Suzi Ring

November 30, 2010 | International Edition

Law Society international head Alison Hook is set to leave after nearly a decade with the representative body. Hook is leaving the Law Society at the end of the year to pursue her own legally-related independent project. Her replacement is yet to be confirmed. She has been head of the international division since starting at the Law Society nine years ago, prior to which she worked at the European Commission and Foreign and Commonwealth office.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

November 30, 2010 | International Edition

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is gearing up to carry out a review of legal process outsourcing (LPO), as the number of firms using external outsourcing companies for legal work increases. The body is considering conducting a "thematic review" to identify issues or risks that warrant regulatory changes or additional supervision. The prime focus for the SRA is to ensure that outsourcing legal work to an external provider does not absolve the law firm of responsibility for the matter outsourced.

By Suzi Ring

3 minute read

November 30, 2010 | International Edition

Swedish independent Magnusson is set to open an office in Helsinki next year as part of its strategy to expand its presence in the Baltic region. The office will open on 1 February 2011 and is expected to house around 10-12 lawyers, including five partners still to be confirmed.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

November 29, 2010 | International Edition

Davies Arnold Cooper (DAC) has set up an association in Chile through an alliance with local firm SegurosLex, with a view to a future merger deal. The formal alliance, which went live today (29 November), gifts the firm its third presence in Latin America. The firm set up an association with Brazilian firm JBO Advocacia in September this year after launching an office in Mexico City in 2003.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

November 29, 2010 | International Edition

Garrigues is set to close its office in Romania as the firm moves to centralise its Central Eastern European (CEE) practice in Poland. The Bucharest office will split off from the Spanish firm by the end of the year, while maintaining a 'best friends' agreement involving clients referrals where appropriate. The news follows the addition of two new partners to Garrigues' Warsaw arm this month, with White & Case capital markets associate Filip Urbaniak and CMS Cameron McKenna corporate senior associate Piotr Sitarski both joining the firm's partnership in Poland.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

November 26, 2010 | International Edition

Clifford Chance (CC) has appointed Singapore managing partner Geraint Hughes to head its India group after the previous post-holder, Chris Wyman, retired from the firm last month. Wyman, who spent 25 years as a banking partner with CC, had been seconded to CC's local best friend firm AZB & Partners in Mumbai for the last 16 months in a bid to tighten links with the firm.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

November 26, 2010 | International Edition

Appleby has hired a new deputy general counsel as the firm moves to separate the roles of general counsel and managing partner for the first time. Mike Ellis has joined the firm from GlobeOp Financial Services, where he was head of legal and compliance for Europe and company secretary. He will take up the GC role at Appleby after a short transition period, at which point the newly-created deputy GC role will disappear.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

November 26, 2010 | International Edition

Four of Australia's largest law firms have lined up on the A$6.7bn (£4.2bn) listing of rail company QR National, marking the second-largest initial public offering (IPO) ever seen in the country. Allens Arthur Robinson advised the Queensland Government with a team including infrastructure partner John Greig, M&A partners Erin Feros, Kylie Brown and Stuart McCulloch and energy partner Grant Anderson.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

November 25, 2010 | International Edition

Middle East firm Al Tamimi & Company has recruited a Clyde & Co City partner as its new regional head of arbitration. Litigation partner Paul Turner is set to join the UAE firm in January 2011, and will take responsibility for the dispute resolution practice across Al Tamimi's 10 offices. At Clydes he specialises in major cross-border disputes across the Middle East, with a focus on Iraq, Iran and Libya.

By Suzi Ring

2 minute read

November 25, 2010 | International Edition

Partners at leading Canadian law firms are predicting further tie-ups between local firms and international outfits in the wake of Norton Rose and Ogilvy Renault's merger earlier this month. Senior partners at some of the country's top firms have come out in favour of the union, which will see Ogilvy formally join the Norton Rose Group alongside South Africa's Deneys Reitz on 1 June 2011.

By Suzi Ring

3 minute read