Government

Relief for English lawyers as Supreme Court backs right to choose arbitrator's nationality

By Suzi Ring | August 3, 2011

London's position as a global centre for arbitration has been reaffirmed following a Supreme Court ruling that nationality and religion can be used as criteria in the selection and appointment of arbitrators. In a landmark judgment handed down last week, the Supreme Court confirmed that arbitrators are not employees and therefore fall outside of UK equality laws.

1 minute read

Does the 'pro-business' US Supreme Court really favour corporations?

By Legal Week | July 27, 2011

The US Supreme Court's recent rulings call into question whether it really favours corporations. Tony Mauro reports

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United fronts - the legal profession needs a more unified voice

By Alex Novarese | July 27, 2011

One of the themes emerging from this week's extended look at the sweeping reform of legal aid currently going through Parliament is that lawyers in general struggle to mount effective campaigns for worthwhile shifts in public policy. In the case of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, it was always going to be an uphill struggle. Lawyers aren't that popular on the Clapham omnibus and that kind of painfully complex reform is very difficult to energise debate with. This political reality is why legal aid, despite being a relatively tiny slice of social provision, has seen its budget already curtailed considerably during the last decade – its current £2.1bn level actually peaked in real terms 10% higher back in 2003-04. All this before the Government gears up to knock another £350m annually off the budget via a huge withdrawal of civil legal aid.

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Under pressure - are the legal aid cuts tough love or political expediency?

By Friederike Heine | July 27, 2011

The statement issued on 21 June by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) was headed: 'Clarke: Plans outlined to reduce reoffending'. Those who read the opening paragraphs of the press notice, and indeed followed through to the middle section, would have understood that his announcement related to what the Government billed as a "radical plan to reduce reoffending".

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City lawyers size up US-style success fees – but concern grows over legal aid cuts

By Suzi Ring | June 29, 2011

City law firms are assessing the prospects for using damage-based billing arrangements (DBAs) for complex litigation following the Government's near-wholesale adoption of the Jackson reforms included in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill last week. The bill, which fell in line with previous consultations, is expected to see City law firms experiment with DBAs for high value disputes as demand for alternative billing methods increases.

1 minute read

Review of 48-strong Govt legal panel pushed back by 11 months

By Friederike Heine | June 22, 2011

The Government has pushed back a closely watched review of the panel set up to centralise Whitehall's legal spending for almost a year, it has emerged. Office of Government Commerce agency Buying Solutions has confirmed that the review of its 48-strong legal panel – formerly 
known as Catalist – has been delayed by 11 months after it originally kicked off in September last year.

1 minute read

The Vickers report - a very British compromise

By Sofia Lind | April 21, 2011

Officially, the Vickers report on UK banking reform was met with the cold shoulder by City lawyers last week but, in many ways, the initial proposals seemed an ideal outcome for banking advisers. The Independent Commission on Banking (ICB) was set up by the coalition Government last year to examine reforms to reduce systemic risk in the banking system and "to investigate the complex issue of separating retail and investment banking in a sustainable way". Despite being billed as considering radical steps to tackle the excesses of banking, the ICB's initial recommendations were widely viewed as modest, leading the share price of a number of large UK banks to rise on the day of their announcement on 11 April.

1 minute read

MoJ cost savings spark fears of widespread job losses

By Claire Ruckin | August 11, 2010

A third of the Ministry of Justice's (MoJ) 80,000 staff could see their jobs at risk under plans to cut £2bn from the department's annual budget, a union has warned. The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has expressed fears that £2bn of the MoJ's £9bn budget will be axed within the first two years of the next spending review, which will be announced on 20 October. The union fears that 15,000 of the MoJ's 80,000 staff could be at risk of losing their jobs under the cuts, which it says are the equivalent of the entire budget for prisons.

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The public life

By Legal Week | July 13, 2009

The public sector is enjoying a spell of popularity - both among out-of-work City lawyers looking for jobs and partners hoping to drum up business from a sector still with some money to spend.

1 minute read

Public and regulatory law: At your service

By Legal Week | June 18, 2009

As City law firms cut jobs and freeze pay levels, the public sector has become an increasingly attractive option to lawyers. Part of the allure is, no doubt, the relative security offered by government employers. But that's not the whole story. City associates who are tired of handling repetitive tasks such as due diligence and document review have long looked enviously at the more challenging work carried out by their peers in government bodies such as the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Treasury Solicitor's Office, but shied away from moving because of the carrot of law firm partnership and higher salaries. However, with uncertainty about future employment prospects – let alone partnership prospects – rife, increasing numbers have begun to consider a move into public service roles.

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National Law Journal

Near-Shoring Push Expected to Boost Growth for Global Law Firms in Mexico

By Amy Guthrie | June 4, 2023

Global firms Baker McKenzie and Hogan Lovells are fielding tons of inquiries, although there's plenty of inbound work to go around as manufacturing shifts from Asia back to North America.

6 minute read

Law.com

DuPont Strikes $1.2 Billion Settlement Over Toxic Chemicals, Leaving 3M to Face Trial Alone

By Amanda Bronstad | June 2, 2023

DuPont agreed to a $1.185 billion settlement involving toxic chemicals that includes a case brought by the city of Stuart, Florida, that begins trial on Monday. 3M remains in that trial, the first bellwether in multidistrict litigation over aqueous film-forming foams.

6 minute read

Texas Lawyer

Look Out Delaware, Business Courts Are Coming to Texas

By Adolfo Pesquera | June 2, 2023

"Any constitutional challenge to the system goes straight to the Texas Supreme Court," which gets original jurisdiction, said Haynes Boone partner David Harper.

6 minute read

National Law Journal

Impact of Consent Judgment in Crypto Enforcement Debated by Industry Professionals

By Brad Kutner | June 2, 2023

"The fact the SEC was willing to settle the matter without any admissions related to trading securities from the Wahi brothers is a tacit omission that this wasn't a battle they wanted to fight," said Winston & Strawn partner Daniel T. Stabile.

4 minute read

New Jersey Law Journal

Judge Reprimanded for Conduct During Temporary Assignment

By Charles Toutant | June 1, 2023

In imposing a reprimand, the court opted to give the judge one of the lighter forms of public judicial discipline available.

3 minute read

Connecticut Law Tribune

'They Make the Wrong Decision': Advocates Want Judges Trained in This Area

By Emily Cousins | June 1, 2023

"We really feel like all judges who are hearing these cases that involve abuse allegations need to be adequately prepared," Danielle Pollack said. "We've had so many cases where judges have no training."

11 minute read

Daily Business Review

Will Miami Mayor's Quinn Emanuel Side Gig Earn Fresh Scrutiny?

By Alexander Lugo | June 1, 2023

Francis Suarez, who's weighing a bid for the GOP presidential nomination, isn't the first Florida politician to draw a salary from a law firm while holding office.

5 minute read

Daily Business Review

'My Plea Was Coerced. I Never Threatened Anybody': 9 Florida Lawyers Disciplined

By Lisa Willis | June 1, 2023

"I am hurt, troubled and disturbed, but I am not unethical or criminal," one disciplined attorney said.

4 minute read

Daily Business Review

From Kozyak Tropin to the Bench: Colleagues Rally Around New Federal Judge

By Lisa Willis | May 31, 2023

"It was surreal to watch my former partner ... get sworn in," said Tal Lifshitz of Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton.

2 minute read

National Law Journal

As the Supreme Court Leans on State Authority, Big Law Leans on State AG Practices 

By Brad Kutner | May 31, 2023

"Most decisions are being pushed back to the states and that's going to give state AGs a lot of authority to fashion policies," said Jerry W. Kilgore, a member with Cozen O'Connor's state AG practice and a former Virginia Attorney General.

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