Lucy Floydd

Isabel Young, Robert Walters Group

Robert Walters hires inaugural legal ops head

Staffing specialist Robert Walters Group is hiring its first head of legal operations. Isabel Young will take on the role in January, joining from Which?, where she held the role of principal legal counsel for innovation, knowledge and operations. Richard Harris, chief legal officer at Robert Walters, has created the role to bring legal operations […]

Bridging the gap: Practical AI strategies for in-house lawyers

Increased hype surrounding the intersection between AI and law in the last year is undeniable. In the recent roundtable co-hosted by Thomson Reuters and The Lawyer, the attendees embarked on navigating the practical application of AI to in-house teams. The roundtable began with a call to arms. Discovering AI’s practical use for in-house legal teams […]

Serco

In-house cuts begin as Serco axes senior legal roles

Public services company Serco Group has axed a number of legal head positions, including its head of litigation and head of ethics, The Lawyer understands. Serco’s head of corporate investigations will remain in their position, but The Lawyer understands that several other in-house legal roles have been chopped. Since then, the public services provider is now […]

Charles Russell Speechlys re-elects managing partner

Charles Russell Speechlys has re-elected managing partner Simon Ridpath, The Lawyer can reveal, while Stephenson Harwood appoints CEO Eifion Morris for another five years. Charles Russell Speechlys has granted Ridpath another four years, with The Lawyer understanding that this is the second and final time that Ridpath can serve as managing partner. In a statement […]

sainsburys

Sainsbury’s reappoints firms to eight-strong panel

Longstanding incumbents Linklaters, CMS and Dentons have kept hold of their panel spots following Sainsbury’s review of its roster. DAC Beachcroft and Herbert Smith Freehills, which were first appointed in 2020, have also maintained their position on the roster. Three other firms were reselected: Morton Fraser, TLT and Winckworth Sherwood. Nick Grant, director of legal […]

NHS

Addleshaws, Deloitte and Eversheds among NHS panel winners

Eight firms have been replaced with new advisers on a 28-strong NHS panel valued at £200m. NHS Shared Business Services (SBS) has announced which firms have made it onto its legal framework. The 28 appointments are divvied up between 11 different lots covering areas including employment, property and legal recovery. The firms to have come […]

Cadent Gas adds two firms to refreshed panel

Cadent Gas, which split from National Grid seven years ago, has updated its legal panel by reappointing five firms and adding on two more. The National Grid offshoot has given first-time places to Addleshaw Goddard and DWF. Both have been appointed onto the general services lot for Cadent, while Addleshaws has additionally won a spot […]

Wilko

Wilko GC starts afresh after retailer’s collapse

Wilko’s general counsel is taking on a new role at Sofina Foods after the high street retailer fell into administration. After last ditch attempts to save Wilko failed, general counsel Robert Powell appealed on LinkedIn for staff support of his legal team. He is now joining Sofina Foods as its head of legal. Sofina Foods […]