Pulse UK

  • May 30, 2025

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen Entain face yet more investor claims in the fallout from its bribery probe, UEFA face class action from Liverpool fans over chaos at the 2022 World Cup, and a venture capitalist sue journalists for misuse of his private information over a forged police report. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • May 30, 2025

    SRA Mulls Changes To Rules On Complaints To Firms

    The solicitors' watchdog is exploring changes to its rules on how lawyers handle initial complaints, and it will collect and publish more data about the length of time it takes firms to resolve those issues to improve support for consumers.

  • May 30, 2025

    British Businessman Appears In Court In Malawi Bribery Case

    A British businessman appeared at a London criminal court Friday on charges that he sent corrupt payments to the former vice-president of Malawi, as well as its ex-solicitor general and other high-ranking officials.

  • May 30, 2025

    The Revolving Door: Blackstone Taps White & Case Counsel

    Over the past week, Blackstone snapped up a White & Case LLP mergers and acquisitions lawyer to lead legal on European private equity deals, McDermott Will & Emery LLP brought on a seasoned antitrust partner in London, and 4 New Square welcomed a leading arbitration figure from Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

  • May 30, 2025

    Orrick Hires Compensation And Benefits Pro From Latham

    Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP has hired a compensation and benefits associate from Latham & Watkins as a partner in its London office as the firm continues to expand its technology sector bench.

  • May 30, 2025

    Law Firm Fined £25K Over Lack Of AML Controls, Records

    The solicitors' watchdog for England and Wales has fined a commercial law firm £25,000 ($34,000) for failing to follow anti-money-laundering regulations, declaring that it showed a "disregard" for the rules.

  • May 30, 2025

    Law Society Elects Obelisk Chief Exec As Deputy VP

    The Law Society said Friday that it has elected the chief executive of Obelisk Support, a provider of flexible legal services, as deputy vice president and that she will become president of the solicitors' group in two years.

  • May 29, 2025

    BSB Weighs Changes To Help Clients Complain To The Bar

    The Bar Standards Board has launched a consultation on the guidance barristers and their chambers need to deal with complaints, as new rules seek to make it easier for vulnerable people to complain to their legal provider without using the Legal Ombudsman.

  • May 29, 2025

    Eversheds, William Fry Call Off Irish Merger Talks

    Eversheds Sutherland's Irish office will not go ahead with a discussed plan to merge with Dublin-based William Fry LLP, the two firms said Thursday.

  • May 29, 2025

    SQE2 Pass Rate Rises To 75% But Black Candidates Lag

    Three-quarters of aspiring solicitors passed the second half of the qualification exam in January, a slight increase from the corresponding period in 2024, the solicitors' watchdog has said, but added that pass rates for Black candidates are still low.

  • May 29, 2025

    Home Office Lawyer Reprimanded For 'Foolish' Bottle Assault

    A Home Office lawyer convicted for throwing a bottle at a woman's head in a club was reprimanded on Thursday for what a disciplinary tribunal for barristers described as a "foolish" one-off incident.

  • May 29, 2025

    Lawyer Cleared In Undercover Reporter's Fake Asylum Sting

    A former manager at a law firm was cleared on Thursday of allegations that he had helped an undercover journalist to make a fake asylum claim, as a tribunal ruled that the lawyer did not act dishonestly.

  • May 29, 2025

    Consultant Solicitor Loses Appeal For Ex-Colleagues' Fees

    A consultant solicitor has lost his appeal to claim a share of fees from work his colleagues had done for his clients, as an appellate judge concluded that he is only entitled to fees for work he did personally.

  • May 29, 2025

    SRA Ordered To Fix Failures After Axiom Ince Collapse

    The Solicitors Regulation Authority must improve how it identifies risks to consumers and strengthen regulation of client money to avoid a repeat of failings in its handling of the collapse of Axiom Ince Ltd., the legal industry's oversight watchdog said Thursday.

  • May 28, 2025

    Ex-Credit Karma GC Tapped As Legal Chief At UK Fintech Co.

    Financial technology company Liberis Ltd. said Wednesday that it has hired Jane Moon as its new legal chief to help the business navigate regulatory challenges amid an expansion into new international markets.

  • May 28, 2025

    CMS Adds Indian Firm To Network In Push Into Market

    CMS said Wednesday that Indian outfit Induslaw has become a member of its international network, giving its clients access to integrated legal support to boost its position as the local market opens up to foreign firms.

  • May 28, 2025

    SRA U-Turns On Fines Amid Criticism Of Overreach

    The move by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to stop imposing fines on lawyers for drink-driving convictions signals a return to regulatory boundaries as the watchdog seeks to restore confidence amid criticism over its handling of major failures and plans to expand its powers to issue financial penalties.

  • May 28, 2025

    Solicitor Claims Entrapment In Bogus Asylum Sting Case

    Counsel for a former law firm manager accused of helping an undercover journalist make a bogus asylum implication told a tribunal Wednesday that his client was the victim of a sting operation to "entrap" him.

  • May 28, 2025

    Crowell & Moring Widens London Footprint With City Move

    Crowell & Moring said Wednesday that it has relocated to a bigger office in London's financial district to accommodate more growth in its business in the English capital.

  • May 28, 2025

    Ex-Judge Launches £25B Ad-Price Action Against Google

    Google is facing a new £25 billion ($33.7 billion) class action in the U.K. brought by a former deputy High Court judge on behalf of advertisers, alleging that the technology giant abused its dominant position in online search advertising.

  • May 27, 2025

    Ex-SFO General Counsel Lands Role At Mayfair Chambers

    Sara Lawson KC has joined Mayfair Place Chambers after stepping down as general counsel to the Serious Fraud Office earlier in the year.

  • May 27, 2025

    Gov't Reforms Divert Funding From Solicitor Apprenticeships

    The U.K. government unveiled sweeping reforms Tuesday to apprenticeship funding that prioritizes lower-level training in sectors affected by labor shortages such as construction and healthcare, a move which would mean those aged over 22 years would not qualify for funding for a solicitor apprenticeship.

  • May 27, 2025

    Lancaster Crown Court Faces Closure Over Security Concerns

    The government has opened up a consultation for its proposal to permanently close a major criminal court in the northwest of England and surrender the lease for the building.

  • May 27, 2025

    BSB Drops Enhanced Equality Duty Plan Amid Legal Worries

    The Bar Standards Board has shelved a proposal to require barristers to boost equality and diversity as part of their work after the Bar Council said that its proposed new requirement was "substantially unlawful and unenforceable."

  • May 27, 2025

    Clyde & Co. Can't Stop Bias Claim By Aspiring Trainee

    A tribunal agreed on Tuesday to allow a woman to go ahead with her discrimination claim against a decision by Clyde & Co. LLP not to offer her a training contract, dismissing the firm's argument that she waited too long to pursue her case.

Expert Analysis

  • Roundup

    Practice Leader Insights

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    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

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    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.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Birketts' Maria Peyman

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    Maria Peyman, who heads Birketts' intellectual property team, discusses the challenges of cases involving multiple patents, the need to reform legislative provisions in light of artificial intelligence, and why junior lawyers should take opportunities to get a broad range of experience before specializing.

  • Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises

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    “No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights: Mishcon de Reya's Daniel Naftalin

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    Daniel Naftalin, who chairs the employment practice at Mishcon de Reya, discusses the challenges of working on multijurisdictional litigation, the need to show consideration for lawyers' well-being, and why employment law offers unique opportunities to specialize in a commercial field with a high degree of human interest.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Baker McKenzie's David Scott

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    David Scott, head of the London mergers and acquisitions practice at Baker McKenzie, discusses the excitement of working on a highly complex transaction, the need for a harmonized approach to deal regulatory scrutiny, and why deal work can become addictive.

  • Transatlantic Law Firm Mergers Are Transforming UK Market

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    With the current prevalence for high-profile U.K.-U.S. law firm mergers likely to continue, a new type of firm could emerge that strikes a balance between U.K. culture and working style, but with the global ambition that U.S. firms offer, says Ria Karnik at Major Lindsey.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights: Taylor Wessing's Paul Callaghan

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    Paul Callaghan, who leads Taylor Wessing's employment, pensions and mobility group, discusses the challenges of clients who take matters personally, why discrimination based on socioeconomic background needs to be addressed by the law, and how being contracted as an independent investigator is becoming a new trend for senior employment lawyers.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From BCLP's Benjamin Lee

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    Benjamin Lee, who co-leads BCLP's global corporate transactions practice, discusses the value of face-to-face meetings, how aspects of English company law could align with a more global approach, and what junior lawyers can learn by observing their senior colleagues.

  • Opinion

    Defunding Lawyer Apprenticeships Could Have Hidden Costs

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    In proposing to reform the U.K. apprenticeship system, it is crucial that the government gives sufficient consideration to how funding changes could reduce opportunities for underrepresented groups and negatively affect firms' ability to deliver effective training, says Carrie Laws at The Family Law Co.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Eversheds' Diane Gilhooley

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    Diane Gilhooley, who leads Eversheds Sutherland's employment, labor and pensions practice, looks at the multifaceted challenges of advising clients during pandemic lockdowns, the need to reform U.K.'s whistleblowing law, and why it's important for lawyers to enjoy their work.

  • 'Revolving Door' Model Can Help Bridge Legal Sector Gaps

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    The ability for lawyers to move freely between private and public sectors, a long-time feature of the U.S. legal landscape that was recently embraced by the U.K. Government Legal Department, offers valuable career experience and an effective way to close talent gaps at either end, say James Lavan and Thomas Hanlon at Buchanan.

  • Pros And Cons Of Nonequity Partnership For English Firms

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    With Cleary recently announcing a new nonequity partner category, it is an opportune time for firms governed by English law to examine the advantages and disadvantages of this position from the perspective of both the firm and the lawyer, says John Gould at Russell-Cooke.

  • Global Law Firms: The Challenge Of Where To Do Business

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    As the world becomes less predictable and operational risks present greater challenges, global law firms must contend with a range of pressures, yet financial considerations still drive much of the process when deciding where to plant a flag, say Bethaney Durkin and Liam McCafferty at Byfield Consultancy.

  • How Partners' Role In Firm Culture Affects Pay Decisions

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    Amid an increased regulatory focus on workplace culture, law firms are more than ever having to grapple with how they can reinforce the right partner behaviors when making decisions as to promotion or remuneration, in a way that is objective and fair, say Andrew Pavlovic and Corinne Staves at CM Murray.

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