Super courts are go

The Royal Courts of Justice and Tribunals Service is to open 31 new courtrooms – including three ‘supercourts’ – as part of its expansion into the Rolls Building, Fetter Lane. The facilities, which will also include 11 hearing rooms, 43 judicial chambers and 54 consultation rooms, are being provided for the Chancery Division, Admiralty and Commercial Court, and Technology and Construction Court.

Hassan takes jewel
Hassan Khan, senior partner at London firm The Khan Partnership, scooped top honours at the Lloyds TSB Southern Jewel Awards. He won the professional jewel award, which recognises the entrepreneurial skills of Asian businessmen and women.

New direction for Compass
Compass Chambers, a Scottish stable of advocates, has formed a partnership with Crown Office Chambers, the largest civil common law set in London. The link, believed to be the first of its kind, is intended to improve services to clients and open up business development opportunities in Scotland.

TV seeks informers
Century Films is producing a Channel 4 documentary about criminal cases brought as a result of a defendant’s family member reporting them to the police, or a prosecution after a refusal to inform on a family member. Anyone interested in contributing should contact Tom Pearson, tel: 020 7378 6106 or email Tom Pearson

MoJ reshuffle
Lord Bach (barrister William Bach) and Shahid Malik joined the ministerial team at the Ministry of Justice in the government reshuffle, which also saw the departure of the legal aid minister, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, for the Department of Energy and Climate Change. New ministerial portfolios had not been confirmed at the time of going to press.

BSN big in the City
The Black Solicitors Network launched a City Group to provide support for black lawyers working in the Square Mile and Canary Wharf, London. Chairman Michael Webster said: ‘We should remember until five years ago an event like this would not be taking place.’

Pro bono fever takes hold
Organisers of the seventh annual National Pro Bono Week, which runs from 10-14 November, have suggested three ways firms can get involved – streetlaw presentations to inform groups of their legal rights, networking sessions with pro bono stakeholders, and giving presentations to help local charities and community groups.

Davis trafficking broadside
Terry Davis, secretary general of the Council of Europe, has accused the UK government of turning a ‘Nelsonian blind eye’ to the trafficking of human beings – including children – for sex, illegal adoption, exploitation by employers and body organs. ‘Rhetoric is not enough,’ he said. ‘We need action.’

Short of funds
Big public companies tried to raise almost £40bn through share issues in the first nine months of 2008 – the highest fundraising level for ten years, according to magic circle firm Freshfields. However, existing stocks were used for the vast majority of share issues, with funds raised through initial flotation falling by more than 60% compared with the same period in 2007.

Merger boost
There were six UK law firm mergers in the third quarter of 2008, with a total of 80 mergers across the world, according to legal consultancy Hildebrandt International. In the US there were 13 mergers, while Australia, Canada and Ireland saw two mergers each. Lisa Smith, head of Hildebrandt’s law firm strategy practice, said she expected mergers in 2008 ‘to be close to 2007 levels’.

M&A value rise
The number of merger and acquisition (M&A) deals in the third quarter fell to 2,350 globally compared with 3,400 in the second quarter – but the combined value of the deals rose from £380bn to £408bn, according to financial analyst Mergermarket. Magic circle firm Linklaters advised on deals worth £327bn in total over the first nine months of 2008 – placing it first in Mergermarket’s M&A rankings.

Loan market navigation
The Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT), alongside magic circle firm Slaughter and May, issued guidance to help borrowers navigate the Loan Market Association leverage facilities agreement – a complex template for special lending agreements. The ACT Borrowers Guide is available at: www.treasurers.org/loandocumentation.