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International Edition

Confidence grows as top firms see half-year revenues climb

Widespread year-on-year revenue growth across the UK's top law firms at the half-year point has helped drive business confidence among partners to its highest point in several years. Firms including Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters, Macfarlanes and Ashurst are all expecting to post a rise in H1 figures on last year as the impact of increased deal flow in the second half of the year starts to be seen.
4 minute read

International Edition

A question of confidence – partners start to cheer up as M&A shows signs of life

Top M&A lawyers are a red-blooded bunch and traditionally far more bullish than their conservative colleagues in other practice areas. So it has been pretty depressing to watch how subdued they have been over the past few years. Even once the worst of the crisis was over, few have been willing to stick their neck out beyond muttering about 'cautious optimism', the anaemic phrase that has become their post-crunch cliche of choice.
3 minute read

International Edition

BLP brings in consultancy to lead finance group review

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has enlisted an external consultancy to lead the review of its finance practice following the exit of group head Matthew Kellett last month. Former Clifford Chance managing partner Tony Williams, now of legal consultants Jomati, will oversee the review, which will focus on the structure of the department.
2 minute read

International Edition

Information overload: big data threatens business model of even the elite law firms

Law firms are increasingly turning to big data to extract more value from the thousands of briefs, memos, pleadings and legal records they produce every day, allowing them to develop a more joined-up approach between research, case workflow, pitch preparation and sales. But by changing the way they do business, law firms are also exposing themselves to a new set of threats and opportunities.
6 minute read

International Edition

HMRC appoints new GC as Inglese retires

Gill Aitken has been appointed as HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC's) General Counsel, succeeding Anthony Inglese. Inglese is retiring at the end of January after nearly six years as GC and over 38 years in the Government Legal Service. Aitken will take up the role from 1 February 2014.
2 minute read

International Edition

Field Fisher Waterhouse posts 7% increase in half-year revenue

Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) grew its revenue to £49.9m for the first half of the 2013-14 financial year, marking a 7% increase on the same period last year.Managing partner Michael Chissick (pictured) said the firm had seen a "pickup in economic activity", saying he was "chuffed" at the figures, which are the firm's best start to a year since 2008.
2 minute read

International Edition

Shoosmiths steps in for administration of Barratts shoes

Shoosmiths has taken the lead legal role on the administration of shoe retailer Barratts, the news of which was confirmed yesterday (11 November). The retailers' third administration in four years was prompted by difficult trading conditions and the collapse of talks over a £5m capital injection offer.
2 minute read

International Edition

Locke Lord comes to the plate in Blockbuster administration

Locke Lord has taken the headline legal role as DVD and video games rental company Blockbuster filed for administration for the second time this calendar year.
2 minute read

International Edition

Davis Polk's City office makes fourth English law lateral with Ashurst hire

Davis Polk & Wardwell has launched an English law finance practice in London with the appointment of Ashurst finance partner Nick Benham, who becomes the firm's tenth full time partner based in London.
2 minute read

International Edition

A thankless task – back office staff deserve more respect

With a string of high-profile mergers from Ashurst Australia to King & Wood Mallesons and SJ Berwin going live in recent months, it can be easy to forget the leg work done behind the scenes – much of which it is still going on – to push these deals over the line. What at partner level boils down to a tie-up of compatible practices takes a serious amount of work from support teams ranging from human resources to marketing and IT to align systems and processes and unite the firms.
3 minute read

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