New London office for TLT
Bristol firm TLT has signed a 10-year lease for a new City office at 20 Gresham Street, EC2, doubling its capacity in London.
Mishcon opens in New York
City firm Mishcon de Reya has opened an office in New York – its first outside London. The office will be staffed by 15 lawyers, including seven from US firm Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton to work under former assistant US attorney James McGuire.
Stonewall chart
Four law firms have improved their standing in gay rights campaign group Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers 2010: City firm Simmons & Simmons (15th); national firm Pinsent Masons (36th); City firm Herbert Smith (56th) and City and national firm Eversheds (85th). There were no new law firm entrants.
Outsourcing growth
The demand for legal services outsourcing is growing 40% annually in India, with about 110 legal services providers in the country, according to research by Duke University’s Offshoring Research Network and accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers.
K&L Gates adds offices
US firm K&L Gates has opened offices in Tokyo and Moscow, having launched offices in Frankfurt, Dubai and Singapore last year.
Top 10 fee fall
Fee income at the UK’s top-10 firms fell by 11% over the quarter ended 31 October 2009 compared with the same period in 2008, while fee income at the top-100 firms fell by 6%, according to the latest figures from accountants Deloitte.
Child care applications up
Applications to put children into care have continued at record levels in the wake of the Baby P case, figures from the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service have shown, with 378 cases in the last quarter of 2009, up 21% on 2008.
Data protection regulations
The Ministry of Justice has laid regulations before parliament which will impose a maximum £500,000 penalty for breaches of data protection by law firms and other organisations handling personal data.
A4ID secondment campaign
Advocates for International Development has launched a programme of mini-secondments enabling newly qualified lawyers to work with disadvantaged communities. Contact katie.hutt@a4id.org.
Jackson conference
The Law Society’s Civil Justice Section (formerly the Dispute Resolution Section) is holding a costs conference on the Jackson report on 23 February, in London. Email drs@lawsociety.org.uk.
Sky to fight camera ban
Sky News is to launch a campaign to lift the ban on cameras in court after the general election, its head John Ryley said last week.
Sheffield office for Horwich
Manchester-based insurance firm Horwich Farrelly will open a Sheffield office after extending its relationship with strategic client, the Admiral Group.
