this year. The UK top 15 law firm's management used its annual partner weekend earlier this month (9-10 October) to stress that while a US merger is not a key strategic target, management at the firm still considers it a possibility.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

October 20, 2010 | International Edition

Do you tweet? Among journalists the answer is becoming a given, but among City lawyers the question may be considered a little less relevant. Not so, say a host of web-literate legal advisers and in-house counsel.

By Sofia Lind

10 minute read

October 20, 2010 | International Edition

Nabarro has moved to replenish its financial services advisory capacities with the hire of SJ Berwin partner Adrian Brown. Brown is joining the top 30 City law firm in December to head the financial services regulation group. He will replace Rob Moulton in the role, who is leaving next month to join Ashurst as a partner.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

October 20, 2010 | International Edition

Lloyds Banking Group has finalised its new-look legal panel, with a raft of City names winning spots on the first combined legal adviser roster since Lloyds TSB sealed its takeover of HBOS in January 2009. Firms understood to have been appointed include regular HBOS adviser Allen & Overy (A&O) and longstanding Lloyds counsel Linklaters, with Clifford Chance (CC), Hogan Lovells, SNR Denton, Norton Rose, Herbert Smith, Ashurst, Mayer Brown, Eversheds and CMS Cameron McKenna among the other firms appointed to the roster.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

October 20, 2010 | International Edition

City partners are generally upbeat about the year ahead despite a dip in overall confidence levels as the full extent of UK Government spending cuts begins to emerge, according to Legal Week research. Legal Week's quarterly business confidence survey, which canvasses senior lawyers on their outlook for the year ahead, found that nearly three-quarters (74%) of partners expect revenues at their own firm to grow over the next 12 months, with more than four in five (83%) expecting revenues across the top 50 as a whole to increase.

By Sofia Lind

4 minute read

October 20, 2010 | International Edition

Simmons & Simmons has overhauled its recruitment process, extending elements in a bid to better filter applicants. Applicants will now visit the firm twice as part of the initial recruitment process but will only be interviewed by a fee earner if they pass a first-round assessment consisting of a number of written tests, including a newly-added psychometric testing element.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read