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CORPORATE COUNSEL | APPOINTMENTS
Around the House: lawyers secure top roles at AXA XL and Coinbase
This week's in-house moves include Facebook deputy GC Paul Grewal taking a cryptocurrency role and former Lloyd's GC Sean McGovern becomin....
BIG STORIES | RULE OF LAW
'None of your business' - Beijing defiant over security law's threat to Hong Kong's autonomy
Hong Kong's bar association calls for city's foundational values to be reaffirmed after 'total absence of meaningful consultation'....
CORPORATE COUNSEL | APPOINTMENTS
Around the house: GCs arrive at MSG Entertainment and Providence
Our latest in-house appointments round-up also sees tobacco giant Philip Morris International secure a new GC and SVP....
BIG STORIES | M&A
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BAT calls in HSF and Cravath for mega merger
British American Tobacco (BAT) has instructed Cravath Swaine & Moore and Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) to advise on its £38.4bn merger propo....
BIG STORIES | REMUNERATION
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Sharp pay rises for partners at US firms
A major survey of law firm partners in the US has revealed a significant rise in compensation in the past two years.....
BIG STORIES | INNOVATION
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Law firm launches consultancy for fellow law firms
Hinshaw & Culbertson, which last year hired Dewey & LeBoeuf's former general counsel, is launching what may be the first practice aimed at....
BIG STORIES | LITIGATION FUNDING
Litigation funders plan to invest in ABS law firms
Litigation funders Burford Capital and Woodsford Litigation Funding say they plan to invest in UK-based law firms that are allowed to have non-....
BIG STORIES | LAW AND TECHNOLOGY
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Chatbot entrepreneur builds free tool for law firms
The 20-year-old student entrepreneur whose robot lawyer has successfully defeated millions of dollars in parking tickets is working on a free ....
CORPORATE COUNSEL | TRENDS
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Survey highlights challenges and changes for legal departments
Research by Thompson Reuters shows how legal departments, whose top challenges continue to be 'too few resources' and 'reducing outside le....
BIG STORIES | BREXIT
Hundreds of British lawyers register in Ireland
With Britain's future outside of the EU still far from certain, the latest figures reveal that more than 700 British solicitors have now registere....
GLOBAL VIEW | CRIME
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'El Chapo' judge assassinated
A Mexican judge who presided over appeals by drug cartel kingpins including Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman has been assassinated.....
GLOBAL VIEW | INNOVATION
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Firm branches out into non-legal services
Australian firm Sparke Helmore has launched a wholly owned professional services company in a bid to combat the threat of broadening service offerings....
BIG STORIES | LAW AND TECHNOLOGY
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The threats and opportunities of cybersecurity
A new survey has found that weaknesses in law firms' data security present an unprecedented threat, but increasing demand for legal expertise in i....
GLOBAL VIEW | LAUNCH
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HSF to launch arbitration centre in Australia
Herbert Smith Freehills is establishing a centre of excellence for international arbitration in Australia.....
BIG STORIES | APPOINTMENTS
Lloyds cuts core legal panel to eight after review
Lloyds Banking Group has finalised its UK legal panel review, and DLA Piper and Norton Rose Fulbright have lost their places.....
BIG STORIES | LAW AND POLITICS
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Suspended NBC host Billy Bush calls in lawyers over Trump furore
The Today show host, who was suspended after a lewd tape of him and Donald Trump was made public, has hired a prominent Orrick, Herrington & Sutcl....
GLOBAL VIEW | FIRM NEWS
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White & Case continues City investment in latest promotions round
The New York-based firm has promoted 40 to partner in its latest global round, eight of whom are in the City.....
BIG STORIES | RECRUITMENT
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Law firms hire from the smallest pool
New research shows that law firms hire graduates from fewer universities than other industries such as accountancy and spend the most money in the pro....
BIG STORIES | RETENTION
Firms reveal trainee retention figures
Nabarro and Latham & Watkins have revealed their autumn retention figures, with Clyde & Co and DAC Beachcroft also throwing their results into....
BIG STORIES | ABS
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US claims firm granted UK ABS licence
Crawford & Company, which calls itself one of the world's largest independent claims management solutions providers, has arrived in the UK to ....
GLOBAL VIEW | RESEARCH
Volume of global M&A dips in Q3, but value shoots up
Political and macroeconomic uncertainty have continued to stifle cross-border M&A activity, but the re-emergence of the megadeal has seen ....
BIG STORIES | MOVES AND APPOINTMENTS
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Multiple hires for Ince JLV in Singapore
Ince Law Alliance, the Singapore joint law venture (JLV) between Ince & Co and local firm Incisive Law, has boosted its ranks by hiring from Allen....
GLOBAL VIEW | CLASS ACTION
Firm to file first shareholder claim against Slater & Gordon
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers is set to become the first practice to file a shareholder class action against embattled Slater and Gordon.....
GLOBAL VIEW | OPENINGS
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Chinese law firm eyes UK opening
AllBright Law Offices is set to open a base in London, its first outside China.....
BIG STORIES | REMUNERATION
Mounting pressure causes law firms to demote partners
Shearman & Sterling move to demote under-performing partners would once have been unthinkable, but today's tough legal market has made it ....
BIG STORIES | PERCEPTION OF LAW
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New Amazon series asks if BigLaw has gotten too big
Co-written and co-created by Jonathan Shapiro, a former federal prosecutor and former of counsel at Kirkland & Ellis, 'Goliath' st....
BIG STORIES | REMUNERATION
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US lawyers can expect to see pay rises next year
Lawyers in the US can anticipate their compensation will rise by an average of 4.6 per cent in 2017, according to a report from recruiter Robert Hal L....
GLOBAL VIEW | COMPETITION
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White & Case tops M&A ranking
According to a new ranking, White & Case has advised on global M&A deals with the highest total value announced in the first three quarters of....
GLOBAL VIEW | LIGHTER SIDE
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Aus lawyer beats Domino's in court
An Australian lawyer has defeated Domino's Pizza after the fast food giant failed to deliver his food and subsequently broke a promise for a full ....
GLOBAL VIEW | INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS
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Firm partners with professional mothers' network to break new ground
Online legal marketplace Crowd & Co is the latest legal business to partner with ProfessionalMums.net in a bid to capitalise on the many female la....
BIG STORIES | RESIGNATION
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Hogan Lovells Hamburg head steps down amid spying investigation
The managing partner of Hogan Lovells' Hamburg office has resigned over claims of illegal surveillance made by an employee of former client EWE Gr....
GLOBAL VIEW | INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS
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Dentons launches global referral network
Dentons has officially launched its free to use Nextlaw Global Referral Network and has signed up 283 member firms and over 18,500 lawyers.....
BIG STORIES | MOVES
Ashurst keeps second partner
Six months after he announced his move to Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Ashurst has announced it is holding on to London regulatory partner James Perry.....
GLOBAL VIEW | APPOINTMENTS
Goodwin Procter takes team for Paris office
Goodwin Procter has confirmed that it is recruiting a team of lawyers from Shearman & Sterling for the Private Equity Practice in the Paris office....
BIG STORIES | JOB LOSS
Slater & Gordon slashes UK jobs
Embattled firm Slater & Gordon cut 640 jobs in the UK last year, according to its 2015/16 accounts.....
BIG STORIES | APPOINTMENTS
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Burford Capital launches own law firm with Akin Gump hire
After receiving a licence at the start of this year, Burford Capital has launched its own Alternative Business Structure, Burford Law, with the hire o....
BIG STORIES | PAY
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NQ pay increases at Baker & McKenzie and Kirkland & Ellis
Baker & McKenzie's London office has upped the salaries of its NQ lawyers to £72,000, while at Kirkland & Ellis London NQ pay packet....
BIG STORIES | LEADERSHIP
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KWM elects new EUME managing partner
After running against SJ Berwin veteran Gareth Amdor, former Mallesons partner Tim Bednall has been elected as King & Wood Mallesons' new mana....
BIG STORIES | DISCIPLINE
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Howard Kennedy to block computers of lawyers who don't meet target
London-based law firm Howard Kennedy has introduced a penalty system in which lawyers - including partners - who fail to clock up seven ho....
BIG STORIES | EMISSIONS SCANDAL
Lawyers defend $300m fees in VW settlement
Plaintiff lawyers who helped negotiate a potential $10bn settlement with VW in the emissions case fired back at critics who say they are asking for ov....
BIG STORIES | MERGERS
Seddons and BD Laddie announce merger
London-based law firms Seddons and BD Laddie have joined forces, creating a 33-partner Top 200 UK law firm.....
BIG STORIES | APPOINTMENTS
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Dentons names new global CFO
Dentons has appointed Neal Livingston, former managing director and general manager of global trade and transactions at the Commonwealth Bank of Austr....
BIG STORIES | APPOINTMENTS
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CEO designate elected at Eversheds
Following an uncontested election, Eversheds has announced that Lee Ranson will succeed Bryan Hughes as the firm's chief executive.....
GLOBAL VIEW | OFFICE OPENINGS
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Former solicitor general opens D.C. office for Munger Tolles & Olson
Los Angeles-based law firm Munger Tolles & Olson has hired former US Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli to open an office in Washington, D.C....
BIG STORIES | DEALS
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Ashurst, CC and HSF advise on Hinkley deal
Ashurst, Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith Freehills have advised on the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station deal, China's biggest ever investme....
BIG STORIES | INDUSTRY TRENDS
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PwC integrates legal arm
Accountancy giant PwC has integrated PwC Legal into its UK business, enabling it to operate as a multi-disciplinary practice instead of a standalo....
BIG STORIES | WORKING CONDITIONS
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City lawyers hit with a holiday ban
Taylor Wessing has followed in Macfarlanes' footsteps and prohibited its private client team from holidaying for three months next year.....
BIG STORIES | LEADERSHIP
Reed Smith realigns leadership
Reed Smith's leadership changes in the past few months include the departure of its CMO and a reshuffle of its senior leadership team.....
GLOBAL VIEW | APPOINTMENTS
SPB takes international arbitration head from K&L Gates
Squire Patton Boggs has announced the appointment of international arbitration counsel Haig Oghigian to lead its international arbitration practice in....
BIG STORIES | LAW AND POLITICS
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PM announces crackdown on law firms that make vexatious claims against troops
Theresa May has announced a crackdown on 'no win no fee' law firms that 'impugn' the name of the army by making vexatious claims again....
BIG STORIES | LEADERSHIP
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Dentons announces new US leadership
The megafirm will implement a major reshuffle of its US leadership, effective 1 January 2017.....
GLOBAL VIEW | COMPETITION
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High Court of Kenya litigates its first competition case
The High Court of Kenya handed down judgement on the first competition case in the country this August, in the matter between Mea Limited and the Comp....
BIG STORIES | TRAINEE RETENTION
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Slaughter and May completes Magic Circle retention season
The firm has posted an autumn retention figure of 89 per cent, holding on to 32 of its NQ lawyers.....
GLOBAL VIEW | THEFT
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Law firm office manager steals millions
A former office manager of a law firm in Fremantle, south of Perth, is facing jail after admitting to stealing more than A$2m from her employer.....
BIG STORIES | LAW AND TECHNOLOGY
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Legal CIOs quicker to embrace AI than counterparts in other sectors
Although the legal sector is often criticised for being slow to adopt new technologies, a new study suggests it is more advanced in its use and unders....
BIG STORIES | FINANCIALS
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Revenues skyrocket at Signature Litigation
Disputes boutique Signature Litigation has seen revenue jump by 36 per cent for FY15/16 to £10.2m and continues to invest in lateral hiring with....
GLOBAL VIEW | COMBINATIONS
DLA Piper combines with IP boutique in Canada
Interest in the Canadian legal market from global heavyweights continues as DLA Piper announces it has combined with IP boutique Dimock Stratton.....
BIG STORIES | APPOINTMENTS
Former US House Speaker joins Squire Patton Boggs
Squire Patton Boggs has announced it has hired former US House Speaker John Boehner as a strategic advisor.....
BIG STORIES | CORRUPTION SCANDAL
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Judge sets trial for Nov 2017 as defendants seek deals
Some defendants in the FIFA corruption probe are in talks to plead guilty, according to federal prosecutors, as a trial in November 2017 looms for tho....
BIG STORIES | M&A
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Gateley in second post-IPO acquisition
The UK's first publicly listed law firm has continued its post-IPO expansion, acquiring Birmingham-based property consultancy Hamer Associ....
BIG STORIES | CAREER PATHS
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Septuagenarian law student awaits entrance to the bar
Whilst many of his age would now be retired from the legal profession, a 75-year-old law student says he has a job lined up at a law firm as s....
GLOBAL VIEW | APPOINTMENTS
FIFA creates CCO role, hires PwC
Football's scandal-plagued governing body has announced that for the first time in its history that it has created a chief compliance officer ....
GLOBAL VIEW | LEADERSHIP
New global chair for McDermott
McDermott Will and Emery has elected Ira Coleman as its new global chairman, replacing co-chairs Jeffrey Stone and Peter Sacripanti.....
BIG STORIES | LEADERSHIP
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Kennedys senior partner set to serve fifth term
Nick Thomas is to stand uncontested for a fifth five-year term as senior partner at insurance specialist Kennedys.....
GLOBAL VIEW | OFFICE LAUNCH
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Mayer Brown affiliate opens in Brasília with ex-AG hire
Mayer Brown's Brazilian arm has opened a new office in the country's capital and hired a former attorney general and confidant of ousted presi....
BIG STORIES | LAW AND TECHNOLOGY
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Truss gives go-ahead to digital criminal courts
Lord Chancellor Liz Truss has today backed a £1 billion programme to extend online courts to criminal offences.....
BIG STORIES | M&A
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Big firms advise on Bayer's Monsanto megadeal
Around six large law firms are advising on Bayer AG's $66 billion acquisition of Monsanto Co, the largest all-cash transaction in history.....
GLOBAL VIEW | ALLIANCES
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Cuatrecasas enters association with Colombian firm
Iberian firm Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira has entered into an association with Colombian firm Posse Herrera Ruiz.....
GLOBAL VIEW | OFFICE LAUNCH
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Vedder Price opens doors in Singapore
The Chicago-headquartered firm has announced it is opening a new office in the city-state to strengthen its Global Transportation Finance (GTF....
GLOBAL VIEW | TEAM HIRES
Kirkland & Ellis absorbs DC boutique Bancroft
BigLaw firm Kirkland & Ellis has hired all 17 lawyers at elite Washington DC boutique Bancroft.....
BIG STORIES | INDUSTRY TRENDS
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Mergers losing ground to tech investment and team moves
New research shows that the leading 200 UK law firms are moving away from mergers as a favoured growth strategy and instead see investing in new techn....
BIG STORIES | PERFORMANCE
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Revenue soars at PwC Legal
Revenue at the legal arm of the accounting giant has jumped by 25 per cent this financial year, from £48.5m to £59.9m, while net income st....
GLOBAL VIEW | GROWTH
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Olswang expands into Korea
TMT specialist Olswang has announced it is expanding its Asian offering to include Korea with the hire of consultant Steve Kim to lead business develo....
BIG STORIES | CLIENT RELATIONS
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HSF sues client over unpaid fees
Herbert Smith Freehills has successfully sued its client San Leon Energy at London's High Court for nearly £500,000 in unpaid fees.....
BIG STORIES | BENEFIT CUTS
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Private banking perks in peril for lawyers
Wealthy lawyers are among those set to be most affected by J.P. Morgan's recent decision to increase the threshold for its elite private banking s....
BIG STORIES | REMUNERATION
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NQ pay at Weil Gotshal hits new high
Reports indicate newly-qualified lawyers at the London office of US giant Weil Gotshal & Manges are set to earn 15 per cent more.....
BIG STORIES | FINANCIAL CRIME
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Norton Rose, BCL and Hickman & Rose called in as Tesco execs charged with fraud
The Serious Fraud Office has charged three former Tesco executives with fraud by abuse of position following its investigation into the supermarket gr....
GLOBAL VIEW | APPOINTMENTS
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PwC Legal hires new head for Vietnam
PwC Legal has hired Gide Loyrette Nouel's Vietnam head to lead its operations in the country, which has the fastest growing economy in Southeast A....
GLOBAL VIEW | EXPANSION
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Rocket Lawyer moves into the Continent
The US-based online legal document provider is moving into mainland Europe after signing up over 200,000 people in the UK for its services.....
GLOBAL VIEW | MOVES
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Hong Kong boutique takes team from Ashurst
Hong Kong boutique Howse Williams Bowers has hired a team of restructuring and insolvency lawyers from Ashurst, led by partner Bertie Mehigan.....
BIG STORIES | EXPANSION
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Kennedys expands in Ireland
Insurance specialist Kennedys is set to more than double its office space in Dublin following significant expansion in Latin America, in a decision th....
BIG STORIES | DEALS
NewQuest Capital Partners acquires Integreon
Hong-Kong based private equity firm NewQuest Capital Partners has acquired major LPO player Integreon from LiveIt Investments and Actis for an und....
BIG STORIES | ABS
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SME adviser moves into legal services
A business adviser specialising in small businesses has become the latest professional services firm to enter the legal services market.....
BIG STORIES | RETIREMENT
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Baby Boomer retirement wave set to hit BigLaw hard
The upcoming wave of retirement among Baby Boomer partners is set to have a big impact on BigLaw firms, both financially and in terms of client relati....
BIG STORIES | FINANCIAL CRIME
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Law chief calls for 'culture of responsibility' to tackle corporate crime
The attorney general has said that a 'culture of corporate responsibility' should be introduced from the boardroom down to combat failure to p....
GLOBAL VIEW | CYBER SECURITY
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High demand sees HSF launch new hotline
Herbert Smith Freehills has launched a new cyber security hotline to help clients keep their online security in-check.....
GLOBAL VIEW | OFFICE LAUNCHES
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White & Case lands team from HSF for Aus launch
The New York-headquartered firm has taken ten partners from Herbert Smith Freehills to open in Australia.....
BIG STORIES | APPOINTMENTS
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Bryan Cave boosts Paris office
The US law firm has added a three-lawyer team to its Paris office.....
BIG STORIES | TRENDS
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Law firm partners get younger the bigger the firm
New research reveals that partners at UK law firms tend to be younger, on average, the bigger the firm for which they work, presenting a recruitment o....
GLOBAL VIEW | EXPANSION
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HSF launches legal support hub in China
Herbert Smith Freehills has expanded its Belfast-based alternative legal services business with the launch of a 13-lawyer legal services centr....
GLOBAL VIEW | ASSOCIATIONS
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International law firm seeks Chinese partner
Hogan Lovells is hoping to tap the vast potential of mainland China through an association with a local law firm.....
BIG STORIES | SCAM
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Fourth person pleads guilty in BigLaw firm scam
A sister of a former employee of BigLaw firm Vedder Price has pleaded guilty to her part in a fake invoice scheme that allegedly cost the Chicago-....
BIG STORIES | APPOINTMENTS
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Top KWM funds partner exits for CC
Clifford Chance has tapped King & Wood Mallesons for its highly-regarded former Germany head Sonya Pauls.....
GLOBAL VIEW | CASES
Kim Dotcom calls for livestream of extradition appeal
Internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom wants to livestream his legal battle against the US on YouTube.....
BIG STORIES | WORKING STYLE
City firm goes 'super agile'
London law firm Schillings is taking the concept of agile working to a new level, telling its lawyers that they only need to come into the office two ....
GLOBAL VIEW | LAW AND TECH
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Can't buy me love - tech tops pay in work-life balance survey
New research has found that lawyers in Australia view new technology and flexible working conditions as more important for their work-life balance....
BIG STORIES | PERSONALITY TRAITS
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Study shows lawyers less adept at coping with uncertainty
New research has found that lawyers are less able to cope with uncertainty and are less suited to handling difficult situations than other professiona....
BIG STORIES | DEALS
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Freshfields and Linklaters take lion's share in AB InBev deal
Anheuser-Busch InBev's $108bn (£71bn) takeover of SABMiller, set to be the largest ever of a London-listed company, has generated $2....
GLOBAL VIEW | INDUSTRY TRENDS
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Whistleblower law firms look to India
The rising number of drug manufacturing-related violations in India and increasing presence of large US companies in the country are leading whist....
GLOBAL VIEW | FINANCE
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Law firm partners face the perfect storm in retirement
The trend of earlier retirement for partners in law firms could put them in financial danger.....
Latest stories
COVID-19 TEST CASE
Herbert Smith Freehills celebrates as UK Supreme Court backs businesses in Covid-19 insurance ruling
- Norton Rose Fulbright axes 132 jobs including 19 lawyers in efficiency drive
- Clyde & Co hires three-partner team from Norton Rose Fulbright to open in Munich
- Shearman & Sterling reopens in Munich with double partner hire from Linklaters
- Allen & Overy's co-head of arbitration leaves for the Bar in London and Hong Kong.
Popular stories
- Allen & Overy's co-head of arbitration leaves for the Bar in London and Hong Kong.
- Orrick boosts corporate team with partner-level hires in San Francisco, New York and London
- Herbert Smith Freehills celebrates as UK Supreme Court backs businesses in Covid-19 insurance ruling
- Taylor Wessing hires 11-strong London private client team from BCLP
