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September 11, 2008 |
Government efforts to cut legal spending and centralise costs through the Catalist panel have been dealt a fresh blow, with a number of splinter bodies moving to set up their own legal rosters and the panel's tendering system coming under renewed fire. The developments see a number of NHS groups, as well as the National Audit Office (NAO), creating their own preferred adviser lists because they find the current 48-firm Catalist format unsuitable.The Healthcare Purchasing Consortium (HPC), which covers 40 trusts across the West Midlands and London, has formed its own panel, which has now been adopted by other NHS procurement bodies as well as the Purchasing and Supply Agency.
By Charlotte Edmond
1 minute read
September 11, 2008 |
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is gearing up to accept applications for non-lawyer partners within law firms ahead of schedule as the body moves to usher in the next round of reforms under the Legal Services Act (LSA). The SRA is hoping to accept applications for Legal Disciplinary Practices (LDPs) by January next year. The timetable would put the SRA ahead of schedule, allowing it to fast-track applications when the regulations come into force, which is antici-pated in March 2009.The SRA will send out a survey to law firms next week to assess interest in adopting the structure, which will allow up to 25% non-lawyer partnership in law firms. It is thought that a number of firms with senior accountants as financial directors, or conveyancers as employees may be interested in the structure.SRA consultant Alison Crawley commented: "We are keen to know how many firms will be looking to convert to an LDP, and therefore how many resources we will need. There will be an inevitable rush of applications when the regulations come into force, so we will try to make sure we can accept early applications."The SRA's stance suggests that substantial liberalisation could be in force sooner than expected, despite the full range of the LSA not being due for implementation until 2011.Firms employing barristers will also be interested in the new LDP model.
By Charlotte Edmond
1 minute read
September 11, 2008 |
CMS Cameron McKenna is set to revamp its management and is considering recruiting externally for a new operations position as part of a raft of changes being considered by new managing partner Duncan Weston.The City firm is reviewing the job descriptions for both of its two main management positions - assessing whether the roles currently carried out by Weston and senior partner Richard Price could be better allocated. As part of the review, Camerons is also considering looking outside the firm to fill a new position similar to a chief operating officer. The changes are likely to see some of the management responsibilities split between the wider management board. Finer details are still to be worked out, with the changes expected to go to a vote at a partnership meeting scheduled for later this month. However, the firm has already voted through a number of changes to its constitution over the summer to prepare for the management overhaul. The measures are part of a wider package of ideas introduced by Weston since he took over as managing partner from Dick Tyler in May this year. Tyler this month took up his new role as chair of the executive committee responsible for the network of CMS firms.Previously, Camerons had a director of operations role which was held by Keith Pearse. He left earlier in the year but Camerons did not seek to fill the role. Late last year, the CMS alliance appointed Matthew Gorman into the new role of director of operations. He has responsibility for the central finance, IT, human resources, risk management and business development functions within CMS. See analysis, pages 12-13.
By Charlotte Edmond
1 minute read
September 11, 2008 |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and CMS Cameron Mc-Kenna have won the main roles as private equity giants circle UK media group Informa.Freshfields has landed the lead for a consortium of private equity houses including Providence Equity Partners, Carlyle Group and Blackstone Group, with the latest bid for the media group valuing the company at £1.9m. The deal, which is being led by private equity partner David Sonter, is the latest evidence that Freshfields' efforts to forge strong buy-out links are paying off, as US firm Latham & Watkins is a frequent adviser to Carlyle.Meanwhile, Camerons has taken the lead for regular client Informa, instructing a team under corporate finance partner Gary Green.The bid, which was rejected last week (5 September), is the latest in a stream of interest for Informa. In June, Providence, Carlyle and Hellman & Friedman tabled a bid valuing the group at £2.15bn. Hellman & Friedman has since walked away from the group while Blackstone has joined. In a statement, Informa said that the revised bid significantly undervalues the company. The publisher, which has more than 40,000 academic and business titles in print and is known for key shipping publication Lloyds List, employs 10,000 people worldwide.
By Charlotte Edmond
1 minute read
September 10, 2008 |
Sitting fairly comfortably around the top 10 London law firms by turnover for the last few years, CMS Cameron McKenna has nonetheless conspired to give itself one of the lowest profiles among the City's upper echelons. The firm rarely recruits high-profile partners. Neither does it lose many. And if you ask rivals with comparable practices, they generally claim to know little of the firm.So when Camerons announced a 29.5% hike in profits per equity partner (PEP) for the last year to £650,000, it is fair to say that the response - by those that noticed - was surprise. Growth in revenue was also impressive, rising 19% to £235m for the year to April. Even taking into account the effects of bringing in a new grade of salaried partners, the performance made Camerons one of the fastest-growing firms in terms of PEP across the UK top 50.
By Charlotte Edmond
1 minute read
September 10, 2008 |
Simmons & Simmons managing partner Mark Dawkins and Linklaters senior partner David Cheyne are among a raft of senior lawyers appointed to the government's newly-created group of professional services champions. The new group, which is intended to help maintain the global competitiveness of the UK's professional services sector, sees senior figures from across the legal and accounting industries meet for the first time today.
By Charlotte Edmond
1 minute read
September 4, 2008 |
The Black Solicitors Network (BSN) is to launch a new City arm, as leading law firms continue their drive to attract a more diverse selection of new recruits. The BSN, which has more than 5,500 members across England and Wales, is setting up a new group dedicated to private practice and in-house solicitors in London. The launch has the support of City firms such as Linklaters, which is hosting next month's launch of the networking group. Webster Dixon joint founding partner and BSN chair Michael Webster said: "This will help provide networking opportunities as well as information and support. Our mission is to promote retention. Attrition rates are higher for ethnic minority solicitors."
By Charlotte Edmond
1 minute read
September 4, 2008 |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed a new human resources (HR) director, taking on Kevin Hogarth from Capital One Bank Europe.Hogarth, who took up his new role at the beginning of the month, will be responsible for the operational management of the magic circle law firm's global HR function. He will also head up HR for Freshfields' City headquarters.Prior to joining Freshfields, Hogarth, who will report to the firm's global HR partner Caroline Stroud, held the position of managing vice president of HR at Capital One, where he headed the European HR function and was accountable for the development and implementation of the HR strategy.
By Charlotte Edmond
1 minute read
September 4, 2008 |
SJ Berwin has expanded its strategy committee with three new partner appointments.The firm has added finance partner Jeremy Cross, European Union and competition partner Tom Usher and employment partner Nicola Kerr to its committee, after consultations with partners.The appointments follow the departure of two of the committee's members - former restructuring partner and committee member Stephen Maffey, who returned to Australia, and media and communications partner Tim Johnson, who stood down from the group.
By Charlotte Edmond
1 minute read
September 4, 2008 |
Simmons & Simmons has become the latest firm to benefit from a stream of departures from Howrey's City arm with the top 20 law firm signing up a trademark team led by partner David Stone. Stone joined Simmons this week (1 September) with three fee earners, taking Simmons' intellectual property (IP) practice to seven partners. Until his departure Stone headed Howrey's trademark and brand protection team in London, working with a broad range of clients including The Coca-Cola Company and English National Ballet. He previously worked in house, with a stint as trademark counsel for Western Europe at Coca-Cola between 2003 and 2005, and has experience dealing with Olympic-related IP issues.
By Charlotte Edmond
1 minute read
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MELICK & PORTER, LLP PROMOTES CONNECTICUT PARTNERS HOLLY ROGERS, STEVEN BANKS, and ALEXANDER AHRENS
