English Common Law: Britain’s greatest soft power Legal From London’s boardrooms to Abu Dhabi’s courtrooms, English law shapes the rules of global business as it quietly but decisively finds itself at the heart of international deals and disputes. The late Joseph S. Nye defined ‘soft power’ in the 1980s as “The ability to affect others to obtain the outcomes one wants through attraction [...]
Birthday cookies and fine dining: Inside the law firm aiming for 5-Star service Legal There are not many office buildings in the City where, just five feet in the door, you receive a personalised greeting, but Addleshaw Goddard’s client services team would put The Ritz to shame. How to stand out in a crowded field? That is the question plaguing most law firms as they battle to grow in [...]
Money talks, but culture counts in transatlantic law firm tie-ups Legal A merger between a notable US outfit and a UK-headquartered legal firm used to be a rare event, but with the focus on global dominance, these strategic moves are now attracting more attention – as more firms begin to follow suit. This week, London-based Ashurst agreed to merge with Seattle-based Perkins Coie, and overnight it [...]
NHS woes fuel private healthcare boom, with lawyers reaping the rewards November 13, 2025 Private healthcare in the UK is experiencing unprecedented growth as NHS waiting lists soar and public services struggle to keep up. This surge in demand is also fueling a flurry of legal activity, keeping lawyers busy. Deals lawyers in the UK are generally the busiest and most important practices for most law firms; however, with [...]
Lawyers lead charge on AI oversight as government drags on regulations November 6, 2025 As AI systems are deployed worldwide, the question of who is responsible when they cause harm, failure, or unexpected consequences is quickly becoming a major headache for businesses. With a lack of regulation, the problem is passed to the courts, keeping litigation partners busy. There are multi-billions on the line for technology investment, especially in [...]
The Gulf gamble: American and British law firms racing to Saudi Arabia October 30, 2025 Saudi Arabia is rapidly becoming the focus of global legal attention. But this shift is not merely speculative; it is part of a calculated move by the Kingdom to attract world-class expertise. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia changed its law two years ago to allow foreign law firms to operate independently, as part of its [...]
Legal sector feeling subdued as regulator loses its AML powers October 23, 2025 The Treasury’s decision to transfer oversight of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing supervision to the FCA has sparked concerns within the professional services sector. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) served as a Professional Body Supervisor (PBS) for AMLCT for law firms across England and Wales, while for the accountancy sector, the HMRC plays the supervision [...]
Ousted CEO and mounting debts: the lawyers behind £36bn BHP lawsuit October 16, 2025 The law firm behind the most significant litigation to ever hit the English High Court has been lighting up headlines recently due to allegations around internal issues at the group. Back in 2018, in Liverpool, barrister Tom Goodhead and US lawyer Harris Pogust founded a law firm using an alternative business structure that focused on large-scale group [...]
Who’s really running a court case? The legal ruling that’s raising eyebrows October 9, 2025 Each year, courts hand down hundreds of thousands of judgments. While many are significant only to the parties involved, occasionally a decision sends ripples much further afield. A prime example happened last October, when the Court of Appeal issued a straightforward ruling that upended the lending sector and created significant headaches for the Financial Conduct [...]
Big name, big pay, even bigger hours: Welcome to City law firms September 25, 2025 The salaries of junior lawyers is a topic that sparks headlines, adding even bigger sparks to debates over 20-something-year-olds pocketing hefty wage packages. However, considering the hours they work and what is expected of them, the money is earned. US firms, many of which now dominate London, not only compete over lawyer rates but also [...]