Suzi Ring

July 19, 2011 | International Edition

Herbert Smith and Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) are among a raft of firms to have announced their September trainee retention rates this month. Herbert Smith is set to keep on 44 out of 55 of its newly-qualified lawyers (NQs) this autumn, equating to a retention rate of 80%, while BLP will see 95% - 19 out of 20 - of its trainees staying at the firm.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 19, 2011 | International Edition

Russia's Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners and leading CIS firm Magisters are set to merge, creating the biggest firm in the region. The merger, which was announced today, will create a law firm with combined revenues of around £101m and more than 300 lawyers - including 27 partners - with a launch date yet to be announced.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 19, 2011 | International Edition

Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) has hired Herbert Smith's Asia head of US capital markets John Moore for its Hong Kong office. Moore is set to join the US firm's local corporate and capital markets practice in the autumn after six years at Herbert Smith. It has not yet been decided who will take over from Moore as practice head.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 18, 2011 | International Edition

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert is set to take legal action against a group of aviation partners departing to join Holman Fenwick Willan. The eight-partner team, which announced its departure in March this year to join Holman Fenwick, comprises partner from Barlows' London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sao Paulo offices.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 15, 2011 | International Edition

News Corporation head Rupert Murdoch has alleged that one of his group's legal advisers, Harbottle & Lewis, made "a major mistake" in its part in an internal investigation into phone-hacking at the media mogul's newspaper business. Murdoch made the comments in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published today (15 July), citing "a major mistake" on the London law firm's part in an investigation carried out four years ago into the scale of phone-hacking at Murdoch's UK newspaper arm.

By Suzi Ring

4 minute read

July 15, 2011 | International Edition

Withers has announced its annual financial results, posting a 9% increase in turnover to take it over the £100m mark. The firm, which operates to a 30 June financial year, saw revenue rise to £100.8m in 2010-11 up from £92.7m in 2009-10, while profits per equity partner (PEP) fell 10% to £322,760, down from £357,300 the previous year.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 14, 2011 | International Edition

One of the law firms acting for alleged victims of the News of the World's (NoW's) phone hacking scandal has warned that many would have been unable to pursue their claims under changes set to come into effect through the Legal Aid Bill.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 13, 2011 | International Edition

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) and Gateley look set to enter Legal Week's 2010-11 rankings of the top 50 UK law firms by revenue. Gateley will make its debut in the table, which will be published in full in the next edition of Legal Week (21 July), on the back of a 23% hike in turnover to £63m, up from £51.2m in 2009-10.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 13, 2011 | International Edition

Mishcon de Reya has launched what is thought to be the first insurance policy in the UK to provide cover for legal costs in divorce proceedings should one party challenge a previously agreed prenuptial agreement. The law firm has teamed up with legal expenses insurer ARAG and independent broker Lansdowne Partners to offer its clients Protect Pre-Nup.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

July 13, 2011 | International Edition

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) is to bulk up its City real estate arm with the hire of Hogan Lovells partner Andrew Sanders, with the news coming as Charles Russell strengthens its corporate and commercial practice with a partner hire from BLP. Sanders is set to join BLP's commercial real estate practice after 12 years as a partner at Hogan Lovells, having joined legacy Lovells in 1999 from the partnership at DJ Freeman.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read