International law firm announces management changes to London office… Another UK firm begins international expansion… Baker & McKenzie hires former DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr practice head… Barristers to be offered payments plan… Pop group launches IP law suit over phone charger…
International law firm appoints new female management duo
Latham & Watkins has announced that finance partner Jay Sadanandan is to take over as managing partner of its London office replacing Nick Kline who has stepped down after 5 years in the role. Sadanandan has been at the firm for 5 years having joined from White & Case. She has been deputy managing partner since 2013; her replacement in that role will be employment partner Catherine Drinnan.
Another UK firm begins international expansion
London based law firm DWF has announced that it is opening its first office outside the UK and Ireland, in the Dubai International Finance Centre. The firm has hired Steven Hunt from Holland & Knight which announced last year that it was closing its UAE office. Together with insurance partner Chris Ryan he and two further lawyers will focus on the construction sector.
Baker & McKenzie hires former DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr practice head
Kieran Whyte is joining Baker & McKenzie in South Africa from next Monday to expand the firm’s energy practice. Whyte joins the Johannesburg office from DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr where he was head of projects and infrastructure.
Barristers to be offered payments plan
The UK’s Bar Council is to give barristers the option of offering payment plans to clients to fund existing or future cases. The new deal will allow clients time to pay while ensuring that lawyers get paid on time. It will not be linked to success and can be used for any kind of legal work. The scheme will be operated by Legal Cost Finance, set up by Australian lawyer Dr Yuri Rapoport in 2013.
Pop group launches IP law suit over phone charger
German electro-pop pioneers Kraftwerk are to launch an IP law suit against one of their country’s tech firms over a product that shares its name. eZelleron wanted to use the name for a mobile phone charger that can operate for up to 11 days without mains power. The word kraftwerk means power station but the band’s founder Ralf Hutter has trademarks for the word when used in connection with certain uses. The law suit cited that as one of the selling points of the charger was for charging music devices there would be a likely connection made between the charger and the band. While the word is in common usage in Germany which may have been an advantage to the tech firm, but it is incorporated in Delaware in the US and the case is being heard there.
