Towards the end of last year, Global Legal Post reported on the survey released from the National Association of Women Lawyers which highlighted the difficult path women still face to partnership (see here).

The survey looked at how female lawyers have managed in their career path from entry level attorneys to equity partnership.  At equity partnership level, the survey…

Read More

Eimear McCartan, Partnership Solicitor



If only getting out of a difficult partnership was as easy as it is for celebrities ending their torment in the jungle with the words “I’m a celebrity – get me out of here”. Unfortunately for partners, exiting a partnership is a much trickier path.



In the last year, I have noticed a marked increase in the number of partnership matters dealing with partners trying to exit a business partnership. One of the most commonly cited reasons… Read More

Eimear McCartan, Partnership Solicitor

Business partnerships are just like marriages in many different ways.

Partners enter into a partnership bright eyed and bushy tailed, full of hope and optimism for the future. Unfortunately, just like a marriage, partnerships can sometimes end in a bitter and acrimonious mess.

It is imperative that before entering into a partnership, prospective partners sit down together and set out exactly what they want from the…

Read More

Following on from David Cameron's recent announcement that he intends to change Matrimonial Law to legalise gay marriage in England and Wales by 2015, the Scottish National Party (SNP) yesterday announced that it intends to legalise gay marriage in…

Read More

As a law firm that has a specialty in divorce law, we at The Law House are always keen to see our clients sign pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreements.  Divorces can often be messy, painful and particularly unpleasant matters and while such agreements may at the time seem unromantic they can make the divorce process considerably less stressful.

There is now a section of society – farmers – whose industry is changing so quickly that pre-nuptials are becoming more necessary and much less…

Read More

No money, no prestige, no security – why being a partner is rubbisher than ever

 

 

To become a top partner in today’s legal profession, you need to have psychological issues. Or at least that’s the message coming out of the recent woeful story of Christopher Grierson.

The former partner has just been jailed for three years for fiddling travel expenses to the tune of a whopping…

Read More

Eimear McCartan, Partnership Law Solicitor

On a regular basis, I receive queries from business clients trying to find the most suitable business vehicle to suit their commercial (and personal) needs. As is so often the way in life, there is never a perfect match and therefore careful…

Read More

It struck me just yesterday (over a very nice lunch with some female headhunter friends) that of the various partner team moves we have advised on over the last year or so, absolutely none of the teams were led by women partners and only about a third even included women at all.

Why is that? Does it reflect the significantly lower proportion of female than male partners in City firms and particularly in the recently active sectors of funds, capital markets, projects and energy? To…

Read More

How lateral hires can work wonders for a firm’s reputation

 

 

 

A great lateral hire can be a strategic masterstroke for a law firm. Enticing a talented lawyer – or team – from another firm can be critical to the growth and increased profitability of a practice group.

But less obvious is…

Read More

Apologies to all, but I am about to blaspheme, turn away now if you are easily offended.  You see I want to talk about swapping from hourly rates to fixed fees...I know shocking isn't it.

 

Fixed fees have been something which we all talk about, but few of us really use.  When we say fixed, what we normally mean is fixed, but only if I don't spend more time than that on your file which, in the grand scheme of things, isn't really a fixed fee is it?

 

Many…

Read More

The topical issue of Alternative Business Structures (ABSs) came to the fore once again on the front page of this week’s issue of the Law Society Gazette.

 

The chief of law firm DLA Piper, Sir Nigel Knowles, has voiced warnings about the potential consequences the upcoming introduction of ABSs will have when introduced on the 6th October this year.

 

The introduction of ABSs…

Read More

Jeremy Callman (a specialist Partnership/LLP barrister at Chancery set Ten Old Square), Gavin Foggo and Molly Ahmed (Partnership/LLP experts at Fox Williams LLP) represented the Claimant in the landmark case of Eaton -v- Caulfield, the only reported case on the expulsion of a member of an LLP where there is no written members' agreement, the application of default provisions and unfair prejudice.

Read their…

Read More

After stopping off in Nottingham, Sheffield, Liverpool, Leeds and London, a joint LLP seminar will be returning to advise Manchester business owners of the opportunities and pitfalls of LLPs.

The number of Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) in the UK has reached an all-time high and business owners are invited to attend the interactive seminar on Wednesday 11th May at the Digital World Centre, Salford Quays.

The financial strains of the recession have put a lot of pressure…

Read More