The Billable Hour’s Grip, Partner Pay Divides & Legal Reactions to DeepSeek’s Rise

This week Meg is joined by Joint Managing Director Michael Evans to discuss the first US firm financial results, as well as Freshfields' LLP accounts, and best practice in releasing the financials.Thank you for Listening!

This week, Meg is joined by Joint managing Director Michael Evans to discuss how the billable hour is still dominant in the legal world, law firm partner pay segmentation, Post Office prosecutions, Prigozhin's lawyers facing no regulatory action and what lawyers are making of the DeepSeek surge. Thank you for Listening!

Meg is joined by Joint Managing Director Ben Girdlestone to discuss how regulatory, cultural, and business frameworks in the US, UK, and EU will evolve after Trump's inauguration. Thank you for Listening!

Meg returns for the second episode of Counsel Culture this year. Joined by Joint Managing Director Michael Evans, they discuss listed firms publishing positive results despite ongoing market volatility, what Quinn Emanuel's results might mean for the litigation market, ethics of barristers being called into question, law firms tackling friction over nonequity partner pay and unusual alliances being drawn between US and European law firms as a result of Trump's second term.Thank you for Listening!

This week Meg is joined by Byfield Associate Director, Beth Durkin. They discuss KPMG Law targeting an alternative business licence in the US, the increase in law firm rates, Private Equity’s Calculated push into law firms and how the last year has reshaped the legal industry globally.To read the articles mentioned in this week's episode, visit the below links: https://www.law.com/international-edition/2025/01/06/kpmg-law-us-targets-alternative-business-licence-shaking-up-legal-status-quo/https://www.thelawyer.com/your-rates-are-unsustainable/https://www.thelawyer.com/a-new-global-order-is-here-to-stay/https://www.law.com/international-edition/2025/01/05/the-quiet-revolution-private-equitys-calculated-push-into-law-firms/Thank you for Listening!

This week Meg is joined by Joint Managing Directors Ben Girdlestone and Michael Evans. They discuss why climate protestors are targeting A&O Shearman,lateral partner retention, US firms dragging their feet on training contracts and how US firm are getting closer to acquiring Kramer Levin’s Paris office.Thank you for Listening!

In this episode, Meg and Dina are joined by Sean McGuiness, Investment Manager, Senior Legal Counsel at Omni Bridgeway. They discuss how the PACCAR decision is impacting the market and what to expect from this government in the legislation tackling it (when it comes through), controversies around litigation funding such as fees the funders charge, why funding is so important for litigation and the upcoming market trends to watch out for.If you'd like to get in contact with Sean, his details are as follows:Sean McGuiness Investment Manager, Senior Legal Counsel OMNI BRIDGEWAYLink House, Level 2, 78 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ M +44 7725 340 688E [email protected] you for Listening!

In the episode, Meg is joined by Byfield Joint Managing Director, Ben Girdlestone, to discuss the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer merger, the climate protests outside law firms, the US election and a couple of law firm culture stories recently published by The Times.  Thank you for Listening!

In this episode, Michael and Ben dive into some of the biggest news stories in the UK Legal Market. They explore whether law firm leaders are experiencing FOMO (fear of missing out) amidst the wave of mergers sweeping the sector. The conversation also touches on trainee salaries and the divide between equity and non-equity partners in US firms. Additionally, they provide updates on high-profile cases, including the BHP case regarding the dam disaster in Brazil, as well as how the SRA is handling the Post Office and Axiom Ince cases.Thank you for Listening!

Meg welcomes Simon Davis, former Law Society of England and Wales President and former commercial litigation Partner at Clifford Chance, on the podcast this week to discuss the ever-changing landscape in the legal industry and all of the challenges arising out of that for law firms and their lawyers.They also discuss scrutiny of lawyers in litigation and ethical considerations in disputes.Thank you for Listening!