Clifford Chance report record revenue and profits in sixth consecutive year of growth July 20, 2021 Law firm Clifford Chance announces its sixth consecutive year of profit and revenue growth despite the pandemic. For the year ended 30 April Clifford Chance saw its revenue rise to £1.8bn, though by a marginal rate of one per cent compared to the previous financial year. Its profit per equity partner increased by nine per [...]
Macfarlanes to pay new solicitors £100,000 as salary war grips the City July 14, 2021 Macfarlanes to pay new solicitors £100,000 as salary war grips the City
Legal services company LegalZoom makes $7bn Nasdaq debut June 30, 2021 LegalZoom shares today opened 31 per cent above the company’s offer price in its Nasdaq debut, valuing the online legal services company at $7bn (£5bn). The legal tech giant helps users generate legal documents without lawyers. Shares opened at $36.75 (£26.61), up from the company’s initial public offering (IPO) on Tuesday which saw over 19m shares [...]
“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 [...]