London's lawyers may not have had as much of a break from work as they would like, but for those who managed to spend at least a little time away, here is a round-up of the biggest stories that broke during the Christmas and New Year holiday.

Reviews of lockstep models, general counsel hires and law firm profit growths and deficits were among the most important developments, while senior partner departures and team hires also took place.

A private equity partner at the centre of the Ocado contempt of court case has left the U.S. firm's London office.

Raymond McKeeve was once one of the U.K.'s best-known private equity lawyers, having worked at the likes of Linklaters and Kirkland & Ellis.

Clifford Chance's LLP accounts revealed that its pension deficit has continued to grow, as it grapples with one of the highest pensions deficits of any U.K. law firm. Earlier this year, the firm posted a 4.3% uptick in worldwide revenue to £1.693 billion.

Leading lawyers from Dentons, Herbert Smith Freehills, Travers Smith and others shared their 2020 visions with Law.com's Legal Week. Topics such as sustainability, well-being and a shift away from a purely economic driven model are high on their agenda.

Accounts for the Magic Circle firm reveal that profits for division among members grew by 10% in the most recent financial year. The growth follows a slump in the figure the previous year, when profits for division fell by almost £100 million.

Debevoise & Plimpton reviewed its compensation system but decided to leave its approach unchanged, according to presiding partner Michael Blair, who described it as a "fairly straightforward, seniority-based system". Some say Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton partners have also discussed their compensation model amid pressure from non-lockstep rivals.

A London Proskauer Rose partner is set to become the general counsel of private equity advisory firm Campbell Lutyens, where they will head up the global legal and compliance teams. The private equity outfit's former general counsel left the firm to join Sidley Austin in London in 2019.

And in another boost to law firm revenues, Eversheds Sutherland has posted strong financial results for its non-U.S. business, with its financials growing across the board. Its European offices saw the biggest growth, while the firm's operating profits also jumped.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner boosted its Paris office with the hire of 21 lawyers – including seven partners – from local French firm Franklin. The Paris office is now its third largest European base, according to the firm.