Legal news

Gibson Dunn joins the US$3m per head group on partner profits

The 1,200-lawyer firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has seen equity partner profits rise three per cent over the last year, taking them from US$2.9m per head to $3.05m.

• LEGAL AID

  

  Michael Mansfield QC lambasts UK Gov's glorification of the Magna Carta

  The UK Government is glorifying in the legacy of Magna Carta - signed 800 years ago. But its cutbacks in legal aid are leading to 'a decimation of access to justice', claims 'radical lawyer' Michael Mansfield QC.

• MOBILE WORKING

  

  Male lawyers less productive at home working than women

  While female lawyers rate themselves as working slightly better from home, only one male lawyer in three says he is more productive when working from home than in the office.

• BANK LEGAL COSTS

  

  RBS warns of substantial conduct and litigation costs in 2015

  British banking group RBS has drawn attention to its 'conduct and litigation' costs, saying it is 'possible that the costs relating to settling these could be substantial in 2015'.

• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

  

  Indian IP law firms plan April merger

  The boutique intellectual property practice Lall & Sethi is to merge with Singh & Singh, a husband-and-wife law firm, on 1 April.

Editor's picks

CRIME

Introducing a victims law

The government has announced plans to strengthen the law around the rights on offer to the victims of crime, in an effort to make the 'daunting' task of going to court more easily approachable, says Amjid Jabbar.

UK LAW SCHOOLS

Singapore delists eight UK universities from roll of acceptable law schools

High-ranking universities - including SOAS, Exeter, Leeds and Manchester - have been dropped by the Singapore Ministry of Justice as recognised places for purposes of admission to the Singapore Bar.

BLOG: DATA

ECJ clarifies Database Directive scope in screen scraping case

Ryanair's screen scraping lawsuit has implications for a wide range of data users including comparison websites.

REAL ESTATE

Global firms misfire on property practices, says ex-K&L partner

Global charging rates and the bureaucratic structures of international firms 'do not serve property well', according to a former K&L Gates partner who left the firm with four other lawyers and a legal secretary last month.

Blogs

TAX

HMRC and the HSBC tax evasion scandal: a loss of prosecutorial nerve?

The UK tax authorities will be taking a much firmer stand against advisers whose clients evade tax following the HSBC debacle, says Andrew Smith of Corker Binning.

HUMAN RIGHTS

To fight illicit drug use, we must respect human rights

The risks of drug trafficking and abuse are increasing but so are the opportunities to combat these ills, says Jan Malinowski of the Pompidou Group at the Council of Europe.

Business sector round up

LUXURY LAW SUMMIT 2015

Counterfeit websites removed by UK police

Two thousand websites selling fake luxury goods have been removed since the start of the year in the UK. The fight against fakes will be on the agenda at the 2015 Luxury Law Summit on 19 May 2015 in London.

MEGA MERGER

Global legal landscape to be reinvented by Dentons Dacheng megamerger

International law firms have been put on notice by the Dentons-Dacheng link-up which marks 'the first phase of a whole reinvention of the legal landscape', according to an Australia-based consultant.