Soophia Khan: Outspoken human rights lawyer jailed for contempt of court January 14, 2022 A prominent human rights lawyer has been jailed for contempt of court, after refusing to hand over files to the the body that regulates solicitors. High Court judge Mr Justice Leech sentenced 41-year-old Soophia Khan – often referred to as Sophie Khan in the media – to six months imprisonment, for breaching a High Court [...]
London law firms hired record number of partners in 2021 January 4, 2022 Propelled by record revenue and profits, commercial law firms made 26 per cent more partner hires in 2021 compared to the previous year, according to a new report. Following vaccine rollouts the economy began to recover from the pandemic outbreak in 2020, leading to a boom in dealmaking which has driven demand for law firms [...]
Weil Gotshal & Manges legal trainees are highest paid in the City after salary hike December 23, 2021 Law firm Weil Gotshal & Manges have raised pay for trainees making them the highest paid in the City, according to reports. First year trainees will earn £60,000, up 20 per cent from £50,000 and second years will now take home £65,000, an 18 per cent rise from £55,000, according to Legal Cheek, which first [...]
US law firm lets lawyers work from home indefinitely December 22, 2021 US law firm Quinn Emanuel have told lawyers they can “work from anywhere” indefinitely, according to reports. The announcement comes as competition among US law firms, to recruit and retain talent, intensifies. While the battle for talent has so far led to a bidding war with lucrative salary hikes, flexible working arrangements appear to be [...]
Court orders ex-chairman of Kazakh paper company to return £120m worth of cash and luxury London properties December 22, 2021 A Kazakh paper and cardboard manufacturer has won a London court order against its former chairman to return £122m, including four luxury London properties worth £50m, in damages following fraud. Yesterday a judgement was reached in the long standing case, between Kazakhstan Kagazy Group and its former chairman Maksat Arip. The Group has been trying [...]
Simmons & Simmons gift junior lawyers £100k salary December 20, 2021 City law firm Simmons & Simmons will boost pay for its newly qualified lawyers in London to £100,000, in a bid to retain junior lawyers being wooed by other firms with the promise of ever higher starting salaries. The rise marks a jump of £12,000 for newly qualified lawyers at the firm, who currently take [...]
Linklaters changes pay structure to reward ‘exceptional’ partners as bidding war for talent rages on December 16, 2021 Linklaters plans to shift its traditional pay model for partners so “exceptional” individuals can be held on to with larger salaries. Senior partner Aedamar Comiskey confirmed in a statement that the move, which will apply globally, was backed by Linklaters’ 500 partners through a vote. The main changes include the ability to offer more money [...]
Clifford Chance names Charles Adam as first non-UK based global managing partner December 16, 2021 Law firm Clifford Chance will for the first time be headed up by a lawyer based outside the UK, after naming Milan-based Charles Adams as the magic circle firm’s new global managing partner. Dual qualified in Italy and England & Wales, Adams has acted as a regional managing partner for continental Europe since 2018. He [...]
Businesses beware as 70 per cent Brits aren’t afraid of taking legal action December 16, 2021 Companies that break the law could find themselves facing more lawsuits from the great British public, as over 70 per cent said they would join a class action – many even against their own employer – according to a new study published today. The study, which polled members of the public on their perceptions of [...]
City pay war: Baker McKenzie makes £105k bid for junior lawyers December 14, 2021 Baker McKenzie has made its entrance into the bidding war by City law firms for newly qualified lawyers by raising their salaries to £105,000. Lawyers will enjoy the new base rate of £105,000, a 17 per cent jump, from March 2022. The firm will raise pay for its trainee lawyers too, with first years earning [...]