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International Edition

Herbert Smith's Willis set to continue as managing partner

Herbert Smith's managing partner David Willis is set to continue in his term for another two years after standing unopposed. Willis' current term as managing partner comes to an end in April 2011 and he will now continue in the role until 2013 after no other candidates put themselves forward for election. The deadline for standing was yesterday (27 September).
2 minute read

International Edition

Bevan Brittan announces new round of layoffs with 26 jobs set to go

Bevan Brittan has launched a its third round of redundancies since 2008, with 26 jobs placed under threat. The national firm confirmed today (24 September) that it is starting a consultation process which could result in staff numbers being reduced by 26, with the layoffs evenly split between fee earners and PAs across a number of departments. The decision comes in the wake of the Government's cutbacks in public sector spending.
2 minute read

International Edition

CC partner trio enter senior partner race as firm gears up for election

Clifford Chance (CC) is set to kick off the first round of its senior partner elections in the coming weeks after three partners announced their intention to stand for the role. German M&A and corporate finance partner Daniela Weber-Rey has most recently entered the race, after City finance partner Malcolm Sweeting announced in an email to the firm's partnership last month (9 August) that he would stand for the position. The first candidate to emerge was London tax partner Jonathan Elman, who announced his intention to run earlier in the summer.
2 minute read

International Edition

Growing into it - the two kinds of managing partner

There are, generally speaking, two kinds of managing partner. The more effective version is marked by a few shared characteristics. Most strikingly, they will have a confidence-inspiring assuredness about them. This will be manifested in most dealings, but in particular in those with the leader's own partnership. Typically, this breed will have become highly adept at achieving that delicate calibration of positioning themselves far enough ahead of their partners to lead but close enough to bring them along.
3 minute read

International Edition

Hire, fire and hire again

Some people find silver linings in life's misfortunes. Me - I tend to find dark linings even when the news seems bright and cheery. Recently, there's been a flow of upbeat stories about increased retention rates at many firms, including a number of US firms giving out offers to 100% of their summer associates, including Latham & Watkins, Ropes & Gray and Shearman & Sterling.
3 minute read

International Edition

Eversheds begins fifth redundancy round with up to 100 jobs set to go

Eversheds has begun its fifth round of redundancies in two years, with up to 100 roles under review as the firm prepares to outsource back office functions to Accenture. A consultation process has already begun which could affect 100 jobs in finance and human resources across Eversheds' Birmingham, Cardiff and Leeds offices. Over the next 12 months, Accenture is likely to assume responsibility for Eversheds' HR support services and administration, general accounting functions, billing and collections, and business processes involved from procurement to payment.
3 minute read

International Edition

Trowers reviews associate roles in wake of public sector spending cuts

Trowers & Hamlins is considering making a number of redundancies following the Government's recent announcement on public sector spending cuts. Trowers confirmed that it is currently reviewing three or four associate roles in its public sector practice across the UK, but that it had not yet reached a final decision. The firm cited the Government's plans to cut public sector spending as the principal reason for the potential layoffs.
2 minute read

International Edition

Court ruling in A&O layoff dispute reopens debate over status of France associates

Allen & Overy (A&O) has been ordered to pay damages to a former Paris associate who was laid off last year as part of the firm's global redundancy programme. The magic circle firm declined to comment on the ruling, first reported on RollOnFriday, other than to state: "The court found in favour of the associate and the matter has now been settled."
2 minute read

International Edition

Forty-five future Halliwells trainees see training contracts cancelled

Forty-five Halliwells trainees who were due to start their training contracts during the coming year have had their offers terminated in the wake of the firm's asset sale. The trainees spread across three intakes in August this year and January and June 2011 were informed on Monday (19 July) that their training contracts have been cancelled. They will be able to reapply to the purchasing firms through the normal recruitment process, but with no guarantee of the original commitment being honoured.
2 minute read

International Edition

Time to take that unsexy job?

Last week, an article about alternative careers for out-of-work lawyers by a legal headhunter struck a nerve in the legal community. Katherine Frink-Hamlett's article in the New York Law Journal wasn't revolutionary - she suggested that the jobless consider careers in procurement, compliance and law firm administration - but it was practical and sobering.
3 minute read

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