Birketts strikes merger deal with Batchelors Solicitors amid forecasts of upcoming M&A boom November 28, 2022 UK law firm Birketts has struck a deal to merge with its London rival Batchelors Solicitors amid forecasts of a surge in consolidation in the UK’s legal sector. The deal will see the two firms join forces in a merger that is set to combine their long-standing social housing practices to create a market-leading team. [...]
Nexo sued by investors prevented from withdrawing £107m crypto holdings in full November 21, 2022 A family of fintech entrepreneurs are suing a leading crypto exchange over claims it blocked them from withdrawing funds and then intimidated them into selling them back to the company at a discount. The three crypto investors have filed a High Court lawsuit against London headquartered Nexo over claims it stopped them from withdrawing more [...]
Former FCA risk manager fails to revive whistleblowing claim against UK’s financial watchdog November 17, 2022 A former risk manager at the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has failed to revive his employment lawsuit against the City watchdog, after claiming he was pushed out of his job for whistleblowing. FCA exec Walker Sigismund claimed he was unfairly fired from his job over his decision to file 27 separate whistleblower reports, about [...]
UK law firms hit harder by global economic headwinds than US rivals November 17, 2022 Law firms worldwide have seen demand for their services slow over the first half of 2022, according to new research. US law firms are however seeing stronger growth than their British and Australian rivals, the research from Thomson Reuters shows. The situation has seen demand for US law firms’ services continue to grow over [...]
Clifford Chance to leave Canary Wharf HQ for new City offices November 16, 2022 Clifford Chance is set to return to the City after striking a deal to leave its Canary Wharf headquarters in 2028. The Magic Circle law firm has struck a deal with Great Portland Estates (GPE) to rent 321,000 sq ft of office space at the property developer’s 2 Aldermanbury Square project, which is set to [...]
Solicitors watchdog should ‘reconsider’ plans for turnover-linked fines, Law Society says November 15, 2022 The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) should “reconsider” plans to let itself begin serving fines equivalent to five per cent of a law firm’s annual revenues, the Law Society has said. The Law Society said fines matching five per cent of a law firm’s annual revenues would be “excessive and unjustified” as it urged the SRA [...]
City pay war continues as top US law firm hikes London lawyers salaries to £170,000 November 14, 2022 New York City law firm Simpson Thacher has hiked salaries for its newly qualified (NQ) lawyers to heights of £170,000 a year in a sign the City pay war is showing no signs of slowing down. The white shoe law firm has given NQ lawyers in its London offices a £12,000 a year pay [...]
HMRC’s Covid fraud taskforce to leave billions unaccounted for November 14, 2022 An HMRC unit set up to tackle Covid fraud is set to leave £3.3bn outstanding when it winds down in March 2023, campaigners have warned. The Taxpayer Protection Taskforce, which was set up by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in March 2021, will be phased out, despite having collected less than 25 per cent of the money [...]
British barrister to represent democracy activist Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong trial November 11, 2022 A Hong Kong appeals court has upheld a decision to let British barrister Tim Owen KC represent newspaper owner Jimmy Lai in an upcoming trial of the entrepreneur over alleged breaches of the Hong Kong’s controversial national security law. Jimmy Lai is set to face trial in December over claims his publication of his pro-democracy [...]
Frozen Russian assets should act as ‘wake up call’ for UK government, campaigners say November 10, 2022 The billions in Russian assets frozen by UK authorities since the start of the war in Ukraine should act as a “wake up call” to the British government, to ensure it never allows a “kleptocratic regime” access to the country’s economy again, campaigners have said. The record £18.39bn in assets frozen by the UK’s [...]