International firm launches management consultancy

International law firm RPC has launched a management consultancy aimed at helping senior in-house lawyers improve their operational efficiency and personal effectiveness.
RPC Perform is headed by a former managing director of Huron Consultancy T-Mobile general counsel Julia Chain and is based in London but will support clients across the globe. 
The business will focus on three key areas: Strategic and operational efficiency; Managing relationships with external law firms; and Soft skills, including team, personal and leadership development.
 
DLA Piper cuts jobs to automate, relocate
Business support roles at DLA Piper in the UK are set to be cut following a lengthy review of the firm’s operations. It’s believed that there could be as many as 200 redundancies as roles are automated or are taken over by the firm’s global services centre in Poland.
 
BLP to move to prestigious Hong Kong offices
Berwin Leighton Paisner is to relocate to prestigious new offices in Hong Kong. BLP has signed a lease to move out of Central district to Taikoo Place in Quarry Bay, in October 2016.
The firm becomes the first law firm to open an office in the modern district and the 15,000 square foot Dorset House is large enough for 100 people, allowing for future expansion.
 
Magic circle trio joins MoFo in Asia-Pac
Morrison Foerster has hired a trio of lawyers from Magic Circle firms for its Asia-Pacific region.  
In Hong Kong, Chuan Sun (technology transactions) and Vivian Yiu (corporate) have just started at the firm, coming from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Allen & Overy, respectively.
Meanwhile in Singapore, Yemi Tépé (financial transactions) has joined from Clifford Chance, with immediate effect.
 
Senior hire for Hogan Lovells
Kent Phillips has been hired by Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee in Singapore. He is currently head of arbitration at BLP and qualified in New Zealand before moving to London.
He will join Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee’s litigation & arbitration practice and bring specialist knowledge in Indonesia and India which are two important markets to the firm’s strategic plans.