Paul Hastings opens global sports practice as another law firm enters sector July 13, 2026 Law firm Paul Hastings have launched a new global sports practice as the Bishopsgate-based US giant expands its offering. Former Baltimore Ravens general counsel Brandon Etheridge and former Slaughter figure Mark Zerdin, who advised TWG Motorsports on their Cadillac F1 team entry, will form the core of the practice, which will form part of deals-based [...]
Magic circle Freshfields ousts equity partners amid US push July 13, 2026 Senior staff are bracing for a shake-up at magic circle law firm Freshfields, as partners have been forced out to boost growth and fund its US expansion. The City-based firm has ousted several equity partners in recent weeks across several European offices, including London, according to the Financial Times, as it focuses on growth. Speaking [...]
Music tycoon Simon Cowell sued by prominent City lawyer July 9, 2026 City lawyer Ian Rosenblatt has launched legal action in London’s High Court against music mogul Simon Cowell over alleged withheld fees. The lawsuit stems from the lawyer stepping down as director of Syco Entertainment, Cowell’s production company, and as an adviser to the talent show judge. Quinn Emanuel’s partner Gregory Pantlin and senior associate Emma [...]
Motor finance war of words heats up as City watchdog blasts law firm’s motives July 8, 2026 A blistering war of words has broken out between the City watchdog and the firms leading the consumer legal challenge to its £9bn motor finance scheme. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has urged the Upper Tribunal to throw out the case entirely as it slammed Courmacs Legal and its client Consumer Voice, for a serious [...]
Lufthansa and aviation rivals clash in London court over power outlet profits July 7, 2026 German airline Lufthansa is back in the London courts this week over its long-running patent infringement dispute with a US, a Japanese, and a French aircraft manufacturer. The legal battle stems back to 2017, when aircraft maintenance group Lufthansa Technik alleged that Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems, Panasonic, and Safran infringed its patent for high-voltage aircraft [...]
Close Brothers shares fall as motor finance scandal threatens worst returns in Europe July 6, 2026 Close Brothers shares tumbled on Monday morning after a damning broker downgrade warned the bank was poised to deliver the “lowest value-creation” of Europe’s top 50 banks. The FTSE 250 bank’s stock was down nearly nine per cent in early trading to 401.70p as investors scurried for the exit door. The loss came on the [...]
The UK’s legal system brings the world to London in search of a fair deal July 6, 2026 We talk a lot about London’s strengths as a global financial centre. We talk about our capital markets, our fintech ecosystem, our talent base. But there is one foundation that underpins every single one of those strengths, and it doesn’t get nearly enough credit: our legal system, says Dame Susan Langley When we talk about [...]
Fifa World Cup 2026: The tournament of IP infringement and touts July 4, 2026 With the World Cup well underway, Ben Travers explains why IP laws are being ignored? Much has been written of the economics of the 2026 Fifa World Cup, which looks set to be the biggest yet with tens of billions in revenue on the table. With the global sports industry representing potentially trillions of dollars [...]
Natwest hit with £250m lawsuit tied to Thurrock Council scandal July 1, 2026 Natwest could be on the hook for more than a quarter of a billion pounds for allegedly aiding a businessman in secretly transferring funds from his investment firm. The FTSE 100 giant’s subsidiary – the Royal Bank of Scotland – has been engulfed in the collapse of Rockfire Group, which was triggered by a fraud [...]
‘Streets ahead’ – London aims to wear the legal AI crown June 25, 2026 New York may have the money, but London is trying to claim the ‘global capital of legal AI’ crown, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. In the midst of a brutal transatlantic talent war, where US firms are driving salaries through the roof and aggressively poaching top talent across the City, London has quietly secured a major strategic [...]