“Some firms don’t get it” – Sir Nigel Knowles on innovation in the legal sector, staying ahead of global competitors & the UK’s competitive advantage June 28, 2021 What Sir Nigel Knowles doesn’t know about legal and business services probably isn’t worth knowing. After a glittering 38-year career at DLA Piper, he is now CEO at London-listed DWF Group. He took the job in May 2020, after three years as Chair. Since then, the firm’s share price has risen around 30 per cent, [...]
The City View with Sir Nigel Knowles June 28, 2021 This week City A.M.’s Andy Silvester sits down with DWF Group CEO Sir Nigel Knowles. What Sir Nigel doesn’t know about legal and business services probably isn’t worth knowing. In this podcast he opens up on what he thinks the industry needs to do to stay ahead of international competitors, the new skills that young [...]
Judge orders Danish tax authority to foot £46m legal bills in failed litigation June 9, 2021 The Danish tax authority has been ordered to pay £46m in legal bills by a London court after its attempt to sue a British former hedge-fund investor failed. The Danish taxman put a $1.9bn (£1.5bn) fraud claim through the UK courts against Sanjay Shah and more than 100 other individuals and companies accusing them of [...]
Serious Fraud Office encouraged ‘Machiavellian’ top City lawyer to leak client’s file, court told May 24, 2021 The Serious Fraud Office encouraged a “Machiavellian” top City lawyer to leak confidential information about his client while it was under investigation for alleged bribery, corruption and fraud, the High Court heard today. Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC) is suing the SFO for alleged misfeasance in public office over an investigation into the Kazakh mining [...]
Listed law firm Knights revises up earnings forecasts May 19, 2021 Knights expects revenue for its full 2021 financial year to be ahead of market expectations, after a year of growth at the firm. In a market update today, the listed law firm said it anticipates revenue for the full year to be in excess of the £100.8m market consensus, representing a minimum increase of 36 [...]
Linklaters elects first female senior partner in 183-year history May 12, 2021 Linklaters has elected Aedamar Comiskey as its new senior partner, the first woman to serve in the role since the law firm was established in London in 1838. Comiskey will begin her five-year term on 1 July 2021, when she will succeed current senior partner Charlie Jacobs. Comiskey said: she was “hugely proud” to have [...]
Companies in conflict: 400 per cent increase in legal threats and complaints May 8, 2021 The number of legal threats and complaints made against UK businesses has more than doubled over the past two years and increased four-fold since 2016, with businesses more likely than ever to face the risk of legal action. In the past five years, more than half (56 per cent) of all businesses have faced an [...]
Ex-Irwin Mitchell duo set up London boutique employment firm May 4, 2021 Former Irwin Mitchell partners Emilie Cole and Shazia Khan have launched a boutique law firm specialising in employment and professional discipline law. The firm, Cole Khan, is located in Chancery Lane, London’s legal heartland, across the road from the Law Society. Currently the firm is all-female, with just the founding partners, though it is looking [...]
ETL Global doubles UK legal footprint with London law firm buy May 4, 2021 International professional services group ETL Global has acquired Laytons, in a deal that will double the company’s footprint in the UK legal sector. Laytons, located just down the road from Liverpool Street station, is a 30-partner firm and employs a further 66 people. ETL has not disclosed how much it paid for the London firm, [...]
Listed law firm Knights buys Yorkshire firm May 4, 2021 Knights has agreed to acquire Keebles, a century-old Sheffield-based law firm, for £11.54m. The acquisition will see 138 lawyers join Knights, and will provide the listed law firm with entry into Sheffield. Knights will buy Keebles from its ten existing equity partners for a total of £11.54m, subject to working capital adjustments at the [...]