Editors’ views
EMEA editor Ella Marshall reports on reforms to Switzerland’s corporate tax regime, data protection concerns, legal tech insecurity, and Brexit spam
I recently enjoyed a whistle-stop trip to Zurich. During 49-hours on Swiss soil, I met with a number of law firms and attended The Legal 500’s 6th GC Summit Switzerland in the opulent surroundings of the Baur au Lac (lakey me). Although my time in Zurich was short and sweet, it was rich both in …
Continue reading “GCs as the ‘ultimate integrator’”
Interview with: Jessica Roland
Mourant Guernsey’s managing partner on not being tied too closely to the traditional law firm model and why leadership is a collective responsibility
What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients? As managing partner of our Guernsey office, one of my proudest moments in the last few years was completing our move from old offices in two buildings to one, single site, bringing all of our people under one roof. Since early 2018 …
Continue reading “Greater than the sum of our parts”
Interview with: Juan Francisco Torres Landa Ruffo
The head of Hogan Lovells’ Mexico office on the importance of managing partners avoiding isolation, leading by example, and why future lawyers will need a different skillset
How would you define your firm’s culture? How important is that culture to you? Our firm’s culture is client-focused. We are dedicated to providing a seamless service, one that gives our clients a sense of excellence, depth, full expertise, and focus on their industries. We pursue long-term and mutually rewarding relationships with all our clients. …
Continue reading “Avoid getting rusty”
Interview with: Sadiq Jafar
The managing partner of Hadef & Partners talks about the latest growth trends in the UAE and working alongside international law firms
How are client demands in the UAE changing? The UAE is a relatively young jurisdiction and, to support domestic growth, there is parallel development of laws and regulations, courts, arbitration centres and other soft infrastructure. This, together with the emergence of financial free zones, contributes to changing client demand patterns. The introduction of new legislation …
Continue reading “The collaborative approach”
Interview with...
Lydian’s employment, pensions, and benefits partner on what sets his firm apart in the Belgium market and the challenges facing his clients
What has been your greatest achievement, in a professional and personal capability? In a law firm, it is all about teamwork and people. You can only deliver high quality services to your clients when you have a strong team of experienced and talented lawyers around you. I am very proud of the team of 17 …
Continue reading “Jan Hofkens: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”
Leadership
Raising awareness, engaging with your people, and changing behaviours can help improve your environmental performance, explains Dr Georgios Zampas, senior citizenship executive at Herbert Smith Freehills
At Herbert Smith Freehills, we recognise that everyone has a part to play in balancing our growth as a business with reducing our impact on the environment. We have a responsibility to align our approach to sustainability across all of the offices in our network and our intention is to create – and be part …
Continue reading “Reasons to go green”
Career corner
Litigators who yearn for the rough and tumble of the local courtroom are not necessarily the best fit for international arbitrations, writes Kyle Richard Olson, senior associate disputes resolution lawyer at Baker McKenzie Chicago
Before becoming a lawyer I assumed that arbitration was a lesser man’s litigation, an academic exercise kept behind the curtains. I was wrong. After a decade practising international arbitration, I’ve learned that no two arbitrations are the same; each requires its own thorough and creative approach to the intellectual aspects of the case, balanced with …
Continue reading “Think international arbitration is ‘soft’ litigation? Think again”
Compliance
Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz’s Tanya Forsheit and James Mariani explore the evolution of US privacy law
As we stand on the eve of drastic change to the data privacy legal landscape in the United States, many companies are preparing to analyse their business practices and wondering where to start. There is considerable ambiguity regarding what compliant data privacy practices look like in 2020 due, at least in part, to one moving …
Continue reading “Moving towards compliance in ambiguous times”
