Pulse UK

Sidley Keeps Door Open For London Hires

After a string of high-profile hires in London, Sidley Austin LLP is still open to further additions, particularly in private capital, as it looks to build a resilient platform amid geopolitical uncertainty.

a poster with financial penalty written on it

SRA U-Turn On Global Revenue Fines Calms Industry Worries

The Solicitors Regulation Authority's decision to ditch plans to base fines on global revenue has staved off a potentially punitive regime that would have made the legal market in England and Wales less attractive to international and U.S. law firms, experts say.

Funders Roiled As Slow Cases, PACCAR Dull Demand

Litigation-funders are grappling with an apparent existential crisis amid uncertain macroeconomic conditions and regulatory pressures in the U.K., compelling some to revamp their business models in pursuit of fresh capital for investment in cases.

A glowing exit sign by night on wall: stock photo

A&O Shearman Ex-Partners Cite Leadership Gap Amid Exits

Partners are still heading for the exit at Allen Overy Shearman Sterling in London, prompting lawyers to note that the firm’s top decision-makers are not based in the U.K. Here, former partners talk about leadership and the growing emphasis on billable hours at the firm.

May 19, 2025
CPS Barrister's Win As Bar Council Vice Chair Makes History

The Bar Council said Monday that it has elected Heidi Stonecliffe KC to serve as its next vice chair, the first time an employed barrister has been appointed to take up the role in the body's 132-year history.
May 19, 2025
Osborne Clarke Pro's Conduct Risked Public Trust, SDT Says

A disciplinary tribunal has ruled that an Osborne Clarke LLP partner committed the kind of misconduct that "would clearly undermine public trust" in lawyers by misusing legal language to try to shield an email sent on behalf of former Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi from being published, explaining its decision to fine the solicitor over the incident.
May 19, 2025
Ex-Allen & Overy Chiefs Set Up Shop To Match PE, Law Firms

Two former Allen & Overy LLP senior partners have teamed up to launch a consultancy to advise private equity investors and family offices on investing in law firms in England and Wales and beyond.
May 19, 2025
Wills Management Co. Adeus Awarded £500K UK Grant

Innovate UK, a national innovation agency, awarded the startup adeus with a £500,000 Smart Grant (around $668,000) to accelerate the development of its wills and legacy planning software for England and Wales, according to an announcement Monday.
May 19, 2025
UK-EU Pact Aims To Revive Youth Work Mobility After Brexit

An agreement Monday between the U.K. and the European Commission to work toward creating a "youth experience scheme" could help boost employment in sectors affected by work rights restrictions caused by Brexit.
May 19, 2025
Norton Rose Hires 6 Projects Pros From Eversheds In Paris

Norton Rose Fulbright said Monday that it has made a significant investment in its global projects practice by snapping up a team of six experts from Eversheds Sutherland in Paris.
May 19, 2025
UK Aims To Recruit 1,000 Tribunal Judges, Panelists In 2025

The government is aiming to recruit 1,000 judges and panel members by the end of the year before a probable deluge of claims once the Employment Rights Bill comes into effect.
May 19, 2025
Kelyn Bacon Named President Of Competition Appeal Tribunal

The government has appointed Kelyn Bacon to be president of the Competition Appeal Tribunal, naming a specialist in competition and EU law who has already helped the tribunal to take a tougher stance on the suitability of class action representatives.
May 19, 2025
Firm And Consultant Fined £10K Over Accounts Rules Breach

An English law firm and a consultant were each hit with a £5,000 ($6,700) fine by a disciplinary tribunal on Monday after the solicitors' regulator alleged that they allowed the company's client account to be used as a banking facility.
May 19, 2025
Foot Anstey Bags Boohoo Retail Expert In Manchester

Foot Anstey LLP has recruited retail and consumer specialist Tom Kershaw as a partner from fast-fashion retailer Boohoo Group as the firm looks to capitalize on its growth across the north of England.
May 19, 2025
Legal Aid Agency Cyberattack Shutters Online Portal

A cyberattack on the Legal Aid Agency has compromised such a large volume of the sensitive personal data of applicants that the government has pulled down the online portal used to pay service providers, the Ministry of Justice confirmed on Monday.
May 16, 2025
How The Magic Circle Is Angling For Dominance In New York

As the elite U.K.-based law firms have doubled down on their efforts to grow in New York's competitive market for lateral partners and lucrative transactional work, signs have begun popping up that the global firms are gaining traction and pose a true competitive threat to domestic juggernauts.
May 16, 2025
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

This past week in London has seen Linklaters and EY face negligence claims from a fintech investment firm, property developer Sir John Ritblat bring legal action against a Guernsey-registered company, and fresh equal pay litigation filed against Morrisons and Safeways. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.
May 16, 2025
Ashurst Adds Paris White Collar Chief From Eversheds Sutherland

Ashurst LLP said Friday that it has recruited the head of white-collar crime and investigations at Eversheds Sutherland in Paris to lead its own French corporate crime team.
May 16, 2025
UK Legal Revenue Tops Record £5B In March

The U.K. legal sector generated revenue of just over £5 billion ($6.6 billion) in March as many law firms sought to boost their earnings figures toward the end of the financial year, official statistics have revealed.
May 15, 2025
Clifford Chance Adds Arbitration Expert From Pinsent Masons

Clifford Chance LLP has boosted its international arbitration practice by hiring a lawyer from Pinsent Masons LLP, saying she has broad experience in matters involving Spain and has been appointed to serve as a partner on the global law firm's litigation and dispute resolution team.
May 15, 2025
India Opens Some Doors To Foreign Lawyers With New Rules

The Bar Council of India has confirmed a revision to its rules to allow foreign lawyers and law firms to practice in the country in a push to become an arbitration destination, though the rules still prioritize the interests of Indian lawyers.
May 15, 2025
Judge Sidelined Over Bias Concerns In Business Taxes Feud

A London court on Thursday removed a district judge from a dispute over the payment of business taxes, citing a risk of bias amid his "sensitive" response to a challenge of his decision in an earlier linked case.
May 15, 2025
Ex-Solicitor Hit With 1st Individual Tax Avoidance Stop Notice

HM Revenue & Customs has ordered a struck-off solicitor to stop promoting two tax avoidance schemes, the first notice of its kind issued against an individual, the tax authority said Thursday.
May 15, 2025
Freeths Hires Pensions Specialist From Simmons & Simmons

Freeths has hired James Dean, a pensions specialist from Simmons & Simmons LLP, to lead the growth and development of the firm's national pensions practice.
May 15, 2025
Vaginal Mesh Claims Pro Kept Settlement Funds, SRA Alleges

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has referred a sole practitioner at a now-shuttered law firm specializing in vaginal mesh implant claims to a disciplinary tribunal, accusing him of dishonestly keeping settlement money.
May 15, 2025
HSF Names UK, EMEA Exec Partner For Kramer Levin Merger

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP said Thursday that it has appointed a senior real estate lawyer to lead its operations in the U.K. and EMEA regions, once the firm merges with New York-based Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP in June.
May 15, 2025
Legal Costs Insurer On The Hook For £83K Payout To Ex-Exec

A legal expenses insurer could owe more than £80,000 ($106,000) to a former executive after a tribunal found that his insolvent employer's prolonged failure to pay wages and commission amounted to a fundamental breach of contract.
May 15, 2025
Ex-Managing Partner Fights To Redo Costs After Bias Case

The former managing partner of a law firm argued Thursday that a tribunal failed to consider his ability to pay up to £210,000 ($278,8300) after he tried to claim both income protection insurance and a share of its while off sick with cancer.
May 15, 2025
Former Law Firm Owner Hit With Record £4M Fine

The Solicitors Regulation Authority said Thursday it has fined the former owner of Kingly Solicitors Ltd. a record amount of almost £4 million ($5.3 million) after closing the alternative business structure firm in 2020 over concerns about the misuse of client funds.

Editor's Picks

The Revolving Door: Mishcon Expands Amid Partner Exit

Over the past week, Mishcon de Reya bagged a high-profile real estate and planning duo and parted ways with one partner who joined Ashurst, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher snapped up its second partner from A&O Shearman in two months, and the former head of private funds at Weil Gotshal & Manges departed for Sidley Austin.
The Revolving Door: Paul Weiss Raids A&O Shearman

Paul Weiss raided A&O Shearman twice in 24 hours over the past week as part of a London growth push, Jones Day added a high-profile product liability duo from Kennedys, and Hill Dickinson launched a new corporate practice in Newcastle with a team from Ward Hadaway LLP.
The Revolving Door: Linklaters Hires Public Law Head

Over the past week, Linklaters hired a new arbitration partner to head its international law practice, Pinsent Masons bagged a pensions expert from Taylor Wessing, and Clyde & Co. opened its doors to an AI veteran from Kennedys Law.

Expert Analysis

Series

Practice Leader Insights From Farrer & Co.'s Simon Ward

Simon Ward, leader of the private capital practice at Farrer & Co., discusses the challenges of coordinating an acquisition with lawyers from other practice areas, why finding ways to connect education institutions to regulators and decision-makers would be a positive shift, and why young lawyers should get involved in the business world early on.
Series

Practice Leader Insights From Morgan Lewis' Nick Bolter

Nick Bolter, leader of the London intellectual property practice at Morgan Lewis, discusses the challenges of acting in disputes where the other party is a lay person representing themselves, the need to refocus trademark law on consumer protection, and why IP is a challenging area of law.
Series

Practice Leader Insights From Mayer Brown's James West

James West, co-leader of Mayer Brown's private equity practice, discusses the challenges of conducting complex deals at pace, the benefits of maintaining a relatively light regulatory framework in the private equity arena, and why the current economic climate has led to a need for the industry to be more flexible in its approach to dealmaking.
Practice Leader Insights From Norton Rose's Paul Griffin

Paul Griffin, head of employment and labor for Europe, Middle East and Asia at Norton Rose, discusses the challenge of litigating a whistleblowing case with a CEO remaining in post, why the qualifying period for claiming unfair dismissal should be reviewed, and the importance of retaining one's authenticity as a lawyer.
What Rise Of AI Means For Future Of Junior Lawyer Careers

While artificial intelligence is reshaping law firms’ approach to core tasks, it is unlikely to eliminate the need for human oversight, and if junior lawyers can embrace new technologies with integrity, they can focus on more meaningful work and add greater value to their teams, says Valeriya Zinchenko at Teacher Stern.
Practice Leader Insights From HFW's Michelle Chance

Michelle Chance, head of HFW's London employment practice, discusses the challenges of defending a high-profile race discrimination class action in the civil courts, the need for male employees to take shared parental leave, and the significance of the new employer duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees.
Series

Practice Leader Insights From Cleary's Sebastian Sperber

Sebastian Sperber, leader of Cleary's EMEA capital markets and debt finance practice, discusses the challenges of working on complex transactions in pre-internet days, why regulators should think carefully before imposing additional disclosure burdens on corporations, and his hope that the recent U.K. listing reforms will encourage more companies to choose to list in London.
What Age Bias Ruling Means For Law Firm Retirement Policies

The recent employment tribunal age discrimination decision in Scott v. Walker Morris demonstrates that while law firms may implement mandatory retirement schemes, the policy must pursue a legitimate aim via proportionate means to pass the objective justification test, says Chris Hadrill at Redmans Solicitors.
Series

Practice Leader Insights From HFW's Christopher Foster

Christopher Foster, global head of insurance and reinsurance at HFW, discusses the challenges of conducting complex arbitration, why arbitration rules should be amended, and how learning about the market makes working in insurance law easier.
Series

Practice Leader Insights From Broadfield's Sajjad Khan

Sajjad Khan, head of Broadfield's intellectual property practice, discusses how trademark matters that appear to be simple can end up being complex, why the regulatory framework for artificial intelligence and copyright is in clear need of reform, and how junior lawyers should persevere if interested in this competitive area of law.
Series

Practice Leader Insights From Cleary's Gareth Kristensen

Gareth Kristensen, head of the Europe, Middle East and Africa intellectual property practice group at Cleary, discusses the challenges when data laws are not adapted to frontier artificial intelligence, why IP rights can have such significant value, and how nothing beats a deep understanding of what you enjoy within the realm of tech, IP and data.
Series

PR Perspectives: 3 Misconceptions Around Law Firm Brands

Despite an implicit understanding of the value of brand, misconceptions around logo and financial value have resulted in law firms being slow to manage and build this valuable asset, without which it becomes difficult to attract the same caliber of client or recruit the best lawyers, says Daniela Conte at Gibson Dunn.
Series

Practice Leader Insights From Covington's Sonia Campbell

Sonia Campbell, head of the U.K. insurance recovery practice at Covington, discusses the challenges of working during the COVID-19 pandemic, why cyber underwriting risk will be critical for sector reform, and how junior lawyers need to be resilient and tenacious.
Roundup

Practice Leader Insights

In this Law360 U.K. Expert Analysis series, leaders of employment, intellectual property, insurance and transactions practice groups share thoughts on keeping the pulse on legal trends, tackling difficult cases and what it takes to make a mark in their area.
Series

Practice Leader Insights: Bird & Bird's Rebecca O'Kelly-Gillard

Rebecca O'Kelly-Gillard, who co-heads Bird & Bird's international copyright group, discusses the challenges of working on long cases with complex issues, whether current copyright law is fit for purpose in light of artificial intelligence, and why understanding technology makes it easier to argue the nuances of the law.