Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May have released their retention results for the September cohort, achieving 86 per cent and 84 per cent respectively. There are 37 trainees staying on in newly-qualified positions at Freshfields out of the 43-sized cohort. Slaughters is keeping one fewer trainee from the same sized batch of trainees, meaning […]
Magic circle firm Clifford Chance will keep 42 of its 56 qualifying trainees this September, meaning its retention is 75 per cent. A total of 54 trainees applied from newly qualified (NQ) positions at Clifford Chance, meaning just two chose not to remain at the firm. There were 44 offers made to the soon-to-be qualified […]
What do Sainsbury’s, BT and Santander have in common? They are three businesses that are reported to have shrunk their panels in the last year as GCs scraps extensive rosters for more streamlined arrangements.
The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has extended panel places to all firms on the Government’s legal services framework. The contract has been awarded until 30 November 2025. It was previously a three-year agreement, with the option to extend for a further 12 months at the discretion of the CCS. The framework agreement consists of a […]
When asked if she enjoys working at price comparison service Moneysupermarket Group, general counsel Shazadi Stinton’s response is resoundingly upbeat: “I could tell you a list of 100 reasons why I love Moneysupermarket and they would all be true. “It’s just a really wonderful company, and it’s one of the few places where the work […]
A general counsel – who qualified as a barrister – has taken to networking platform LinkedIn to protest against rules meaning she cannot sign off qualifying work experience (QWE) for those undertaking the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE). Natalie Connor, a VP of legal at Crowdcube and consultant GC for Legal Edge, has worked as a […]
Stephenson Harwood’s revenue jumped by 16 per cent over 2023/24 to a record high figure of £264.2m. Alongside the revenue increase, the firm also saw a 10 per cent increase in net profit from £82.4m to more than £90m. The firm’s average profit per equity partner rose by 7 per cent from £725,000 to £775,000. […]
Kirkland & Ellis and White & Case have taken leading roles on KKR’s €1.3bn (£1.1bn) purchase of Superstruct Entertainment from Providence Equity Partners. The Kirkland team leading for KKR was steered by corporate partners Alvaro Membrillera and Pelin Demirdere Eski, with the support of associates Jef Dupont, Sophie Thomas and Bonian Wu. Debt finance aspects […]
Some GCs relish leading on sustainability, while others see it as an extra burden on their already overwhelming workload.
Japanese-headquartered Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group has appointed nine firms to its EMEA legal panel. Magic circle firms A&O Shearman, Linklaters and Clifford Chance have been reappointed to the panel, alongside Herbert Smith Freehills and Baker McKenzie. New firms to make the cut include Addleshaw Goddard, The Lawyer’s Law Firm of the Year, Latham & Watkins […]
US firm Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison has secured a new role representing private equity house Oakley Capital in a refinancing deal for portfolio company Phenna Group. The firm acted for Oakley and its portfolio business, a testing, inspection, certification and compliance platform, on a refinancing deal worth €1bn. The refinancing deal involved its […]
Salary increases across the City for newly-qualified lawyers has brought into sharp focus how much in-house lawyers are willing to pay for external counsel. Last week, US firm Goodwin upped its salary for NQs to £175,000 from £161,500. In May, Freshfields, Linklaters, Clifford Chance and A&O Shearman all boosted its pay for NQs by £25,000 […]