Pulse UK

Legal Aid Agency Hack Highlights Cyber Risks For Industry

The cyberattack on the Legal Aid Agency has laid bare the sector's digital vulnerabilities, making the service even harder to get while exposing what a soft target the entire industry is for attacks.

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.

May 23, 2025
Gov't To Boost Judicial Pay 4% Despite Call For More

The U.K. government has announced a 4% pay increase for all salaried judges in England and Wales — smaller than previous increases and less than the recommendation of a salary advisory body as recruitment problems continue to mount.
May 23, 2025
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

This past week in London has seen Nestlé hit with an intellectual property claim by a pet insurance company, VTB Capital bring a breach of contract lawsuit against J.P. Morgan Securities, and Société Générale's former chief executive face litigation from an Italian entrepreneur.
May 23, 2025
Latham, HSF Pros Tapped For LCIA Court

The London Court of International Arbitration has made a series of new appointments to its court of arbitration, including a solicitor-advocate in Latham & Watkins LLP's London office and Herbert Smith Freehills LLP's managing partner in Singapore.
May 23, 2025
UPC Adds 4 Technical Experts To Roster Of Judges

The Unified Patent Court has boosted its roster of technically qualified judges by appointing four to join the European specialty court, including two partners at German intellectual property boutiques.
May 23, 2025
The Revolving Door: Top M&A Pro Returns To A&O Shearman

Over the past week, Howard Kennedy's head of international arbitration has joined Norton Rose, a white-collar crime veteran headed to Corker Binning as a consultant and an M&A dealmaker returned to A&O Shearman.
May 22, 2025
MPs Demand CCRC Exec Step Down Over Leadership Failures

Members of Parliament on Friday called for the chief executive of the body that investigates miscarriages of justice to step down in the wake of damning criticisms about the organization's incompetence and a "spectacular failure of leadership."
May 22, 2025
HSF Launches Free Tool To Track AI Regulatory Changes

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP has launched a new tracker to help clients keep on top of changes to laws and regulations on artificial intelligence as the regulatory landscape continues to evolve.
May 22, 2025
Pogust Goodhead Sued In Brazil Over 'Abusive' Retainers

Brazilian prosecutors have accused Pogust Goodhead of inserting "abusive" clauses into the retainers of the clients it is representing in a £36 billion ($48 billion) claim over the collapse of the Fundão Dam in Brazil.
May 22, 2025
Baker McKenzie Adds Eversheds Life Sciences Pro To IP Team

Baker McKenzie LLP has hired Eversheds Sutherland's former artificial intelligence strategist for life sciences, as the firm aims to address changing client needs in the intellectual property space.
May 22, 2025
Lawyer Denies Aiding Undercover Reporter's Fake Asylum Bid

A former law firm manager told a London tribunal Thursday that he denied trying to help an undercover journalist to make a bogus asylum application by suggesting they fabricate claims of persecution.
May 22, 2025
Cleary Closes Frankfurt Office As It Consolidates In Germany

Cleary is closing its office in Frankfurt after more than three decades as the U.S. law firm consolidates its operations in Germany under one location.
May 22, 2025
Marsh Settles $143M Claim Over Losses In Greensill Collapse

Marsh has reached settlement in a claim of almost $143 million with investment firm White Oak, which had alleged that the insurance broker misled it when selling cover for investments in Greensill Capital, a financing firm that collapsed in 2021.
May 21, 2025
Definely Launches AI Tool To Streamline Contract Drafting

Definely unveiled Thursday a new system that uses artificial intelligence technology to reduce the time law firms and in-house legal teams spend drafting and reviewing contracts.
May 21, 2025
DWF Reveals Forest Project As Part Of Net-Zero Goals

DWF LLP said Wednesday that it has planted more than half a million trees in the "DWF Forest" since 2018, as part of its goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045.
May 21, 2025
UK Lawyer Charged With Money Laundering In NCA Probe

A solicitor and an accountant, both Midlands-based, have been charged with money laundering following a National Crime Agency investigation, the authority disclosed Wednesday.
May 21, 2025
Russell-Cooke Promotes 2 Women To Partnership

Russell-Cooke LLP said Wednesday that it has edged closer to gender parity in its partnership by elevating two female senior associates as partners at the firm.
May 21, 2025
Cadwalader Adds Ex-Latham Infrastructure Atty In London

Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP announced it has added a former Latham & Watkins LLP infrastructure finance attorney as a partner in its London office.
May 21, 2025
Legal AI Biz Legora Raises $80M In Funding Round

A Swedish legal artificial intelligence platform, Legora, said Wednesday that it has raised $80 million in its latest funding round as a growing number of law firms and in-house legal teams across the globe integrate AI technology into their work.
May 21, 2025
'Amicus' Name Not Distinctive, Rival Law Firm Argues

A high street solicitors' firm in London formerly known as Amicus Solicitors London has hit back at a Manchester-based firm's claims of passing-off, saying that the name was not distinctive and that the two companies served different markets.
May 20, 2025
Tenn Capital, Elite Law Settle £1.9M Loan Fraud Dispute

Tenn Capital Ltd. has settled its claim that Elite Law Solicitors Ltd. failed to secure necessary protections over a £1.9 million ($2.54 million) property loan and failing to identify the borrower as an alleged fraudster.
May 20, 2025
Corker Binning Hires Veteran White Collar Pro Stephen Gentle

White-collar boutique law firm Corker Binning has hired a top-ranked veteran solicitor with an extensive track record working on high-profile bribery, fraud and economic crime cases as a consultant.
May 20, 2025
Benson Mazure Fights To Nix £4.6M Negligence Case

Benson Mazure LLP urged a London court on Tuesday to toss a £4.6 million ($6.1 million) negligence claim form an energy business, alleging that the law firm's solicitors fraudulently signed a mortgage deed that led to its collapse.
May 20, 2025
Knights Group Expects Full-Year Revenue To Top £160M

Knights Group Holdings PLC said Tuesday that it expects its revenue to exceed £160 million ($214 million) when it releases its financial results later this year, as the business continues its strategy of acquiring law firms.
May 20, 2025
PE-Backed Consolidator Lawfront Acquires Trethowans

Lawfront Group Ltd. has acquired Trethowans in its largest deal so far, the private equity-backed consolidator confirmed on Tuesday, a transaction that demonstrates the private equity sector's growing interest in law firms.
May 20, 2025
Slater And Gordon Beats Claim By 224 Clients Over Retainers

A London court has thrown out a claim against Slater and Gordon brought by 224 clients over the retainers on their personal injury cases, ruling that the terms of the agreements are clear and enforceable.

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.