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International Edition

DAC Beachcroft secures alliances with Colombia and Malaysia firms

DAC Beachcroft has boosted its international footprint after sealing two associations with firms in Colombia and Malaysia. The Colombia deal with De La Torre & Monroy, which is top-ranked by Chambers and Partners for insurance work in the Southeast Asian country, is an extension of the Botoga-based firm's existing relationship with legacy Davies Arnold Cooper, with which Beachcroft merged in 2011.
2 minute read

International Edition

Eversheds names new Singapore chief as former head leaves firm

Eversheds has appointed arbitration and disputes partner Oommen Mathew to lead its Singapore office, following the departure of former head Desmond Ong. Mathew, who joined Eversheds in 2009 after starting his career at top Singapore firm Allen & Gledhill, also heads up Eversheds' Southeast Asian dispute resolution practice. His new official title will be Singapore managing director.
2 minute read

International Edition

Confusion will reign unless Government clarifies terms used in DBA regulations

From the beginning of April, for the first time, lawyers will be able to conduct litigation before the English courts in return for a share of any damages. The introduction of contingency fees, or damages-based agreements (DBAs) as they are now called, was recommended in Lord Justice Jackson's final report in January 2010 and is being implemented by section 45 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. Lord Jackson favoured the introduction of contingency fees in part because he considered it desirable that as many funding methods as possible should be available to litigants. He also saw particular force in the freedom of contract argument: if the client wishes to enter into a contingency fee agreement with their lawyer, they should be free to do so. We agree, but it seems that the new regime will be hampered from the outset by unnecessary complexity and confusion. On 23 January, just over two months before the legislation is due to come into force, the Government published the draft Damages-Based Agreements Regulations 2013, which set out the requirements a DBA must meet in order to be enforceable.
6 minute read

International Edition

HSF names new China managing partner as Tortoishell steps down

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has appointed Hong Kong arbitration partner Justin D'Agostino as its new Greater China managing partner. D'Agostino will replace Andrew Tortoishell in the role from 1 May, ahead of Tortoishell's retirement from the HSF partnership on 30 June 2013. D'Agostino has acted as counsel and advocate before tribunals in Hong Kong, London, Singapore, Beijing, Bangkok, Zurich, and The Hague, including a role for Grand Pacific Holdings Limited in its high-profile and successful appeal against a decision by the Hong Kong Court of First Instance.
2 minute read

International Edition

Herbert Smith among trio of firms to win approval for Korea launches

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has become one of the latest three foreign law firms to receive approval from Korea's Ministry of Justice to open an office in Seoul, taking the total number of approved licence applications in the country to 16. HSF joins US firms Greenberg Traurig and McKenna Long & Aldridge winning licences, with the trio the first to be granted approval to launch so far this year, after DLA Piper was given the go-ahead to set up shop in December.
4 minute read

International Edition

Squire Sanders makes up UK quartet in eight-strong partnership round

Squire Sanders has promoted four UK-based lawyers to its partnership this year, comprising half of the firm's total partner promotions round. In London, pensions specialist Carol Dick, employment senior associate Supinder Sian and intellectual property lawyer Florian Traub are all due to join Squires' partnership on 1 May.
2 minute read

International Edition

Freshfields arbitration chief retires as competition partner heads for OFT

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has seen the departure of high-profile international arbitration head Jan Paulsson, as competition partner Andrea Gomes da Silva prepares to take up a nine-month secondment at the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). Paulsson, who joined the firm in 1989 and has been the head of Freshfields' international arbitration group for around 20 years, is top-ranked by Chambers and Partners for global arbitration and public international law.
2 minute read

International Edition

Hong Kong ramps up litigation focus with construction of new 'mega court'

Hong Kong's litigation facilities are set for a significant upgrade with the construction of a new 'mega court', as part of a government drive to meet the growing demand for court services in the region. The court will be located inside a new HK$2.7bn (£234m) development known as the West Kowloon Law Courts Building (WKLCB), which is due for completion in 2015 after construction began last year.
3 minute read

International Edition

Access to the Bar

Recent measures to drive the public towards approaching barristers directly have met with a mixed reaction, both among potential law firm rivals and at the Bar. Helen Mooney reports
1 minute read

International Edition

Solicitor advocates turn back on the silk road as applications for QC status dwindle

"Since 2006, just 13 solicitors have been named as QCs in the annual appointment rounds. Applications by solicitors are equally low, with two being made in each of the past two years – the lowest rate since solicitors were first permitted to apply..."
6 minute read

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