Try our Advanced Search for more refined results
Pulse UK
-
July 05, 2024
Class Of 2024: The Lawyers Trading Practicing For Legislating
More than 20 lawyers were elected to Parliament for the first time on Thursday, with most coming from the triumphant Labour Party, which won 412 seats out of 650.
-
July 05, 2024
Legal Teams' Costs Slashed By £253M In UK Dieselgate Case
Legal teams involved in unprecedented U.K "Dieselgate" vehicle emissions tests litigation had more than £250 million ($320 million) of their budgets slashed on Friday after a High Court judge ruled that the estimated costs were "out of all proportion".
-
July 05, 2024
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London
This past week in London has seen collapsed sports television company Arena Television hit Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Bank with a claim, James Vorley, the Deutsche Bank metals trader convicted of fraud, sue his former employer, and journalist John Ware file a defamation claim against Pink Floyd band member Roger Waters and Al Jazeera Media Network. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.
-
July 05, 2024
Barrister Struck Off After Buying Drugs From Clients
A tribunal has disbarred a barrister who spent 14 months in prison after he was convicted of buying crystal meth from his drug dealer clients.
-
July 05, 2024
Matrix KC Richard Hermer Tapped For Attorney General
Matrix Chambers' human rights barrister Richard Hermer KC will serve as the U.K.'s attorney general in a surprise appointment from newly-elected Prime Minister Keir Starmer late Friday.
-
July 05, 2024
Signature Litigation Partner Elected To ICC
An international arbitration partner at Signature Litigation has been elected to the International Chamber of Commerce to represent Ethiopia for the next three years.
-
July 05, 2024
Armstrong Teasdale To Leave UK, Close 2 US Offices
Armstrong Teasdale LLP's managing partner said the firm "will likely no longer have a direct physical presence in the U.K. or Europe" as it ceases future financial support for its U.K. subsidiary, while aiming to wrap up business in Boston and Salt Lake City by the end of September.
-
July 05, 2024
Shabana Mahmood Named Labour's New Justice Secretary
Prime Minister Keir Starmer named former barrister Shabana Mahmood as the Labour government's new justice secretary on Friday following a sweeping victory in the U.K. general election.
-
July 05, 2024
Ex-Bird & Bird Partner Can't Ax Sexual Misconduct Case
A former Bird & Bird LLP partner lost his fight at a tribunal on Friday to strike out a sexual misconduct case over allegations he harassed two junior female colleagues.
-
July 04, 2024
Labour Gov't Spells Big Changes For Legal Industry
The Labour Party's election victory on Thursday after 14 years in opposition is expected to bring significant changes to the legal industry, with plans for major employment law reforms poised to create headaches for law firms even as changes in tax and labor policy could spur more work in the short term.
-
July 04, 2024
Labour Sweeps Tories From Power In UK Election Rout
Keir Starmer was poised to become Britain's next prime minister on Friday after his Labour Party ousted Rishi Sunak's Conservatives in a landslide general election victory, ending 14 years of Tory government with a pledge of "national renewal."
-
July 04, 2024
Freeths Says Funder's Loan Negligence Claim Is Time-Barred
Freeths LLP has hit back at a professional negligence case brought by a litigation-funder, arguing that it waited too long to claim that the law firm left the owner of a quarrying business liable to repay a £250,000 ($320,000) loan.
-
July 04, 2024
Lawyer Heckled Secretary With Sexist Remarks, Tribunal Says
A former legal secretary has won her sexual harassment claim against her former firm in an English tribunal after the panel ruled that its leading solicitor had made her distressed, including by telling her he had found a condom used by his partner's paramour.
-
July 04, 2024
Eversheds Weighs Shuttering Beijing Office Amid KWM Deal
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP said on Thursday that it is weighing up the potential closure of its Beijing office, but stressed that it has yet to make a final decision.
-
July 04, 2024
Lender Hits Elite Law For £1.9M Over Alleged Loan Breach
A lender has sued Elite Law Solicitors after it allegedly failed to spot that its client was a fraud and did not secure necessary protections over a £1.9 million ($2.4 million) property loan, telling a court that this has left it unable to recover its cash.
-
July 04, 2024
Brabners Revenue Soars 18% To Almost £56M
Brabners became the latest English law firm to reveal a leap in revenue in its latest results on Thursday, with income soaring to £55.6 million ($70.9 million), reflecting the optimistic start to the financial results season for legal firms in the U.K.
-
July 04, 2024
HCR Law's Insurance Unit Triples In Size Since 2022 Launch
The insurance and risk division of HCR Legal LLP said Thursday that the specialist practice has tripled in size since it was set up in 2022, growing from four to 12 members.
-
July 03, 2024
Ex-Post Office Chair Says Legal Review Buried On Advice
The former chair of the U.K.'s Post Office told a London inquiry Wednesday that he had not shared a legal review of prosecutions of subpostmasters due to advice that it would be legally privileged, despite warnings in the report that some of the convictions may have been unsafe.
-
July 03, 2024
SRA Move On CILEX Sparks War Of Words Among Watchdogs
The decision by the solicitors' watchdog to oversee members of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives has ignited an existential crisis among other legal sector regulators, who are fervently resisting the move.
-
July 03, 2024
HFW On Hunt For Partners After 17% Spike In Profits
Holman Fenwick Willan LLP on Wednesday set its sights on "aggressively" hiring partners after revealing that its profits rose 16.5% over the past year to a record £75.4 million ($96.3 million).
-
July 03, 2024
Top UK Court To Define 'Payment' For Lawyer Fee Disputes
The U.K.'s highest court is set to rule on the meaning of "payment" for determining when the clock starts ticking for clients to challenge solicitors' fees as part of a personal injury claim row with an English firm heard by justices on Wednesday.
-
July 03, 2024
Dechert To Close Offices In Beijing, Hong Kong, Chicago
Dechert LLP is the latest BigLaw firm to announce it is dissolving operations in Beijing and Hong Kong, and the Philadelphia-founded firm also plans to close its 12-year-old Chicago office, a Dechert spokesperson told Law360 Pulse on Wednesday.
-
July 03, 2024
Clifford Chance's Newcastle Chief Steps Down
The head of the Newcastle office of Clifford Chance LLP has left the firm after a six-and-a-half-year stint at the helm, the Magic Circle firm said Wednesday.
-
July 03, 2024
Fieldfisher Revenues Jump 10% Off UK, Ireland Growth
Fieldfisher LLP became the latest law firm to reveal a leap in revenue in the last financial year on Wednesday, with income climbing 10% to £359 million ($456 million) against a backdrop of European expansion.
-
July 02, 2024
Quinn Emanuel Expands Asia Offerings With Singapore Office
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP has expanded its international offerings by opening a new office location in Singapore, the firm said Tuesday.
Expert Analysis
-
PR Perspectives: Taking Stock Of 2023, Preparing For 2024
As law firms and PR teams review their 2023 external communications output, it is a good moment to consider how to maintain a perfect profile in order to enhance, protect and advance a firm's reputation for the coming year, says Louise Beeson at Bell Yard Communications.
-
PR Perspectives: How To Communicate A Law Firm Merger
Recent data shows a significant increase in law firm mergers and acquisitions in the U.K., and to ensure the deal goes without a hitch, both internal and external communications need to be carefully planned so that appropriate messaging aligns with the objectives of the deal, says Belinda Lewis at Birketts.
-
Why Law Firms Should Heed Calls To Put ESG Over Profit
According to Deloitte’s recent survey, the majority of Gen Z and millennials remain unimpressed with businesses’ societal impact, and junior lawyers in particular are increasingly expecting the legal profession to shift to a business model that prioritizes sustainability above profitability, says Dana Denis-Smith at Obelisk Support.
-
PR Perspectives: What Not To Do In Legal Public Relations
There is a wealth of advice about how to publicize a law firm, but what not to do is just as important, and ignoring a target audience, communicating without a strategy, or misusing social media are potentially risky and reputation-damaging practices, says Steve Rudaini at MD Communications.
-
A Diverse Workforce Can Help Close The Legal Talent Gap
Recent reports from professional firms reveal that a diverse workforce is likely to close the talent gap and achieve better business outcomes, and for law firms, this needs to start with routes into the profession in order to make a real change, says Jody Tranter at Barbri.
-
Navigating The Novel Challenges Facing The Legal Profession
The increasing prominence of ESG and AI have transformed the legal landscape and represent new opportunities for lawyers, but with evolving regulations and the ever-expanding reach of the Solicitors Regulation Authority, law firms should ensure that they have appropriate policies in place to adapt to these challenges, say Scott Ashby and Aimee Talbot at RPC.
-
Key Lessons From The SRA's 2023 AML Report
The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s recent anti-money laundering report conducted supervisory activities that revealed a variety of breaches, and with an increasingly regulated landscape, lawyers can play an important part in preventing criminal activity by taking responsibility for ensuring compliance, says Harriet Holmes at Thirdfort.
-
How The Legal Sector Can Enhance Its Data Resilience
In view of the U.K. National Cyber Security Centre’s recent report shedding light on the legal sector’s increased vulnerability to cyberattacks, law firms need not only establish robust defenses, but also to redefine their approach to data security by fostering a culture of continuous learning, adaptability and vigilance, says Katie McCullough at Panzura.
-
Building Strong Relationships At All Stages Of A Legal Career
Whether a junior attorney seeks to lay the foundation for a path to partnership, or a seasoned practitioner aims to leverage an extensive network, the road to legal industry success often involves cultivating sincere relationships, say Kathleen Hilton and Megan Senese at Stage.
-
How Mentoring Can Increase Black Representation In Law
U.K. Black History Month is a good time to look at the importance of Black representation in the legal profession, and how mentorship can make a big difference in empowering Black lawyers, including by offering career coaching and building valuable relationships, says Christianah Babajide at Keating Chambers.
-
Socioeconomic Data Shows Diversity Needed In Legal Sector
U.K. solicitors come from the highest socioeconomic backgrounds compared with the wider workforce, and with the case for a greater focus on diversity and inclusion stronger in law than in any other sector, now is the time to challenge the status quo decisions that affect equality and representation, says Nik Miller at the Bridge Group.
-
PR Perspectives: When Law Firms Offer PR Services
The news of libel law firm Schillings setting up its own public relations firm illustrates the equal importance of both lawyers and PR professionals in managing the reputations of businesses and individuals effectively, especially in the evolving media landscape, says Gus Sellitto at Byfield Consultancy.
-
Building A Global Law Firm Fit For The Future
As the world faces immense changes across economic, environmental, political and social spheres, leaders in BigLaw are in a position to help address global challenges, while also transforming their business models to respond to historic shifts in the nature of legal work, says Duncan Weston at CMS.
-
PR Perspectives: Must-Have Tips For Lawyers Writing Articles
There are many benefits for lawyers in getting their articles, opinions and insights published in the media, and although writing about a topic can be easy, getting it published is tricky, says Steve Rudaini at MD Communications.
-
How Midsize City Firms Are Luring Talent Away From BigLaw
In the wake of the post-pandemic hiring surge many law associates are reevaluating their priorities, and with midsize City firms offering a better work-life balance, greater focus on team fit and opportunities for upward mobility, the traditional legal career path offered at BigLaw firms is no longer passing muster, says Ria Karnik at Major Lindsey.