Exclusive: Aspire chairman Paul Farrer warns Brits ‘not to walk blindly into four day week’ March 20, 2022 From a healthier work/life balance and greater job flexibility to giving employees the freedom to spend more time with their family or even focus on a side hustle, the potential advantages of the four day working week are huge. Businesses could stand to benefit too, with happier, more productive and focused staff. Amid record level [...]
Lawyers say P&O broke the law by firing 800 staff over pre-recorded video call March 18, 2022 Dubai owned ferry operator P&O could be subject to a series of successful lawsuits over its decision to fire all 800 of its UK staff via a pre-recorded video call, lawyers have said. Speaking to City A.M. Helen Crossland, employment partner at West End law firm Seddons said P&O’s decision will expose the firm to [...]
Clyde & Co set to merge with insurance specialist BLM March 18, 2022 London law firm Clyde & Co is in advanced negotiations to merge with insurance specialist BLM, the two law firms have said. A spokesperson for BLM confirmed to City A.M. that the law firm is in advanced talks for a merger with Clyde & Co, as she said the firm will be holding a partner [...]
UK solicitors watchdog says it will not tell law firms to drop Russian clients March 18, 2022 The UK solicitors’ watchdog has said it will not tell law firms to drop Russian clients. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) said its “general position is that firms can choose who they act for,” as it said the issue is “highly unlikely to be a regulatory matter.” “The current situation with the conflict in Ukraine [...]
Major shakeup is needed to fix the Big Four, expert says March 18, 2022 A prominent academic has called on the government to expedite its audit reforms, after arguing a serious shakeup is needed to prevent an “appalling” situation from getting worse. Speaking to City A.M. accountancy expert Professor Atul Shah said, “the record of the UK’s auditing industry has been appalling over the last two decades and it’s [...]
Moscow’s ‘Uncle Vanya’s’ fast-food chain unveils new logo following McDonalds exit from Russia March 18, 2022 A Russian fast-food chain is readying itself to become Russia’s own version of McDonalds after unveiling a new logo that bears a number similarities to the hamburger restaurant’s Golden Arches crest. The Moscow headquartered firm filed an application to patent its red and gold symbol, after a Russian politician said the country should start its [...]
McKinsey pulls staff out of Russia and sends them to Kazakhstan March 17, 2022 Consultancy giants McKinsey and BCG are pulling their staff out of Russia and sending them to the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Big Three consulting firm McKinsey has already sent its Russian employees to Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan, according sources speaking to Financial News. Meanwhile, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is [...]
‘Panicked’ solicitor struck off after she hid complaint and sent false email March 17, 2022 A “panicked” solicitor has been struck off the register and told to pay £11,400 after she hid a complaint from her company’s compliance officer and then emailed the client pretending to be her firm’s compliance officer. Elizabeth Nedin, a solicitor at Welsh law firm Philip Avery & Co, intercepted emails complaining about her conduct, and [...]
Explainer: What is the Economic Crime Act and how will it help the government tackle oligarchs? March 17, 2022 The government’s Economic Crime Bill, which gives the UK new powers to tackle oligarchs, has gained Royal Assent after being fast tracked through parliament. In a statement, the government said the new laws will make it easier for the government to “tackle corrupt elites” and crack down on “Putin’s cronies.” Notably, the law will require [...]
Dechert lawyers held ‘mock trial’ to help witnesses construct false cover story, court hears March 17, 2022 Lawyers in Dechert’s London office have been accused of holding meetings to come up with a “cover story” for how the firm obtained a cache of hacked emails that were used to win a lawsuit against Iranian airline tycoon Farhad Azima. A High Court heard that Neil Gerrard, Dechert’s former head of financial crime, put [...]