Suzanna Ring

November 28, 2012 | International Edition

Twenty-four members of 4-5 Gray's Inn Square, including seven QCs, are set to join 39 Essex Street in a mass defection which represents nearly half the set. Confirmation of the departures comes after the two chambers announced they were in "advanced discussions" about a possible combination under one brand earlier this month.

By Suzanna Ring

3 minute read

November 27, 2012 | International Edition

The Bar Council is launching a new online pupillage application system which will allow chambers to tailor applications for the first time. The new system, called Pupillage Gateway, will launch next March when it will replace the existing process, called Pupillage Portal, which is run by graduate recruitment agency GTI.

By Suzanna Ring

2 minute read

November 22, 2012 | International Edition

Integreon is to start offering legal process outsourcing (LPO) in its London office, with the move the company's second into LPO in the UK so far this year. The company has space for 100 people to carry out LPO work in its existing London office, which is based in CMS Cameron McKenna's City arm. It will initially launch with a 65-strong team, adding to the existing back office support Integreon offers from London.

By Suzanna Ring

2 minute read

November 22, 2012 | International Edition

Herbert Smith Freehills has started taking on trainees in its Belfast legal support centre for the first time, with the firm offering some of its legal assistants training contracts in a bid to retain talent. Three legal assistants took up contracts with the firm in September, with more expected to do the same next year, depending on business needs.

By Suzanna Ring

2 minute read

November 15, 2012 | International Edition

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) is looking at outsourcing some of its back office and legal functions, with the launch of its own regional base one of the options under consideration. The top 20 UK law firm discussed outsourcing at its partner conference earlier this week (11-12 November), with partners asked to look at around 20 different regions – 15 of which are in the UK.

By Suzanna Ring

2 minute read

November 15, 2012 | International Edition

CPA Global is gearing up to launch new offices in mainland China and the US as part of a rapid expansion plan, following its $1.5bn (£941m) acquisition by private equity house Cinven in March. The legal services outsourcer (LSO) is set to open its first Chinese office in Shenzhen (pictured) in the coming months, with another office launch in Silicon Valley also planned to go live in January.

By Suzanna Ring

2 minute read

November 15, 2012 | International Edition

Herbert Smith Freehills and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have advised on the £200m London listing of an investment trust set up to support cancer charities. Freshfields acted for Battle Against Cancer Investment Trust (BACIT) with a team including London corporate partners Jonathan Baird, Guy Morton and Mark Watterson.

By Suzanna Ring

2 minute read

November 15, 2012 | International Edition

The number of barristers called to the Bar fell by nearly 20% in 2010-11 compared with the previous year, according to new research compiled by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and the Bar Council. The latest Bar Barometer report shows the overall number of barristers called to the Bar in 2010-11 fell to 1,494, down 19% on the 1,852 that formally joined the Bar in 2009-10.

By Suzanna Ring

3 minute read

November 12, 2012 | International Edition

Bar Council chairman Michael Todd QC has called for the Legal Services Board (LSB) to be "disbanded", citing support from Attorney General Dominic Grieve and new Justice Secretary Chris Grayling. Speaking at the annual Bar Council conference on Saturday (10 November), Todd said that the LSB was going "beyond its brief" as a regulator and trying to "shape the legal landscape".

By Suzanna Ring

2 minute read

November 09, 2012 | International Edition

LG has begun a redundancy consultation which is set to affect 18 individuals across the firm, covering both lawyers and support staff. The firm announced the consultation today (9 November), with the cuts attributed to an attempt to align "resources with what remains a difficult market".

By Suzanna Ring

2 minute read