By: Maria Ward-Brennan

Professional Services Editor Maria Ward-Brennan is the Professional Services Editor at City AM, focused on law, Big Four, and other management and accounting consulting firms. She was previously a litigation reporter at The Lawyer. Contact her via email at maria.ward-brennan@cityam.com or X (Twitter) @MariaW_B.

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Former Virgin Money chief set to lead Financial Reporting Council

July 13, 2026

The former chief executive of Virgin Money has been selected as the government’s preferred candidate to lead the UK’s accountancy regulator following the expected departure of Sir Jan du Plessis. Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia was named by Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle to replace du Plessis for a four-year term overseeing the Financial Reporting Council [...]
Magic circle Freshfields ousts equity partners amid US push

July 13, 2026

Senior staff are bracing for a shake-up at magic circle law firm Freshfields, as partners have been forced out to boost growth and fund its US expansion. The City-based firm has ousted several equity partners in recent weeks across several European offices, including London, according to the Financial Times, as it focuses on growth. Speaking [...]
Exclusive: Big Four giant KPMG to cut more jobs

July 9, 2026

Big Four giant KPMG is set to lay off around 10 per cent of staff in its UK group corporate services division, City AM understands. The division, which includes HR, corporate affairs, marketing, tech, and procurement, is understood to be cutting around 200 people. A KPMG UK spokesperson told City AM: “As we continue to [...]
Music tycoon Simon Cowell sued by prominent City lawyer

July 9, 2026

City lawyer Ian Rosenblatt has launched legal action in London’s High Court against music mogul Simon Cowell over alleged withheld fees. The lawsuit stems from the lawyer stepping down as director of Syco Entertainment, Cowell’s production company, and as an adviser to the talent show judge. Quinn Emanuel’s partner Gregory Pantlin and senior associate Emma [...]
Hacking scandal? Inside Prince Harry’s costly legal battle over privacy

July 9, 2026

The phone hacking scandal, which first emerged 15 years ago, has cost the owners of Britain’s most prominent newspapers over a billion pounds in legal damages, keeping law firms and the courts busy for more than a decade, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. The phone hacking saga returned to the headlines in spectacular style this week after [...]
Senior exec layoffs surge as firms brace for major employment law change

July 8, 2026

Senior exec exits from top businesses have surged since the start of the year as firms quietly clear out highly-paid staff before fresh costs associated with the Employment Rights Act changes come into force. Law firms have seen a “massive uptick in inquiries” from top staff exploring their legal options after being told they face [...]
Lufthansa and aviation rivals clash in London court over power outlet profits

July 7, 2026

German airline Lufthansa is back in the London courts this week over its long-running patent infringement dispute with a US, a Japanese, and a French aircraft manufacturer. The legal battle stems back to 2017, when aircraft maintenance group Lufthansa Technik alleged that Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems, Panasonic, and Safran infringed its patent for high-voltage aircraft [...]
Luminance’s boss: Why building our own AI beats ‘rented intelligence’

June 25, 2026

Amid a surge of legal AI tech firms coming to market, concerns are emerging about ‘rented intelligence,’ with some companies criticised for simply putting their logos on technology developed by others. In contrast, Luminance insists it is focused on the bigger picture, betting its future on AI models it has built in-house. Speaking to City [...]
‘Streets ahead’ – London aims to wear the legal AI crown

June 25, 2026

New York may have the money, but London is trying to claim the ‘global capital of legal AI’ crown, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. In the midst of a brutal transatlantic talent war, where US firms are driving salaries through the roof and aggressively poaching top talent across the City, London has quietly secured a major strategic [...]
Consulting giants face up to AI-reckoning

June 25, 2026

Shares in major consultancy firms have dropped sharply as investors fret over the impact of AI on the industry. Maria Ward-Brennan and Rosie Harris-Davison look at whether the threat is real. A bloodbath is unfolding across the professional services sector as artificial intelligence (AI) hammers the shares of global consulting giants like Accenture, IBM and [...]

Grant Thornton set for $5bn CBIZ buyout in landmark accountancy deal

Europe to host Formula 1 finale if Iran war scuppers Qatar and Abu Dhabi plans

For Albarino in the City, head to Humble Grape

By: Maria Ward-Brennan

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