Suzi Ring

February 28, 2011 | International Edition

Partners at DLA Piper and DLA Phillips Fox have voted in favour of a merger, with both firms now set to fully financially integrate on 1 May this year. The outcome, which was confirmed today (28 February) following a month-long voting process, will see DLA Piper's Australian best friend firm DLA Phillips Fox become part of the firm's international limited liability partnership.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 25, 2011 | International Edition

Norton Rose is to launch an office in Hamburg after hiring eight new partners from DLA Piper including Hamburg managing partner Klaus von Gierke. Von Gierke is set to join Norton Rose with a Hamburg team comprising corporate finance partners Ulf Liebelt-Westphal and Jens Suhrbier, energy partner Ludger Verfuerth, financial services partner Uwe Eppler and tax partner Frank Weberndoerfer.

By Suzi Ring

3 minute read

February 24, 2011 | International Edition

Divorcing couples will be required to attend a mediation awareness session before going to court under new protocols outlined by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) yesterday (24 February). From April this year, separating spouses planning to contest the terms of their divorce in court will first be required to consider mediation, in an effort to remove the backlog of cases and reduce court costs. The move will mirror the system already in place for separating couples granted legal aid.

By Suzi Ring

3 minute read

February 23, 2011 | International Edition

CMS Cameron McKenna, Barlow Lyde & Gilbert and Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) are among 18 firms to have been appointed to Australian insurer QBE's UK claims panel. The insurer has cut the roster down from 24 firms to 18, with 10 firms appointed to a core panel for England and Wales, three firms appointed for Scotland and Ireland and a further five firms selected for specialist advice.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 22, 2011 | International Edition

Property specialist firm Forsters has announced its annual partner promotions, with three lawyers made up to the partnership. The appointments, which are effective from 1 April, will take the total number of partners at the firm to 39. Tim Taylor has been promoted to partner and will now lead Forsters' planning practice, with current head Michael Cunliffe stepping down to take up a role as a consultant at the firm.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 22, 2011 | International Edition

Herbert Smith has appointed energy, resources and projects partner Stephen Murray as the new head of the firm's global oil and gas practice. Murray has taken up the role with immediate effect. The position has not been filled since former group head Paul Griffin left the firm to join Allen & Overy in May 2010.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 22, 2011 | International Edition

Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker has grown its Paris arm with the hire of five partners from Hogan Lovells and Proskauer Rose. The team includes Hogan Lovells Paris corporate head Pascal de Moidrey and Proskauer's local corporate chief Guillaume Kellner, both of who are joining Paul Hastings' corporate practice in the French capital. Hogan Lovells corporate partner Alexis Terray and counsel Edith Boucaya are also set to join the corporate team as partners, while Proskauer litigation partner Nicolas Faguer will join the US firm's Paris litigation practice.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 22, 2011 | International Edition

Nearly 60% of partners see relocating support teams to lower-cost regional centres in the UK or Europe as an attractive option, with even greater numbers predicting an increase in the number of law firms embracing 'near-shoring'. The results of Legal Week's latest Big Question survey show 59% of partners consider near-shoring to be either "very" or "considerably" attractive, with only 12% dismissing the concept altogether, claiming the saving is not worth the disruption.

By Suzi Ring

4 minute read

February 22, 2011 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) Tokyo partner James Jamison is joining Deloitte in China as national general counsel. Jamison is due to join Deloitte next month (7 March) to replace Peter Griffiths, who will step down this summer. He has been a litigation partner at CC since 2001, moving to Tokyo in 2008. He has also served as head of arbitration for the Asia-Pacific region since 2007.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

February 22, 2011 | International Edition

Eversheds has appointed a new office head in Leeds, as current post-holder Keith Froud prepares to take up a global role leading the firm's commercial practice. The firm has named regional employment chief Paul Cotton as the new head of the Leeds office, with effect from 1 May, when Froud takes up his new post. Cotton will continue to serve as local employment head as well as Leeds office head.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read