Sofia Lind

July 13, 2011 | International Edition

SJ Berwin has persuaded EU and competition head Stephen Kon to remain with the firm after he resigned last month to join Milbank Tweed 
Hadley & McCloy. Kon was voted into the Milbank partnership in mid-June alongside fellow competition partner Cameron Firth, but both partners subsequently retracted their resignations and opted to stay with the top 20 City law firm.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

July 11, 2011 | International Edition

Allen & Overy (A&O) has questioned aspects of allegations made by The Guardian that the law firm was 'conned' into handing over client files while acting for Gordon Brown, as claims continue to emerge in the phone-hacking scandal. An article published today (11 July) on the guardian.co.uk website alleged that the law firm was tricked into handing over details from the former Prime Minister's file by a conman working for a prominent newspaper, and also described A&O as Brown's "London lawyers", a claim which has since been amended.

By Sofia Lind

3 minute read

July 11, 2011 | International Edition

SNR Denton has asked its EMEA non-equity partners to contribute capital to the firm for the first time.The move, which came into effect at the start of the current financial year (1 May), has seen non-equity partners at legacy Denton Wilde Sapte asked to contribute between £10,000 and £20,000 each.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

July 08, 2011 | International Edition

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has made three new board appointments including the addition of a new lay member, as the organisation targets a non-lawyer majority on the board by the end of 2014. The appointments, which are made on a competitive basis by a committee with independent members and SRA and Law Society representation, have seen Professor Shamit Saggar, Independent Police Complaints Authority chief executive officer Jane Furniss and Olswang finance group head Moni Mannings (pictured) all added to the board.

By Sofia Lind

3 minute read

July 07, 2011 | International Edition

Simmons & Simmons has reported a small drop in fee income for 2010-11 to £243m, with profits per equity partner (PEP) dipping marginally to £460,000. The City firm's turnover is down 3% on last year's figure of £251m, with PEP seeing a drop of less than 1% from the 2009-10 figure of £461,000.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

July 06, 2011 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Clifford Chance (CC) have advised on Global Ports Investments' $534m (£333m) flotation on the London 
Stock Exchange. Freshfields took the lead role for the Russian terminal operator on its initial public offering (IPO) on the main London market, with the firm's team including London-based Sarah Murphy, co-head of the firm's international capital markets practice, as well as Moscow partner Dmitry Surikov and a team of associates in London and Moscow.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

July 06, 2011 | International Edition

Norton Rose is considering shaking up its partner remuneration structure, in a move that could make it one of the first leading City law firms to introduce merit-based pay for partners outside a US 
merger arrangement. The issue is one of the main matters on the agenda of Norton Rose's new-look partnership council, which met for the first time on 4 July after being reformed in preparation for the three-way merger with Canada's Ogilvy Renault and South Africa's Deneys Reitz, which went live on 1 June.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

July 06, 2011 | International Edition

Bird & Bird is relaunching its dedicated trade and customs practice with the hire of a partner from Steptoe & Johnson in London. The firm brought in Iain MacVay earlier this week (4 July), with the hire making MacVay the sole partner dedicated to the practice, following the departure of Amsterdam-based trade and customs partner Jasper Helder last year.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

July 06, 2011 | International Edition

The CMS law firm network is set to add member firms from outside Europe for the first time, in an overhaul of its international strategy. The nine-member network, which includes UK law firm CMS Cameron McKenna, has to date only comprised European members, but is now considering adding member firms in Turkey, Brazil and the US.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read

July 06, 2011 | International Edition

Bird & Bird has increased revenues once more in another year of growth for the expansive firm. The top 15 City firm increased total revenues by 6.3% to £214.6m over the 2010-11 financial year, while profits per equity partner (PEP) edged up marginally from £466,000 to £467,000. Net profit stood at £38.3m, up from £37.7m last year. The highest remunerated partner took home £778,000 while the lowest-paid partner earned £292,000.

By Sofia Lind

2 minute read