BRIEFS | LEGAL NEWS
MORE LEAVE SJ BERWIN
The movement of staff from SJ Berwin to Irwin Mitchell continues. Twelve associates from SJ Berwin are to make the move, following a four-strong real estate team moving last month. Three of the associates will join at partner level. The new arrivals will work in real estate, real estate finance, and construction, and four support staff are making the same move. SJ Berwin, whose office is seen to the right, is in talks with US firm Proskauer Rose, which has proved unpopular with some at the British firm.
HAMMONDS MERGER AND DEAL
The latest transatlantic law-firm merger was confirmed earlier this week when 95 per cent of partners at City firm Hammonds and American firm Squire Sanders voted to approve a tie-up, which will come into force in January. The new firm will be called Squire Sanders Hammonds in jurisdictions where Hammonds has a presence, and Squire Sanders & Dempsey in the US and Eastern Europe. Squire Sanders chairman Jim Maiwurm becomes global head of the new firm.
NORTON ROSE RISES
City firm Norton Rose revealed yesterday that it had brought in £155m in fees in the six months to November, a figure that was up from £142m in the same period in 2009. Revenue for the whole of last year was £307m, just 2 per cent lower than the £314m that it announced the year before. The top 10 firm’s turnover rose 9 per cent for the first six months of 2010/11. It said that London had brought in good profits, whereas Asia and the Middle East had also been extremely profitable regions for it.
NABARRO IMPROVES
Meanwhile, Nabarro also announced its results for the first half of the year, posting a 3 per cent rise in turnover, bringing its revenues to £53.3m. Last year the firm revealed an 18 per cent decrease at the same time last year, one of the biggest declines of any firm in 2009/10. The firm’s turnover last year was 10 per cent down on the year before, and profit per equity partner was down 15 per cent. However, Nabarro reacted positively and recently said that it is to open an office in Singapore, its second overseas.