Ben Rigby is a freelance legal journalist

Ben Rigby

Profile

Ben Rigby is a freelance legal journalist

BIG STORIES | INSURANCE LAW

Host of top law firms advise as Commercial Court makes landmark Covid-19 insurance ruling

Financial Conduct Authority proclaims 'significant step' in ending pandemic business interruption claims uncertainty....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRE

EXCLUSIVE: Ben Giaretta to join Fox Williams

Leading London disputes partner exits Mishcon de Reya to join respected independent firm....

BIG STORIES | FLEXIBLE WORKING

Herbert Smith Freehills sets 60 per cent baseline for office work under flexible working revamp

CEO Justin D'Agostino puts move down to recognition employees have 'greatly valued' flexibility during pandemic....

BIG STORIES | M&A

Former Eversheds Sutherland senior partner joins RCA to open Dutch arm

Rob Faasen to tap into demand for M&A risk insurance; Omni secures services of a senior Morgan Lewis partner in New York....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION FUNDING

Litigation funders with $10bn firepower form global association

Washington DC-based body pledges to promote efficient, ethical and professional provision of capital....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRES

Shearman & Sterling and Greenberg Traurig expand London finance practices

Gary Hamp exits Latham in Hong Kong to join Shearman in London, while Helena Nathanson leaves BCLP to join Greenberg Traurig....

BIG STORIES | TEAM HIRE

Cooley hires cybersecurity team from DLA Piper in Brussels

Data privacy co-chair Patrick Van Eecke is switching firms with a three-strong team....

BIG STORIES | INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Singapore signs IP agreements with multiple countries to strengthen regional hub ambitions

City-state marks IP Week with global partnerships including Laos, Brazil and China....

BIG STORIES | LATERAL HIRES

ECIJA bolsters Central America team with hires in El Salvador and Costa Rica

Hires follow Spanish independent's Brazil and Ecuador launches; Ontier and DAC Beachcroft also make regional hires....

BIG STORIES | SHIPPING LAW

Hill Dickinson mourns loss of Piraeus office head Patrick Hawkins

Colleagues and clients pay tribute to 'much loved' and 'trusted' Greek office managing partner....

BIG STORIES | LAW FIRM OUTLOOK

Cash flow and employee wellbeing among top law firm concerns in post-Covid world, surveys find

Studies by LexisNexis and Byfield illustrate the challenges of the 'new normal' facing UK managing partners....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION FUNDING

LCM signs latest in series of portfolio funding deals

Funder agrees construction sector portfolio deal for Norton Rose Fulbright client....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRE

Paul Hastings keeps up partner hiring pace with third London arrival in as many months

US firm hires Derwin Jenkinson from Ashurst to bolster capital's finance team....

BIG STORIES | FLEXIBLE WORKING

Linklaters launches permanent agile working policy built on Covid-19 lessons

Employees able to work away from the office up to half of the time by prior agreement....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION FUNDING

Litigation funder Therium Capital Management inks deal with data analytics firm Solomonic

Collaboration will give Therium greater insights into potential litigation funding investments....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRES

Paul Hastings, DLA Piper and EY Law gear up for autumn deals with late summer hires

London lateral moves show market is heating up following pandemic lull....

BIG STORIES | REMOTE HEARINGS

Business courts bolstered by pandemic pragmatism as remote hearings rise

Judicial statistics show England & Wales's business courts weathered the pandemic well....

BIG STORIES | ACCOUNTING DISPUTE

Quinn Emanuel and Omni Bridgeway enter Folli Follie accounting fray

Leading US commercial claimant firm acts against UBS following Greek jeweller's bond collapse....

BIG STORIES | IN-HOUSE MOVES

Around the house: new general counsel at National Grid and FRC

Justine Campbell swaps Centrica for National Grid, while UK regulator gets a new GC....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION FUNDING

DLA Piper enters disputes funding market with Litigation Capital Management deal

Partnership is latest in a series of law firm alliances for the litigation funder....

BIG STORIES | IN-HOUSE MOVES

Around the house: appointments at Vivo Energy, exits from Barclays

Our latest in-house round-up also sees Nature Energy hire a leading Danish energy GC....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRES

Australian firms snap up corporate talent amid first recession in almost three decades

Gilbert + Tobin, Thomson Geer, and KHQ Lawyers among firms bolstering their deal teams....

BIG STORIES | SHIPPING DISPUTES

London rules the waves in maritime arbitration cases

More than 80% of all shipping arbitrations are heard in London, according to HFW, dwarfing Asian rivals....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRES

Trio of firms shrug off Covid-19 uncertainty to make London corporate partner hires

HSF, Simpson Thacher and Gibson Dunn press ahead with strategic appointments....

BIG STORIES | LONDON LISTINGS

Ince falls inches short of revenue target, DWF hires new chairman amid leadership shakeup

London-listed firm Ince posts first full year financial results for whole group, while Jonathan Bloomer is named DWF chairman....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRES

Paul Weiss hires partner duo from Boies Schiller to bolster litigation practice

Meredith Dearborn and Jessica Phillips join the firm amid plans for West Coast expansion....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRE

Latham & Watkins expands infrastructure practice with hire of experienced in-house lawyer

Former OMERS Infrastructure legal managing director John Guccione joins firm's London office....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRE

Quinn Emanuel brings in experienced City litigator in first London hire of 2020

Justin Michaelson arrives from Fried Frank to further expand Quinn's London disputes offering....

BIG STORIES | TRADE HIRES

McDermott boosts Washington DC practice with arrival of seven-strong trade disputes team

Firm seeks to enhance its offering amid US government's 'fast and furious' trade policy....

BIG STORIES | TEAM HIRE

Withers hires in Singapore as firm posts bumper financial growth

Chenthil Kumarasingam added to disputes roster as profit per equity partner rises 40%....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION FUNDING

LCM makes Australian insolvency hire as firm eyes rise in pandemic-related disputes

Helene Roins joins AIM-listed funder in Sydney as country's new litigation financing rules loom....

BIG STORIES | FINANCIAL RESULTS

HSF sees profit fall but new CEO says 'underlying strengths' are encouraging

Justin D'Agostino highlights regional successes, says pandemic curbed revenue....

BIG STORIES | DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Bar aims to increase diversity through new mentoring scheme

Six of the biggest sets from London's commercial Bar team up to help mentor underrepresented groups....

BIG STORIES | DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Allen & Overy sets new targets to help boost diversity

Magic Circle firm addresses the need for greater diversity with new targets and a renewed approach....

BIG STORIES | GC HIRES

Coca-Cola hires former Ford GC as its new top lawyer

Bradley Gayton will join the soft drinks giant at the end of August, with John Mellen lined up to replace him....

BIG STORIES | FINANCIAL RESULTS

Taylor Wessing's global growth continues as revenue climbs for third straight year

Firm's profit per equity partner declines but still clocks in at second highest on record....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION FUNDING

Quinn Emanuel joins forces with Omni Bridgeway for Wirecard litigation

Litigation funder teams up with US litigation powerhouse to act on behalf of investors following alleged accounting fraud....

BIG STORIES | BAR MOVES

Twenty Essex hires former Debevoise & Plimpton partner to bolster arbitration practice

Wendy Miles QC joins barristers' set after three years in Debevoise's London office....

BIG STORIES | FINANCIAL RESULTS

HFW posts strong financial results as international expansion continues

Firm sees healthy rise in profits and double-digit PEP gains as sector-focus pays off....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER PROMOTIONS

Simmons promotes six to partnership in slimmed down round as annual results show steady growth

More than half of partner promotions were women, underscoring firm's commitment to diversity....

BIG STORIES | FINANCIAL RESULTS

Freshfields' profits remain stable as Magic Circle firm pushes ahead with US expansion

Firm sees slight increase in revenue to £1.5bn, but PEP dips....

BIG STORIES | FINANCIAL RESULTS

Clifford Chance lifts pandemic blues as revenue growth outpaces rivals

Magic Circle firm posts 6% increase in revenue after strong showing in the Americas region....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRE

DAC Beachcroft makes disputes hire in Madrid to bolster firm's litigation practice

Partner Mercedes Romero joins from Spanish firm Perez-Llorca....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRES

Cahill Gordon bets big on former Allen & Overy leveraged finance duo

US firm says partner hires will help put its London finance practice on par with New York....

BIG STORIES | DATA PRIVACY

US-EU data sharing agreement struck down by the European Court of Justice

Latest privacy litigation involving Facebook and the US-EU Privacy Shield could impact global trade, lawyers say....

BIG STORIES | JOB CUTS

Freeths announces potential redundancies with 80 jobs expected to go

Job losses for regional firm part of 'significant realignment' to address 'over-capacity'....

BIG STORIES | COVID-19

Insurers wait on business interruption claims as test case starts in the High Court

An eagerly anticipated test case on coronavirus-related litigation starts in London this week....

BIG STORIES | COVID-19

UK prime minister encourages cautious return to office work as CMS is latest to unveil opening plans

UK lockdown rules eased as Boris Johnson seeks to revive struggling city centres....

BIG STORIES | ARBITRATION

Information aggregator tool to offer paid-for insight into leading arbitrators

Arbitrator Intelligence looks to the open up market by publishing feedback on arbitrators....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRES

Clyde & Co secures trio of partner hires including former Pinsent Masons head of cyber

IP and construction also targeted as two partners join in London and one in Dubai since start of July....

BIG STORIES | ARBITRATION

McCullough Robertson partner joins London arbitration chambers as it makes first Australia hire

Russell Thirgood is the latest senior practitioner to join Int-Arb Arbitrators & Mediators since its January launch....

BIG STORIES | TECHNOLOGY

Technology risk moves to top of GCs agendas, major survey finds

Poll of 160 UK board directors and GCs finds them recognising the challenges posed by digitalisation....

BIG STORIES | PRIVATE EQUITY

Sidley Austin promotes four European private equity specialists in response to loss of key duo

Chicago firm greets departure of Erik Dahl and Christian Iwasko by signalling faith in European quartet....

BIG STORIES | DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Expert panel revises South Africa arbitration rules to boost regional status

The Arbitration Foundation of South Africa takes 'bold step' to create 'truly international set of rules'....

BIG STORIES | DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Top law firms collaborate to draw up draft protocol for online arbitrations

Initiative sets out to 'change the future of arbitration' as digitalisation accelerates....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION

HFW teams up with KPMG and Augusta Ventures to offer Covid-19 disputes service

Non-exclusive relationship seeks to capitalise on expected surge in pandemic-related litigation....

BIG STORIES | ALLIANCES

Lex Mundi launches platform for cross-firm working on multinational projects and deals

Equisphere seeks to combine people, process and technology to facilitate management of cross-border matters....

BIG STORIES | OFFICE OPENING

Brexit drives Brussels firm Van Bael & Bellis to launch in London

Top trade and competition practice to open Chancery Lane office in September....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRES

Two top Hong Kong partners join new firms and make tracks for London

Herbert Smith Freehills and Linklaters bolster London teams with hires from Allen & Overy and Kirkland & Ellis respectively....

BIG STORIES | REGULATION

Firing of top US prosecutor grips US legal establishment

Political tussle over weekend sees Geoffrey Berman ousted by President Trump....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION

Morgan Lewis, Mishcon and Stewarts Law celebrate landmark UK Supreme Court credit card fees ruling

Trio advise retailers in cartel claim against MasterCard and Visa that could lead to billions of pounds in damages....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRES

Withers adds two disputes partners in the US

International firm heralds 'keystone hires' to its Los Angeles and New York offices....

BIG STORIES | PUBLISHING

Chambers and Partners acquires directories 'disrupter' Top 3 Legal

In-house lawyer platform was founded in 2017 by former Freshfields and Addleshaw Goddard partners....

BIG STORIES | CORONAVIRUS

'Surprisingly positive' - UK legal services revenue is holding up, but will it last?

April's 5% decline in revenue could be a lot worse, but the sector's relative strength hides a more complex picture....

BIG STORIES | DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Arbitrators team up to create resource centre for sharing know-how on remote hearings

Clyde & Co partner secures backing from leading arbitrators and institutions to launch Virtual Arbitration site....

BIG STORIES | FIRM LAUNCH

Former Dubai international courts head Mark Beer sets up practice in Kazakhstan

Launch of Seven Pillars Law coincides with opening of Almaty disputes boutique....

BIG STORIES | BOUTIQUE LAUNCH

All-women international disputes boutique opens in Paris

Four-partner team pledges to donate proportion of fees to anti-discrimination causes....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION

Hausfeld pairs up with Madrid firm to target milk cartel damages claims

International claimant litigation specialist identifies Spain as 'new frontier' for competition claims....

BIG STORIES | TEAM HIRE

Kennedys hires four-partner team from Hinshaw & Culbertson to open in San Francisco

UK insurance firm boosts maritime law capability as it unveils seventh US office....

BIG STORIES | BOUTIQUE LAUNCH

Partner leaves Clyde & Co to open Abu Dhabi construction disputes boutique

Mantle Law sets out to offer 'fleet-of-foot' support for sector facing challenging economic headwinds....

BIG STORIES | THE UK BAR

36 Stone takes on Vannin Capital managing director Paul Martenstyn

New director of clerking also signs with professional services consultancy Overture London....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER HIRE

Founding partner of Cooley's European practice departs for Brussels boutique

Becket McGrath joins competition boutique five years after helping West Coast firm launch in London, and then Brussels....

BIG STORIES | ARBITRATION

Senior Debevoise partner and former justice secretary to co-chair Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre

Appointments reflect need to underline independence amid mounting concern over Hong Kong's future....

COMMENTARY | ARBITRATION

Righting arbitral wrongs: survey comes out against relaxing restrictions on arbitration appeals

Despite clear evidence of mistakes, there is little appetite for extending a right to appeal against the merits of arbitral awards....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION FUNDING

Regulatory net tightens over litigation funders as Australian parliament launches class action inquiry

Defendant lawyers and business lobby celebrate after double assault on 'booming' class action industry....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION FUNDING

Burford Capital loses fight to force London Stock Exchange to hand over confidential trading data

Commercial Court judge rejects market manipulation claims and says attack on exchange was 'unjustified'....

BIG STORIES | ARBITRATION

Trio of top arbitration bodies form international alliance to hear 'hybrid' Covid-19 compliant hearings

The International Arbitration Centre Alliance will have centres in Canada, London and Singapore....

BIG STORIES | CORONAVIRUS

International Bar Association pulls plug on 2020 Miami annual conference

Gathering of 6,000 lawyers moves online as news emerges of vice president's resignation....

BIG STORIES | TEAM HIRE

K&L Gates hires seven-strong restructuring team in Frankfurt

Top 50 US firm prepares for significant increase in restructuring work as a result of Covid-19....

BIG STORIES | COMBINATION

Dentons opens for business in Argentina

Global law firm unveils combination with leading Argentinian firm Rattagan Macchiavello Arocena....

BIG STORIES | MANAGEMENT SHAKE UP

Herbert Smith Freehills unveils streamlined leadership structure as it refreshes executive team

Incoming CEO Justin D'Agostino divides firm into two regions and appoints trio of partners to revamped executive board....

BIG STORIES | REGIONAL ROUND-UP

Asia round-up: Withers grows arbitration in Hong Kong while Ashurst targets Singapore funds work

King & Wood Mallesons and Latham & Watkins also add to the roster of Asia lateral moves with M&A hires....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION FUNDING

Burford Capital heralds strong business fundamentals despite double digit falls in revenue and profits

Litigation Funder claims headline figures do not represent true picture of a market-leading business in a growing industry....

BIG STORIES | OCEANIA

Australasia round-up: Jones Day makes Brisbane hire while Buddle Finlay chooses national chair

Also securing new hires are HFW, DLA Piper and Ashurst across Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane....

BIG STORIES | PARTNER PROMOTIONS

Herbert Smith Freehills unveils largest partner promotions round for eight years

First pro bono partner among 26 lawyers promoted to partnership across Europe, Asia and Australia....

BIG STORIES | REGIONAL ROUND-UP

LatAm round-up: Kennedys grows in Peru and McDermott hires private client team from DLA Piper

Polsinelli and Herbert Smith Freehills also make Latin America-focused appointments, in Miami and London respectively....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION FUNDING

LCM hires construction veteran as it prepares to transfer leadership from Sydney to London

Former Gowling WLG partner James Foster signs up while CEO gears up for UK transfer....

BIG STORIES | LAW FIRM STRATEGY

Hogan Lovells' new CEO announces major overhaul of structure and leadership

UK merged into new EMEA grouping as firm's centre of gravity shifts away from London ten years after transatlantic merger....

BIG STORIES | OFFICE LAUNCH

Friedrich Graf von Westphalen hires three-partner team to launch in Berlin

German independent targets capital's start-up scene with fourth German office....

BIG STORIES | PATENT LITIGATION

Is Europe's unified patent court dead in the water - or can it be revived?

The demise of plans for a European patent court is bad for clients, but could be better news for London....

BIG STORIES | LITIGATION FUNDING

LCM doubles revenue for half year as it points to success of law firm alliances

Sydney-based litigation funder unveils strong set of results boosted by portfolio deals....

BIG STORIES | COMPETITION LAW

Chiomenti absorbs Italian law boutique to ramp up EU practice

Three-partner Brussels and Rome boutique joins forces with Italian leader; as Bird & Bird makes senior Italy fintech hire....

BIG STORIES | LAW FIRM LAUNCH

Pair of litigation partners quit firms to set up London disputes boutique

Keidan Harrison to open for business in May, targeting high-value corporate, insolvency and banking disputes....

BIG STORIES | ARBITRATION

Simmons & Simmons targets Dutch arbitration market with senior hire

Niek Peters joins Simmons in Amsterdam as it looks to grow investment treaty work....

BIG STORIES | PR

Quartet of specialist legal PR agencies form European alliance

UK, French, German and Italian firms to offer cross-border advice under banner of Mirovia alliance....

GLOBAL VIEW | MANAGEMENT

The competition specialist charged with driving Norton Rose Fulbright's EMEA strategy

Peter Scott aims to leverage knowledge of global verein in new role as EMEA managing partner....