Pinsent Masons partner dies aged just 47
International law firm Pinsent Masons has paid tribute to partner James Bullock who has died aged 47. He was head of its litigation and compliance group and was based in London. He died on Monday morning and his passing was described as sudden. The firm has issued a statement referring to Mr Bullock as “a tax giant”, he was a well-respected tax practitioner. It says that colleagues are “shocked and saddened” and there thoughts are with his loved ones.
International firm appoints head of corporate for Asia
Ian Ivory is joining the Hong Kong team of Berwin Leighton Paisner as head of corporate in Asia. He will relocate from the global law firm’s Moscow office on 2
nd November. Ivory has been with the firm for 18 years including 7 in Russia and before that he managed the private equity and venture capital team in London. BLP hired a team of lawyers from boutique Haley & Co. in May and now has full arbitration capabilities Hong Kong.
Clyde & Co expands international footprint
Clyde & Co has merged with leading Scottish law firm Simpson & Marwick. The deal, effective 1
st October 2015, will give the international insurance specialist its first presence in Scotland. Simpson & Marwick has 45 partners and has a pre-eminent insurance disputes practice.
Indian Supreme Court allows challenge to foreign law firms
High Court decisions made by judges in Bombay and Madras, which would have assisted the introduction of foreign law firms to India, are to be appealed. The Supreme Court of India has ruled this week to allow the appeals to proceed. Unusually, the appellant in the Madras case is also the respondent in the Bombay one – the Bar Council of India. The decision to allow the appeals is likely to add significant delays to any opening up of the country’s legal profession to international firms.
Hoverboard IP case brought by Segway
It may not be the hoverboard seen in classic movie trilogy Back to the Future but the Hovertrax is gaining fans with celebrities in the US but it’s facing an IP lawsuit. The balance-challenging mode of transport does not actually hover, it has two wheels which is perhaps why the makers of the Segway have filed an IP infringement claim. Mashable reports that the story is more complicated as Hovertrax has filed its own lawsuit against the makers of a Hovertrax-esque device called IO Hawk; and there is another device called the Phunkeeduck which is also along similar lines.
