This week Meg is joined by Joint Managing Director Ben Girdlestone to discuss the return of deals, Kirkland & Ellis Partner moves and diverse lawyers being used as “window dressing” in client pitches. 

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 This week, Meg is joined by Associate Director Liam McCafferty to discuss how the legal industry (and others) can use the Labour Cabinet as an example for increasing socio-economic diversity, what an increase in UK-focused infrastructure and planning work means for law firms and A&O and Linklaters' financial results announcements.  

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This week, we have the privilege of welcoming a very special guest, Camille Vasquez, a Partner and Co-Chair of the Brand & Reputation Management Group at Brown Rudnick. Camille, who has worked with a number of high-profile clients, gained global recognition for her successful representation of Johnny Depp in a televised defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard two years ago.

The team drew on Camille's experience to discuss the importance of litigation teams seeing themselves as storytellers for their clients, how they can help rebuild a client’s image during and after a trial, the main differences between UK/US defamation trials and litigation funding regimes, whether the latter should be regulated, among other topics.

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This week Meg is joined by Stefan Ciesla, Co-founder of Ayora, a company that provides AI for legal revenue management. They discuss Ayora's report called "Addressing the $36bn value gap in law firms: a primer for innovative law firms" which claims that the legal industry is losing up to $36 billion a year due to sub-optimal revenue and working capital management. They also speak about how AI can help reduce that figure and its wider use in the legal industry.

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Today, Meg is joined by Gus and Dina for the next instalment of our Disputes and Investigations Monthly series. They discuss the Christian Horner case, the latest legislative proposals regarding SLAPPS, the FCA planning to name firms being investigated earlier and more often and the SFO offering monetary compensation for whistleblowers to come forward.

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 This week Meg is joined by Steven Barrett from Radcliffe Chambers to discuss when barristers should call themselves barristers and whether judges should be banned from using social media. They also spoke about Latham & Watkins' decision to cut off automatic access to its international database for Hong Kong lawyers and Freshfields asking lawyers to opt for lower-class travel to meet sustainability targets. They concluded the episode by examining Pogust Goodhead’s new “synthetic equity program”. 

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This week Meg is joined by John Hyde, Deputy News Editor at The Law Society Gazette. They sat down to discuss the latest developments in the Post Office Inquiry including what the next phase looks like, the impact on the victims and the SRA’s involvement. They also spoke about the latest on Axiom Ince, analysing Pragnesh Modhwadia's property company being shut down, the SRA's review into consumer protection and the compensatory fund. Finally, they touched upon National Apprenticeship Week and how important apprenticeships have been for the legal industry. 

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This week’s episode marks the first instalment of our Disputes and Investigations monthly series. Meg is joined by Byfield Founder Gus Sellitto and Dina Hudson, Senior Consultant in our Disputes and Investigations practice, to discuss Byfield’s updated Disputes & Investigations PR service offering, the highlights from The Lawyer's Top 20 cases for 2024, PR considerations amid investigations and legal disputes, Law360's corporate crime cases to watch this year, and the importance of having a strong communications and PR strategy ahead of a cross-border trial. 

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This week Meg is joined by HSBC’s Head of Professional & Business Services, Victoria Ritchie.

They discussed various aspects of HSBC's annual law firm strategy report for 2024 including, how law firms are planning for the impact of the basis period reform on their finances, how they're investing in ESG, overseas expansion and technology and how banks are helping them facilitate those investments.  They also explored the relationship between in-house lawyers and external advisers when considering the ESG requirements for working with certain law firms or banks.

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This week Meg is joined by Joint Managing Director Michael Evans to discuss the new black box partner remuneration model at Paul Weiss, Slaughter and May announcing it will name and shame those who work from home full time, SSB Law going bust and owing £200m to litigation funders and the government reversing the July PACCAR decision for the Post Office Inquiry.

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This week Meg is joined by Account Director Liam McCafferty to discuss this week’s biggest legal stories. They cover the Post Office scandal, Linklaters' latest hire in the US, SRA fines for breaches of transparency, M&A advisers table from the London Stock Exchange Group and the latest update on Axiom Ince and the compensation cap.

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In what is the last Counsel Culture episode of 2023, Meg is joined by Joint Managing Directors Michael Evans and Ben Girdlestone to discuss the biggest stories of 2023. They cover the A&O and Shearman merger, Paul Weiss’ recruitment, the Axiom Ince fallout, how firms have handled their messaging around the Middle East conflict and predictions for 2024.

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This week, Meg is joined by Michael to discuss the UK and French elections' impact on the market, UK law firms' financial results so far and what constitutes the global elite within the legal sector.

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This week Meg is joined by Joint Managing Director Michael Evans to discuss the news that Deloitte and KPMG are asking staff to use burner phones on Hong Kong trips and CTS has fallen victim to a cyber security attack. They also discuss the SRA ruling out a one-off levy on solicitors to compensate clients of Axiom Ince and the effectiveness of workplace wellbeing schemes.

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Meg and Joint Managing Director Ben discuss Allen & Overy's ransomware, breaking glass ceilings for women in law, and junior lawyers wanting to join firms and do work that align with their values.

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As regular host Meg takes a well-deserved break, Account Director Liam and Joint Managing Director Michael step in to speak about the week’s biggest legal stories. They discuss the Rwanda scheme ruling, Axiom SFO raids, the recent trends in younger lawyers preferring ethical work, international firms entering Africa and the acquisition of Chambers and Partners. 

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In this week's episode, Meg is joined by Thomas Kendra, Arbitration Partner from Hogan Lovells, to discuss market trends in litigation and arbitration in Europe and Africa, how Asian investments in Africa are affecting disputes across the continent, the Nigeria arbitration case in the London courts in October and the ICSID and UNCITRAL code of conduct affecting arbitrators. 

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This week’s episode of Counsel Culture is brought to you all the way from Paris, as a week of knowledge sharing and networking at the IBA draws to a close. 

Joining Meg this week is Mark Stephens CBE, Founder of and Partner at Howard Kennedy and Co-Chair of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute.  They discuss Mark’s IBA experience so far, his work in decriminalising homosexuality and SLAPPs. 

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This week, Meg is joined by Account Director Liam McCafferty to discuss the lawyers doing the longest hours, Mid-market M&A, the Bar Standards Board's proposed disclosure of chambers rankings to implement further regulatory changes and whether legal directories are still worth the effort.

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This week Meg is joined by Joint Managing Director Ben Girdlestone to discuss the A&O Shearman merger, KPMG's legal arm reaching £100 million in revenues, how Inflation and increased overhead expenses, combined with a decrease in billable hours, is causing concerns for law firms and the $69 billion Microsoft takeover of Activision.

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In today's episode, Meg and Ben discuss the latest from party conference season and expected impacts on the legal industry, an increase in the number of lawyers calling a mental health hotline, firms wrestling with return to offices, Clifford Chance's project advising UK rappers on their legal contracts alongside Urban Lawyers, and GSK settling four lawsuits at once in the US.

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This week Meg is joined by Joint Managing Director Michael Evans to discuss the Axiom Ince closure, the Bar Standards Board’s new social media guidelines for barristers and the SDT’s findings in the Oliver Bretherton case. They further talk about whether law firm leaders should voice their political opinions, the Maria Rooney menopause case returning to the Employment Tribunal and Lewis Silkin’s kindness code.

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 This week, Meg is joined by James Booth, Professional Services Reporter at Financial News. They discuss the Kirkland & Ellis departures to Paul Weiss in London, KPMG halving pay for its US partners on gardening leave and Goldman Sachs announcing job cuts for underperforming staff in the US, and how we could see this bleeding into Big Law. 

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This week, Meg is joined by Gus and Dina for their monthly disputes & investigations episode. This time they discuss the latest updates in the Post Office Inquiry and the class action against Glencore, the second-ever collective settlement approval order in opt-out proceedings in the CAT, and the fate of the Litigation Funding Agreements (Enforceability) Bill following the announcement of a general election in July.

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 This week Meg is joined by Joint Managing Director Michael to discuss the recent departures from Kirkland & Ellis, ongoing developments at Axiom Ince and the news that Schillings is opening a PR arm. They also look ahead to what's coming up this quarter including the A&O and Shearman merger and what transactional practices should expect for the end of the year. 

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In this week’s episode, Meg is joined by Eric Staal, Vice President, Global Markets at Lex Mundi, the world's leading network of independent law firms. They discuss the consequences of AI adoption by in-house teams, the ESG considerations that are keeping GCs up at night and how the billable hour is affecting relationships between in-house and private practice, all in the context of a new “regulatory supercycle”.

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As our regular host Meg has taken a well-deserved break and with summer drawing to a close, we have taken a different approach to this week's episode. Joint Managing Director Ben Girdlestone and Senior Account Executive Hattie Lunt have stepped in to discuss the three big themes for Autumn - hybrid working, the A&O and Shearman Merger and the consequences of Freshfields deciding not to release its financials. 

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This week, Byfield Joint-Managing Director Michael Evans and Meg discuss Dentons' separation from Dacheng, the firm's Chinese arm, as well as the latest clarifications from Freshfields on the decision not to release their financials. They also discuss the ongoing Government campaign against immigration lawyers and the latest working from home arrangements in Big Law.

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This week, Byfield Joint Managing Director Michael Evans joins Meg to discuss the SRA cracking down on anti-money laundering failures and on firms falsifying asylum and human rights claims. They also discuss the implication of the latest Supreme Court judgment on litigation funding, whether the legal industry will adopt workcations and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's decision to no longer share their financial results publicly.

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Ben joins Meg this week to discuss expected lawyer salary slumps, tattoos in the workplace, Slaughter & May's new social mobility initiative, Osborne Clarke's return to office policy, and Law.com's inaugural UK Top 30 firms by revenue ranking. Counsel Culture is now moving to publication on Wednesdays, but listeners are more than welcome to provide any feedback! 

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This week, Michael Evans is back to discuss the early days of financials season for UK firms, the new SFO appointment, law firms' AI and cybersecurity woes, the awful story about Hong Kong putting a bounty on pro-democracy lawyers, and former Herbert Smith Freehills Chair and Senior Partner James Palmer's piece on needing policy and regulatory decisions to take into account long-term rather than short-term goals for a better future.

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King & Spalding Associate Rosie Watterson joined Meg this week to discuss how law firms and the wider legal industry can better embrace their lawyers and staff with a disability, chronic and/or mental illness and why it matters for firms to ensure they are seen and heard.

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This week, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom Partner and PRIME Executive Chair Elizabeth Robertson joins Meg to discuss social mobility in the legal industry. They discuss Elizabeth's own journey into law, and best practice for firms to ensure they help improve access to the profession, and retain talent.

They also discuss white collar crime trends to expect as the FCA's joint Executive Directors of Enforcement and Market Oversight settle in their role, and as the SFO is set to change leadership in the coming weeks.

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This week, Byfield Founder Gus Sellitto joins Meg to discuss the impact of investigative journalism on the reputation of companies following the FT's latest expose into Odey Asset Management, the parallels between the latest partygate revelations and last week's arraignment of Donald Trump, and the proposal to give judges powers to dismiss some SLAPPs.

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 In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Week, Meg is joined by Joint Managing Director Ben Girdlestone to delve into several stories from this week's legal news. They discuss topics including the complexities of dating as a lawyer, strategies for managing stress, mental health and wellbeing, and why employees are seeking stability in their careers amidst economic instability. Additionally, they cover the official announcement of the A&O Shearman merger and the recent significant salary increases for Newly Qualified lawyers across the city. 

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Rose Walker, Editor at Bloomberg Tax, joins Meg to talk about successful strategies for a merger announcement, following the A&O Shearman news a few weeks ago.

We talk about the importance of getting the choreography right for different stakeholders - as well as what to lookout for next in terms of remuneration, people issues and financial integration.

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As our regular host Meg takes a well-deserved break, Account Director Liam McCafferty steps in to discuss the top legal stories of the week with Joint Managing Director Ben Girdlestone. They cover topics such as the A&O and Shearman merger, The Lawyer's US 50 2023 report, news that a city firm has been instructed to handle the CBI affair and the possible future implications of the rising tensions between the US and China. 

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This week, Bob Nightingale MBE, Founder of the London Legal Support Trust, joins Meg to discuss the Legal Walk 2023 taking place in June, access to justice, and the appointment of Alex Chalk as Lord Chancellor.

If you wish to participate in this year's Legal Walk, please visit the LLST's website: https://londonlegalsupporttrust.org.uk/

If you wish to donate to Byfield for the Legal Walk, please do so here: https://londonlegalsupporttrust.enthuse.com/pf/byfield-consultancy-2023

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This week, CMS' Head of International Arbitration and London International Disputes Week Co-Chair Richard Bamforth joins Meg and Michael to discuss what to expect at the LIDW starting next Monday, and how London as a disputes centre is faring post-pandemic, and amid economic downturn and the war in Ukraine.

Michael and Meg then discuss a survey featured in the Financial Times' Full Disclosure newsletter about Gen Z lawyers wanting more meaning out of their work and a better life-work balance. They also discuss a report finding that 55 London law firms have facilitated £1.48 trillion in fossil fuel projects in the past five years, clashing with their own ESG targets and the latest guidance from the Law Society.

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This week, Harneys' Global Managing Partner William Peake joins Meg to discuss the inclusion of AI into lawyers' day-to-day jobs, compliance experts warning junior lawyers who communicate with clients via Whatsapp and social media, NQ salary increase At Linklaters and Allen & Overy, as well as the Legal Services Board opening a call for evidence on the role that lawyers' conduct plays in the misuse of non-disclosure agreements.

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In today's episode Meg is joined by Justice Robin Knowles CBE, judge in the High Court and Chair of the National Pro Bono Centre, and Mary Dobson-Smith, Executive Lead for the National Pro Bono Centre. They discuss the new Lord Chancellor and what challenges he'll face regarding tackling access to justice, the 10-year anniversary of the Legal Aid Sentencing & Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) and its effects on legal aid and access to justice since its implementation. They also discussed the biggest challenges for accessing justice.

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This week, Meg and Ben discuss the messaging and the implications of UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab's resignation on UK regulators and their efforts in cracking down on bad behavior. They then analyse the AmLaw 100 results, discuss the future of Private Equity practices and the latest Law Society guidance on climate change. They end up talking about the AI-produced Oasis album which made the headlines this week and how AI is changing copyright issues in law.

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Byfield founder Gus Sellitto and Associate Director Beth Durkin join Meg this week to discuss some of the week's biggest stories: Kirkland & Ellis' latest financials, the future of law firm listings following Ince's announcement that it is going into administration, junior lawyers' wellbeing in light of the Paul Hastings viral mishap, and how firms can help women to manage work and their healthcare needs related to fertility and menopause. Finally, the team also discusses the latest of the CBI drama, and how businesses can better prepare for such crises.

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This week, Joshua Bates, Associate at O'Connors, joins Meg to discuss law firms cancelling their PII covers, anti money-laundering compliance and cyber security challenges they are facing and how to respond to them, the lack of regulatory scrutiny on law firm use of cryptocurrency as a payment method and artificial intelligence.

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This week, Korn Ferry Partner Funke Abimbola joins Meg to discuss how firms can ensure to be paid on time while accommodating clients facing financial pressures, whether the high salaries for junior lawyers are justified, and what firms and in-house teams can do to better embrace diversity, equity and inclusion at all career levels across the industry. Funke also offers her thoughts on Linklaters' latest introduction of a flexible model for using bank holidays, and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's lock-up modification to shorten the time gap between billing clients and getting paid.

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 In this episode, Meg is joined by Eric Staal, Vice President of Global Markets at Lex Mundi, to discuss challenges faced by General Counsel in responding to geopolitical issues affecting their companies, and handling various stakeholders as part of their response, how those challenges have changed the relationship between in-house counsel and external advisers and what options are available to GCs to better navigate those issues. 

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This week, The Times' Legal Editor Jonathan Ames and Byfield Founder Gus Selitto join Meg to discuss mediation in divorce cases, apprenticeship schemes and junior lawyers' mental health, India opening up its doors to foreign lawyers, the expected wave of Credit Suisse lawsuits, as well as the latest on the Jeffrey Epstein-related litigation targeting Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan.

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It's a new dawn, it's a new day! This week, Byfield Account Manager Jessica Hancock and Account Executive Thomas Ziprin joined Meg to discuss the Bar Council of India's decision to open up the doors of the legal industry to foreign lawyers and law firms, licenses for law firms in Saudi Arabia and their ethical and cultural implications, free therapy at work, lawyers not receiving their pay boost last year and more on the use of AI in law.

Next week, The Times Legal Editor Jonathan Ames will join us so make sure to tune in!

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This week, Meg is joined by Law.com International News Editor Rose Walker. They discuss challenges faced by women in law including career progression and women's health issues to mark International Women's Day, as well as how men can become better allies at work. They then dive into the future of Shearman & Sterling amid a management shake-up following the end of merger talks with Hogan Lovells, and discuss why the Cravath, Swaine & Moore's move into the City is so important in terms of media relations in the UK.

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Ben Girdlestone joins Meg to discuss this week's news that white shoe firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore is officially establishing a London office, as well as Matt Hancock's half hour, M&A activity slowly making a comeback, robot lawyers and clients asking firms for discounts, fixed fee deals and postponements of payments as companies face increasing financial pressures.

Make sure to tune in next week as we'll have a special guest to discuss International Women's Day, and this morning's news that the Hogan Lovells-Shearman & Sterling merger is off.

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