Squarepoint commits £430m to huge London office move after profit soars Property One of London’s biggest investment firms has committed £430m to a major office move as the firm doubles down on its presence in the Square Mile. Squarepoint Capital, which was previously a subsidiary of Barclays before being spun off in 2014, is set to move to a redeveloped 400,000 square foot, 12-storey office on Gresham [...]
Money talks, but culture counts in transatlantic law firm tie-ups Legal A merger between a notable US outfit and a UK-headquartered legal firm used to be a rare event, but with the focus on global dominance, these strategic moves are now attracting more attention – as more firms begin to follow suit. This week, London-based Ashurst agreed to merge with Seattle-based Perkins Coie, and overnight it [...]
Severn Trent paid over £2m to fight off bill overcharging lawsuit Business Severn Trent paid out more than £2m in legal fees to defend allegations it had overcharged millions of household consumers by underreporting sewage leaks. Professional costs increased by £2.3m last year, according to the firm’s annual report. These were mainly in relation to a class action claim brought against Severn Trent and a number of [...]
City law firm fined over £400,000 for Russian sanctions breaches March 21, 2025 Law firm Herbert Smith Freehills was hit with a £465,000 penalty after breaching UK financial sanctions imposed on Russia
Why top law firms are betting big on virtual reality training | What’s the Context? March 4, 2025 City AM's legal reporter Maria Ward-Brennan visits the law firm Herbert Smith Freehills to try out the virtual reality tools they are testing to train their lawyers.
People demand better data protection from businesses January 28, 2025 Most people are apprehensive about how their data is used, with trust in businesses at a worryingly low rate
Post Office scandal: Lawyers paid millions as MPs call for transparency on legal costs January 2, 2025 Lawyers from City firms were making millions whilst the majority of the money set aside for redress scheme has not to be paid out to the Post Office victims
Herbert Smith Freehills to merge with US rival to create £1.6bn law firm November 11, 2024 Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) is set to merge with US law firm Kramer Levin to create a £1.6bn "global legal powerhouse"
City deals advisers gear up for rebound after election pushed M&A to four year low September 3, 2024 The City’s deals advisers are gearing up for a rebound in activity in the closing months of the year after election uncertainty pushed mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to a four-year low in June, according to fresh figures today. The value of total deals involving UK firms, as either targets or buyers, slumped to £11.8bn in [...]