EU regulators dish out record €1.1bn in fines for GDPR breaches in 2021 January 18, 2022 The total value of fines dished out by EU authorities for breaches of GDPR has risen to record highs of almost €1.1bn (£0.9bn), after jumping sevenfold between 2020 and 2021. EU authorities dished out a record €1.087bn worth of fines last year – a sevenfold increase on the € 158.5m worth of fines handed out [...]
Criminal barristers consider strike over government’s legal aid deal January 17, 2022 Criminal barristers are considering taking strike action, after claiming government plans to inject £35m per year into the criminal justice system would not be enough to “ensure the long-term viability of the Criminal Bar.” Last week, the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) asked its 2,600 members to vote on the prospect of launching a strike, [...]
Trainee lawyer jailed for selling cocaine and ketamine over encrypted Encrochat network and helping to move £1.5m January 14, 2022 A trainee employment lawyer, Neema Seifzadeh, 27, has been jailed for six years, for his role in a £1.5 million plot to sell cocaine and ketamine over the encrypted network Encrochat. Seifzadeh, who worked on a pro bono legal advice hotline, was sentenced to six years imprisonment on Tuesday at Manchester Crown Court, for helping [...]
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 [...]