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International Edition

Cadbury sweetens up legal team with 15 hires

Confectionary and soft drinks giant Cadbury Schweppes is overhauling its global legal function after hiring 15 new lawyers worldwide. Chief legal officer Hank Udow's initiative will see five new practice groups created within the department: procurement, competition, emerging markets, food safety and tax.
2 minute read

International Edition

Corporate Counsel: Rising stock

From its modern facade and enviable views across the City, it is hard to believe that the London Stock Exchange (LSE) began its life in a coffee shop. Yet the institution, which has weathered fires, two years of takeover speculation and a technological revolution during the course of its 300-year history, was formed after a gaggle of rowdy stock dealers sought refuge in a coffee house after being thrown out of the Royal Exchange.
6 minute read

International Edition

Amlin opts for Robinson as GC successor

Insurance giant Amlin has appointed former Lord Bissell & Brook partner Robert Robinson as its new general counsel. Insurance specialist Robinson joins the FTSE 250 company after two years as syndicate counsel at underwriting group Liberty Syndicate Management. He will take up the role in May.
1 minute read

International Edition

Lawyers scramble as Govt unveils surprise company law countdown

Corporate advisers and general counsel are on heightened alert after the Government last week fired the starting gun on the implementation of the controversial Companies Act, ushering in sweeping governance reforms later this year. The 28 February announcement from industry minister Margaret Hodge caught lawyers by surprise as the Government has committed itself to introducing some of the most contentious elements of the Act this October.
3 minute read

International Edition

Impatient clients aggravate long hours work toll, partners warn

Impatient clients are subjecting their advisers to unnecessary levels of stress and most are totally unconcerned about the number of hours they work, new research suggests. The latest Legal Week/EJ Legal Big Question survey, which comes as the debate regarding quality of life at top City firms intensifies, found that 56% of respondents felt under undue pressure from clients either 'all the time' or 'often'.
3 minute read

International Edition

EADS appoints Kleinschmidt as new general counsel

Peter Kleinschmidt has been appointed as general counsel of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), replacing outgoing incumbent Diane de Saint Victor. Kleinschmidt made the move to EADS from Airbus in 2005 and will now lead a team of 120 lawyers in Paris and Munich. He will also be in charge of EADS' worldwide legal function. Kleinschmidt was given the role after de Saint Victor left for Switzerland-based power and automation technologies company, ABB. Last October, Clifford Chance acted for EADS on the E2.75bn (£1.85bn) purchase of BAE Systems' 20% stake in Airbus.
1 minute read

International Edition

EMI reshuffles legal team

Music giant EMI reshuffled its legal team last month, promoting Chris Ancliff to the top legal job as veteran general counsel Charles Ashcroft stepped down from the role. Ashcroft, who had been general counsel at EMI for more than 10 years, said he was making the move for health reasons but would remain at the music group as company secretary.
2 minute read

International Edition

Bakers aces audition for BBC Trust role

Baker & McKenzie has scooped a prize place on the BBC's roster of advisers, being named as legal adviser to the BBC's new governing body, the BBC Trust. The appointment, which carries no fixed term, will see Bakers' City head of competition, Samantha Mobley, and public law partner Tom Cassells provide competition, public law and regulatory advice to the client. The firm will advise the Trust on fair trading policies and will also be consulted initiatives such as the BBC's proposed free-to-air digital TV satellite platform.
2 minute read

International Edition

Ex-McAfee GC indicted in share options scandal

Kent Roberts, the former general counsel of software giant McAfee, has been charged with fraud, becoming the third senior in-house lawyer to be indicted this year for misconduct relating to backdated share options. Roberts - who was accused of devising "a scheme to defraud by granting himself and others valuable in-the-money stock option grants" in a statement by the US Department of Justice - has been charged with seven counts of fraud between 2000 and 2002.
2 minute read

International Edition

C&I launches major fee benchmarking survey

The Commerce and Industry (C&I) Group is set to embark on an ambitious benchmarking survey of its membership as part of a bid to create a comprehensive picture of how commercial firms bill their clients.
2 minute read

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