When construction giant Carillion collapsed into administration, magic circle law firm Clifford Chance (CC) seemed an unlikely contender for salvaging parts of the wreckage.

Last week, however, the firm confirmed it was moving into Newcastle after snapping up Carillion's 60-strong paralegal centre to create its first UK-based legal services centre.

Initial reaction has been positive, with partners branding the deal "bold" and "imaginative", with CC seeing off competition from alternative legal services providers like Elevate to join the growing rank of City firms with lower-cost bases outside the capital.

Elevate had better luck with Hogan Lovells though, with the transatlantic firm striking a deal with the provider to launch a flexible lawyering programme, as firms continue to look at how best to meet client demands without adding to their fixed staffing costs.

Elsewhere, positive financial results from US firms are coming in thick and fast. White & Case showed the strength of its hand in the City, with its $328m London revenue meaning that its London office alone is bringing in almost enough to put it into the UK top 20 by turnover.

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