Latest legal news

More firms than ever - 12% - are describing themselves as 'very optimistic' about 2015 in The American Lawyer's survey of managing partners in the Am Law 200. | 11yrs

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld is to begin its first training scheme outside of its home base by setting up a programme in its London office. | 11yrs

EY has followed PwC and KPMG in getting an Alternative Business Structure (ABS) license, enabling it to offer legal services in England and Wales. | 11yrs

Locke Lord and Edwards Wildman Palmer have officially agreed to a merger which will bring their combined payroll to 1,000 lawyers and start on 10 January. | 11yrs

The data protection authority in Ireland is concerned about potential widespread illicit use of private detectives and is to carry out spot checks on law firms, banks and insurers in the New Year. | 11yrs

Five lawyers, including two partners, have left Bingham McCutchen in Washington DC to join Clifford Chance. | 11yrs

The time could arrive sooner than we expect in which one robot will be able to handle the work of a dozen junior associates, according to a new report. | 11yrs

Accountancy giant PwC has made its second appointment in a month of a lateral hire partner, pushing the firm along to its goal of having 20 to 25 partners by about 2017-19. | 11yrs

The city of New York spent 40% more on settlements and other legal costs in the last fiscal year, with a big increase coming under new mayor Bill de Blasio. | 11yrs

The opening up of Mexican oil and gas reserves to foreigners is creating a surge in demand for the services of law firms based over the border in Texas. | 11yrs

Banks are hoping to cut down on growing fines and legal fees, caused by non-compliant employees, by using state of the art technology. | 11yrs

Proposals to introduce a criminal offence relating to defaming court personnel could make it more difficult for lawyers to defend their clients, lawyers are warning. | 11yrs

The Gulf state of Qatar has introduced a tough set of laws on cybercrime, including substantial financial penalties which can be doubled if a public official is involved. | 11yrs

Soon after taking on some 226 partners from Bingham McCutchen, Morgan Lewis & Bockius has set itself up as an LLP in London and Paris. | 11yrs

Bringing successful prosecutions in the US over cybercrime is 'very difficult', according to the new director of the Center for Intellectual Property Law and Technology at the Univsersity of Akron School of Law. | 11yrs

The head of Clyde & Co in the Chinese capital is leaving, just 18 months after Clyde opened there, and moving to Stephenson Harwood where she will head its Greater China energy and resources group. | 11yrs

Car-sharing company Uber has halted operations in Nevada after a judge in the state issued a preliminary injunction against it - in a case which might help define the boundaries of digital companies. | 11yrs

Commercial litigation partner Antonio Suarez-Martinez, co-chair of the firm's pro bono committee, is joining the stream of lawyers leaving the London office. | 11yrs

Women in the Australian legal sector typically earn 36 per cent less than male counterparts - while women in the private sector as a whole are 26 per cent behind, according to data revealed by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. | 11yrs