Suzi Ring

February 07, 2012 | International Edition

Kennedys is launching an apprenticeship scheme for school leavers in a bid to provide legal career opportunities for students without a degree. The scheme, which will go live in September, will offer students the chance to join the firm as a legal administrator on a starting salary of between £14,000 and £18,000 depending on location.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 07, 2012 | International Edition

Former Ince & Co partner Andrew Iyer has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) for fraud charges involving £3m of client money. The SDT judgment was based on four charges - that Iyer had failed to act with integrity, had compromised clients' best interests, had compromised the reputation of the profession and had created invoices for services not performed and/or expenses that had not been accrued.

By Suzi Ring

3 minute read

February 07, 2012 | International Edition

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has repaid a £18.6m debt used largely to refurbish its City premises and launch its Moscow operations, according to the firm's limited liability partnership (LLP) account. The 2010-11 accounts reveal that BLP moved from being £18.6m in debt in 2009-10 to £854,000 in credit last year, writing off all money owed on the upgrade of its Adelaide House premises and its Russia office launch.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 06, 2012 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) has been instructed to advise a group of judges fighting upcoming changes to their judicial pensions proposed as part of the Pensions Bill 2011. The magic circle firm has been asked to obtain quotes for legal advice for the action group from leading counsel.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 06, 2012 | International Edition

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has seen the amount of time devoted to pro bono and volunteering work by partners and employees fall by 11% over the last year, according to its 2010-11 corporate responsibility (CR) report. The firm dedicated 49,743 hours worth £8.79m to pro bono and volunteering activities according to the report - with the hours tally significantly down on 2010.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 06, 2012 | International Edition

The BBC, ITN and Sky News have called on Prime Minister David Cameron to push through new legislation allowing courtroom proceedings to be televised. In a joint letter sent today (6 February) the three broadcasters urge the Prime Minister to make "timely progress" by including the Bill lifting the prohibition on cameras in court in this May's Queen's Speech.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 06, 2012 | International Edition

CPA Global has appointed a new head of legal service outsourcing (LSO) following the departure of former LSO chief Leah Cooper. Cooper left the company in November last year for family reasons according to CPA, with the outsourcer's chief financial officer and head of India operations Anand Sharma replacing her as head of global LSO and intellectual property (IP).

By Suzi Ring

3 minute read

February 03, 2012 | International Edition

Herbert Smith has officially confirmed to staff that it is in merger talks with Australia's Freehills, issuing a note to all staff earlier this morning (3 February). The note from senior partner Jonathan Scott informs staff that an interesting opportunity has arisen in Australia, with the firm holding "exploratory talks" with Freehills about a possible link-up.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 02, 2012 | International Edition

LG and Hogan Lovells have advised on the sale of London's Sanderson Hotel and St Martins Lane Hotel to Middle Eastern investor Capital Hill Hotels for £192m. LG advised Capital Hill on the sale, with London corporate partner and hotel sector head Michael Lacey at the helm, alongside City real estate partner Malcolm Headley. The firm advised Capital Hill on the purchase, management agreements, asset management matters and its new bank facility.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 01, 2012 | International Edition

The implementation of Lord Justice Jackson's reforms of 'no win, no fee' conditional fee arrangements (CFAs) has been pushed back for six months until April 2013. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced the delay earlier this week (30 January), with the decision taken to allow law firms and legal businesses more time to prepare themselves for the implications of the changes.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read