The Lawyer Podcast
Hosted by editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith, every second Thursday The Lawyer Podcast brings you our take on the top stories, trends and views moving the legal market. For more news, analysis and data, go to www.thelawyer.com. The Lawyer Podcast can be contacted at podcast@thelawyer.com.
Episodes
AI and lawyer job cuts: the annoying truth
Send us Fan MailIt is an uncertain time for those wanting a career in the law.Doom-mongers would have you think that AI is about to lead to a mass cull in junior lawyer roles around the world.But at the same time, associate salaries keep going up – and some big firms are even increasing their junior hiring.So what is the truth behind the future of junior talent?The Lawyer Podcast tries to find out
It's raining men at A&O Shearman (and BigLaw)
Send us Fan MailIn 2015, The Lawyer wrote: “eight candidates for two top roles at Allen & Overy, and not one woman. For a law firm committed to that 30 per cent target, it’s not a good look.”Fast-forward to 2026 and, as The Lawyer wrote last week, just one female partner included on A&O Shearman’s refreshed board of six has left many “disappointed” with the outcome.This is not a problem un
Legal AI: Have Harvey and Legora peaked?
Send us Fan MailWe’ve all been seeing a lot more of Jude Law lately.Legal AI firm Legora’s effort to cement itself in our consciousness with expensive ads featuring the actor has certainly been refreshing In its latest funding round in March, the company hit a valuation of $5.5bn and now has contracts with law firms including White & Case, HSF Kramer, Dentons, and Pérez-Llorca.Meanwhile, its c
Fess up about Germany, Freshfields
Send us Fan MailEver since its big German mergers in 2000, the firm has been one of the major international players in Europe and is now the second largest law firm in Germany.And yet… Freshfields has lost some top talent in the country recently, at the same time as making no bones about its intention to prioritise its US practice.As many firms will be aware, the gap between American and German fe
REPLAY: Taylor Wessing and Winston & Strawn's transatlantic tie-up
Send us Fan MailThe Lawyer Podcast is on holiday this week, but with Taylor Wessing and Winston and Strawn aiming to complete their merger in three weeks’ time, we thought you might like to listen back to our episode from last year when news of the deal broke.The 1st May target date for the merger to go live is not locked in – the two firms are still dotting I’s and crossing T’s. If it goes ahead
Kirkland's partners make $11m a year – but can it last?
Send us Fan MailIn hindsight, Kirkland & Ellis’s rise to the top of BigLaw may now seem as predictable as death and taxes.There was even a sense of inevitability when its latest financial results were released earlier this month, becoming the first firm to surpass $10bn with PEP at $11m.But it was actually less than a decade ago, in 2017, when the firm first topped the global revenue charts.So
Scottish lawyers are raging about private equity
Send us Fan MailPrivate equity investment in law firms is kicking off in England. But in Scotland, lawyers are at risk of falling behind as regulations restrict Scottish firms from doing the same – and that’s left lawyers there frustrated.So on this episode of the podcast, the team is joined from Glasgow by Horizon editor Margaret Taylor and deputy editor (UK) Richard Simmons, as we unpack the cha
Slaughter and May is a Silver Circle firm
Send us Fan MailThe Silver Circle was a concept coined by The Lawyer more than 20 years ago. Rather than describing a set of “magic circle wannabes”, its purpose was to collate the firms’ strategies and models. Those in the Silver Circle have arguably changed over the years, with the likes of Macfarlanes and Travers Smith remaining constant.But after two decades and enormous changes in the legal m
Brad Karp, the Epstein files, and the future of Paul Weiss
Send us Fan MailBrad Karp became a household name - for Big Law at least - during his 17 year tenure at the helm of Paul Weiss.But the long serving chair of the New York firm resigned from his leadership role last week over revelations in the latest batch of the Epstein files.His exit makes him one of the first Americans to resign over the revelations.So on this episode of The Lawyer Podcast, we t
Why Greenland could redraw the law firm map
Send us Fan MailThe annual meeting of the World Economic Forum at Davos usually revolves around talk of business, finance and investment. Indeed, law firms Baker McKenzie and DLA Piper are official partners of the forum.But last week’s meeting was dominated by the unusual topic of Greenland: President Trump’s threat to take the island by force, the Danish government’s rebuff and the seeming fractu
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader: mega deal or damp squib?
Send us Fan MailThe Lawyer Podcast is back for 2026 and it is picking up where we left off: with transatlantic mergers.Just before Christmas, Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader announced what will be, by value, the largest law firm merger ever agreed.The headline figures look good, but all may not be as it seems…So on the first podcast of the year, we assess what we really make of the tie-up and ask, i
BONUS episode: Taylor Wessing’s big US gamble
Send us Fan MailAs if 2025 needed just another little dollop of big legal news, Taylor Wessing and Winston & Strawn are set to become the fourth major transatlantic merger in two and a half years.So The Lawyer Podcast is back for an unexpected bonus episode as they talk through the announcement.The second transatlantic tie-up in a month, the team discusses what the firms are up to, what it mea
Why 2025 marked a turning point for the business of law
Send us Fan MailAs 2025 draws to a close, it feels like 2025 has been an inflection point for the legal sector.While firm financials largely look good, fundamental changes are underway on both sides of the Atlantic.Technology, investment, mergers and even politics all shook the business of law this year.So for the final episode of The Lawyer Podcast in 2025, we take a look back at what has changed
The unfiltered take on the Ashurst Perkins Coie merger
Send us Fan MailUnlike A&O’s tie up with Shearman and Sterling, Ashurst’s announcement that it had agreed a merger did not come as a surprise.The firm had been in the market for a US-merger for more than two decades, yet its new partner, Perkins Coie, did still come as a bit of a surprise.The silver circle firm clearly needed to make its move, but was it the right one?Tune in to the new episod
Merger mania hits New York
Send us Fan MailThe Lawyer’s editor Catrin Griffiths and director of insight Matt Byrne are back from a fact-finding mission in New York, and merger mania is gripping the city’s lawyers.As firms seek scale, reach and private capital clients, some of the oldest firms in the Big Apple are pondering how a tie up could help their bottom line.And while private equity investment into firms is all the ra
Let's tax all the lawyers!
Send us Fan MailTax rises for partnerships may be on the way in next month’s Budget – and potentially big ones at that.Many lawyers were left shocked after the news broke last week that the Government is considering adding the equivalent of employer’s national insurance onto partnerships.So on the new episode of The Lawyer Podcast, we ask what that might mean for a range of firms, whether it is a
Private equity: a poisoned chalice?
Send us Fan MailPrivate equity investment in law firms has accelerated in the past 12 months. Essentially every UK200 law firm in the country has been approached, and many have already accepted the opportunity. Now the question is whether firms at the top of the market might join in.But is it actually a good idea? Can law firms offer the rapid turnaround that private equity demands? Or is it just
UK 200 special: The most interesting firms in the top 100
Send us Fan MailThe Lawyer's UK200: Top 100 report, sponsored by Legora, is out and it contains 100 stories of firms forging ahead or falling behind. But which are the most interesting of all?In this week's episode of The Lawyer Podcast we dive into the sea of data and analysis that is the UK200 report and come up clutching four firms that are particularly worthy of attention this year.
Calling all gardeners - your firm needs you!
Send us Fan MailGardening has transformed from an old-fashioned past-time to a popular trend in the past few years, and now, even law firms are getting in on the action.Firms like Eversheds, Switalskis and CANDEY are leading the charge, but there is so much more that could be done. After all, who wants to look at a grey bit of concrete all day.So as the Autumn weather sets in and as we all try to
Why it was a hot debunching summer - and what else you missed on your holidays
Send us Fan MailThe kids are back in school, the clouds are rolling in, and offices across the land are filling up with lawyers returning from their holidays.And just in time, The Lawyer Podcast is back after the summer break. But just like in Westminster, it was far from a quiet summer for the legal sector.So on our first episode back, we bring you the stories you missed while you were on your ho
Are the New York elite finished?
Send us Fan MailThere is a radical reconfiguration taking place in the world of BigLaw that may make terms like magic circle or white shoe firm obsolete.The transatlantic, private capital corridor between New York and London is now the stamping ground for some of the world’s best and most profitable law firms - firms that The Lawyer are now calling the Global Elite.The Lawyer’s brand new The Globa
The runny poop problem is law's next battleground
Send us Fan MailAs the government launches a sweeping review into parental leave, The Lawyer Podcast takes a look at the challenges faced by parents and other carers working in the legal sector. Are firms pulling their weight? Are men? How far have we come and what more can be done?SHOW NOTESThe Lawyer's Working Parents Report can be read here.
Freshfields, Lewis Silkin and the C-word
Send us Fan MailLewis Silkin and Freshfields are two very different law firms.But they now have one thing in common – they won one of the two big awards at The Lawyer Awards 2025 last week.Now, The Lawyer Podcast is not typically a podcast to gush and coo.But with Lewis Silkin taking home UK firm of the year this year, and Freshfields winning Transatlantic firm of the year, on this episode, the te
Paul Weiss’s growth is just the tip of the iceberg
Send us Fan MailWe have never seen such rapid investment in the London legal market like Paul Weiss’s recruitment spree since 2023.Between 2023 and 2024 alone, the firm's London headcount tripled and its estimated turnover grew by more than 550 per cent.But that was just the start of the story for US firms in London over the last financial year, as private capital doubled down on the London m
Have litigation funders been chasing a busted flush?
Send us Fan MailOn the surface, litigation funding and class actions are booming in the UK. Over the past five years, dozens of class actions have been filed in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) and just at the start of this month, a new £5bn action was filed against Google. The 60 cases now in the CAT are said to be worth more than £160bn. And they are all backed by a litigation funder.But wi
What law firms aren’t telling you about AI
Send us Fan MailNews broke last week that the first ever AI law firm had been given the green light by the SRA. The rush by law firms to adopt Artificial Intelligence has been the standout feature of the past two years.But amongst all the hype, the promises, the bizarre naming of internal chat bots (we’re looking at you, Mishcon de Reya), it’s difficult to get a handle on who is doing what – and i
Trump v BigLaw, part three: Where's your line in the sand?
Send us Fan MailTrump’s attacks on some of America’s most famous law firms has set in motion a chain of events that has thrown the world of BigLaw into chaos.In episode three of The Lawyer Podcast's mini-series on Trump v BigLaw, Christian, Catrin and Richard assess what the crisis means for the junior members of the legal profession. The team speaks with Rachel Cohen, whose resignation on a
Trump v BigLaw, part two: Deal or no deal?
Send us Fan MailTrump’s attacks on some of America’s most famous law firms has set in motion a chain of events that has thrown the world of BigLaw into chaos.On this second episode of our podcast mini-series, Catrin, Christian and Richard look at how firm managements are responding to Trump’s targeting.The team speaks to former Ashurst senior partner Charlie Geffen and former Weight Watchers and K
Trump v BigLaw, part one: Crisis
Send us Fan MailTrump’s attacks on some of America’s most famous law firms has set in motion a chain of events that has thrown the world of BigLaw into chaos.Across the course of three episodes, The Lawyer Podcast will be talking to figures across the political and legal spectrum on both sides of the Atlantic, from Trump supporters to liberal academics, senior partners to students, associates to j
Your firm may not be interested in private equity, but private equity is interested in your firm
Send us Fan MailLaw firm listings are out of fashion, but private equity interest in firms has never been higher. With more deals already struck this year, The Lawyer Podcast crew sets out the state of PE investment in firms, debates the benefits and challenges of PE involvement, explores the experience of DWF, and ponders what the future will bring.
Could you hack it as a startup GC?
Send us Fan MailDynamic. Modern. Exciting. From Revolut to Bloom & Wild, Darktrace to Fever, startups are increasingly the place to be in the UK - and that is the case for lawyers too.So as the potential avenues for a career in law grow and grow, Catrin Griffiths and Christian Smith are joined on The Lawyer Podcast by Tech Editor Lucie Cruz – and some special guests – to discuss what it takes
Does Linklaters’ exit spell the end for the Magic Circle in Eastern Europe?
Send us Fan MailPoland’s GDP per capita could surpass Japan’s next year and may exceed the UK’s by the end of the decade.Such statistics help explain why the Eastern European nation is seeing an influx of international business - and legal work.Addleshaw Goddard is to take over Linklaters’ office in Warsaw in April, Clyde & Co is keenly poaching from Dentons, while Wolf Theiss and Schoenherr a
Absolute scenes: Freshfields, Willkie and how Merricks v Mastercard bankrolled the litigation market
Send us Fan Mail£20m is a number most recently associated with top private equity partners, but that’s the amount a team from Willkie Farr & Gallagher has been paid for its work on the iconic Merricks v Mastercard litigation.Now as the case wraps up, Catrin and Christian are joined by deputy litigation editor Annabel Tinson to discuss the story behind the case and its controversial settlement,
Law firm sustainability in the age of Trump
Send us Fan MailAs Donald Trump and his allies put corporate ESG on both sides of the Atlantic in their crosshairs, is now the time for law firms to stand up and prove that their sustainability programmes are not just all for lip service?To mark the launch of The Lawyer’s Sustainability Hub, the podcast team discuss the future of law firm sustainability, which firms need to up their game, why the
We need to talk about Latham
Send us Fan MailLosing more than a dozen partners in a year isn’t good for any firm, but it’s particularly bad if you are a top of the market type practice like Latham & Watkins.But after such a stumble in London and across Europe last year, which saw the firm recalibrate its partner remuneration and bonus structure to hold on to top talent, the time has come to ask: should Lathamites be worri
When litigation gets big, who you gonna call?
Send us Fan MailThe Lawyer Podcast is back with for 2025!Every January for the past 15 years, The Lawyer has published its Top 20 Cases to look out for in the coming year. Each year’s list boasts of the skill and depth of the legal market, and the high drama of the English courts.So what makes this year different, and what can it tell us about the current state of law, business and politics? Well
Christmas Special: Is someone you know a workaholic?
Send us Fan MailIt's less than a week until Christmas and across the country, fires are blazing, trees are twinkling and pigs in blankets are roasting. But in offices, lawyers still have their noses to the grindstone. For those who celebrate it, the Christmas break can be a time to put your feet up and relax. But many still need to work over the festive season, and many still find it difficul
Five smaller firms to watch for good or for ill
Send us Fan MailEditors Catrin Griffiths, Christian Smith and Richard Simmons are back to reveal the five firms in the second hundred of the UK200 they are watching in the coming years – for good or for ill.Tune in as we discuss firms from around the country: RBG, Lawrence Stephens, Enyo Law, FBC Manby Bowdler and Simpson Millar.And please remember to like and subscribe on your favourite podcast p
The HSF merger: Two firms do not a transatlantic powerhouse make
Send us Fan MailThe announcement that Herbert Smith Freehills would merge with US firm Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel has got chins wagging across the transatlantic market.But is this a new mega-firm in the vein of A&O Shearman, a shrewd building block for HSF to make advances in the US, or a bit of an anti-climax?What is clear is that HSF will need to prove to markets on both sides of th
How Kirkland is shaking up the European order
Send us Fan MailIt is a moment of change for the European legal market.With firms like Kirkland and Paul Hastings making major recent moves in the EU, US firms are starting to seriously disrupt the European order.This is most visible in Germany, France and the Nordics.So on this episode of the The Lawyer Podcast, our international editor Alex Taylor joins us after a recent visit to Oslo to discuss
UK 200 Special: What we really think of Freshfields, BCLP and Osborne Clarke
Send us Fan MailIn part two of our two-part podcast series, celebrating the 20th edition of The Lawyer's UK200, editors Catrin Griffiths, Christian Smith, Matt Byrne, Katy Dowell and Richard Simmons are back to reveal the five firms they are watching in the coming years – for good or for ill.With a list of 200 law firms, it’s not difficult to find some which pique our interest…but why have th
UK 200 Special: UK law firms fight back
Send us Fan MailIf this year's UK200 is anything to go by, the majority of UK law firms are in robust health. Indeed, they are finally fighting back against the growth of US competitors.So why are so many upending their partnership models?In part one of our two part podcast series celebrating the 20th edition of The Lawyer's UK200, editors Catrin Griffiths, Christian Smith, Matt Byrne, K
Is the A&O Shearman honeymoon over?
Send us Fan MailLast week, A&O Shearman set out post-merger plans to close its legacy Allen & Overy base in Johannesburg, reduce its partnership by 10 per cent by the end of the financial year, and sell its consultancy business Consulting by A&O Shearman.So is this a sign of things already going wrong, or is this all par for the course for big mergers?In this new episode of The Lawyer
Why lawyers now control football
Send us Fan MailFootball law has typically been the domain of sports specialists. However, in recent years, there has been a growing number of large, elite firms and chambers entering the football market.Clifford Chance and Freshfields act for Manchester City, and Slaughter and May and Linklaters represent the Premier League. Latham and Watkins worked on the Chelsea sale, sports boutiques like Nor
Qualification: the end of your career?
Send us Fan MailThe associate recruitment market has tightened up over the past year or two. For trainees looking to qualify, that means finding a home in their preferred practice area is more difficult too.But qualification and, specifically, which team you qualify into, can be one of the most crucial moments in a solicitor’s career. So on the final episode of The Lawyer Podcast before the summer
The Election Special
Send us Fan MailLabour won. Now what?As Sir Keir Starmer walks into Downing Street, The Lawyer Podcast boils up a vat of coffee and brings you an election results show for lawyers.With special guests including former Clifford Chance partner and tax celebrity Dan Neidle, we discuss which lawyers are in and out of Parliament after a night of change, look at what will be on the desk of the new Justic
Addleshaws and the myths of the mid-market
Send us Fan MailThe doom of the middle market has long been foretold. As global mergers grab attention and smaller, boutique firms blossom, many question whether there is any role for mid-market practices in law’s future. But, on Tuesday evening, Addleshaw Goddard marked a remarkable, decade-long turnaround as it was crowned Law Firm of the Year at The Lawyer Awards. And Addleshaws is not the only
WANTED: A female leader
Send us Fan MailLaw firms have long had a problem with gender equality. Partners and senior leaders are weighted heavily towards men, with an average of 2.35 male partner to every female partner in the UK's top 100 firms.However, that number is actually much improved on five years ago, when it was 2.83 male partners to every female. The number of female senior and managing partners is also in
Bumble and billables: the woes of dating as a lawyer (and why partners should care)
Send us Fan MailO Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?Last week, The Lawyer reported that time-poor lawyers are struggling to date in a profession where time is money. Longer hours for junior lawyers, compounded by a waning London dating market, is only adding to the problem.So on this episode of The Lawyer Podcast, editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith are joined by rep
Why you should leave Big Law for a boutique (and why you shouldn't)
Send us Fan MailLast week, all eyes were on A&O Shearman, a union hailing Big Law and its future. But in this week’s episode, we consider why so many solicitors are pursuing another future: opening their own firm.A survey from Censuswide on behalf of Harbour Litigation Funding last year found that half of UK firm partners had ambitions to set up their own firm – up 10 per percent on 2021.So as
A&O Shearman’s five biggest challenges - and worst mistake
Send us Fan MailThe wait is finally over. In just under a week, the transformational merger between Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling will go live.But while the deal is done, the job is only just beginning. So on this episode of The Lawyer Podcast, Catrin and Christian look at how the merger will play out in the next week, the next year and beyond?They are joined by director of insight
Emergency Episode: The SQE shambles
Send us Fan MailThe Lawyer's Christian Smith, Catrin Griffiths, Richard Simmons, Katy Dowell and Charlotte Lear are joined by College of Legal Practice CEO Giles Proctor for this emergency episode of The Lawyer Podcast as they discuss the latest Solicitors Qualification Exam debacle: marking errors that led to 175 students being incorrectly told they had failed.What went wrong, who's to
Big Law outside London: crumbling offices, crumbling strategies
Send us Fan MailRegional offices have long been critical to some of the UK’s biggest law firms.The essential components of today’s DLA Piper came from across the country, legacy Eversheds was formed of four firms from outside London, and Pinsent Masons was a Birmingham and Leeds outfit before it opened in London.But in recent years, some of those firms’ regional offerings have started to look like
The SQE: Students deserve better than this
Send us Fan MailGrabbing the attention of aspiring solicitors and spectators alike, criticism of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination has torn through the media over the weeks following the most recent set of results.From City firms dropping training contracts from offer holders after failing on their first attempt, to questions over whether the exams really equip candidates for life as a newly-q
Scream if you wanna grow faster
Send us Fan MailLaw firms leaders love saying they don’t want growth for growth’s sake, but the truth is, without any growth at all they soon find themselves floundering.So as the financial year draws to a close, litigation editor Christian Smith and deputy editor Rich Simmons are joined by head of insight Matt Byrne, Horizon editor Katy Dowell and international editor Alex Taylor to look at what
Who wants to be a millionaire associate?
Send us Fan MailThe new episode of The Lawyer Podcast is out now.Last week The Lawyer reported that claimant firm Pogust Goodhead could pay its newly qualified associates up to £2m (if it wins its cases), making them by far and away the highest paid in the country.Yet although Pogust Goodhead is offering more money than anyone else, the move is also a sign of what is an exciting and diverse market
Everyone wants to be Simpson Thacher’s friend
Send us Fan MailLondon has become the biggest referral market in the world - and the Brits are nowhereThe rise and rise of American firms in London’s private equity market – and the challenge that has presented to UK firms - has been well documented, particularly here at The Lawyer. But their increasing dominance is now also threatening UK firms across Europe, as European relationships in London s
We need to talk about Linklaters
Send us Fan MailLinklaters seemingly started the year strongly with a six partner hire from Shearman & Sterling in New York.So why then has it come in for so much negative attention?From an absent US strategy to a stream of senior partner losses, many in the market now believe Linklaters is losing its sparkle.On this episode, Catrin and Christian are joined by director of insight Matt Byrne an
Lawyers and the Post Office scandal: “Are we the baddies?”
Send us Fan MailThe Lawyer Podcast is back for 2024 and we’re kicking things off by delving into the lessons the legal profession can glean from the Post Office scandal.The Post Office scandal has already become one of the biggest stories of the year and few groups are so closely tied to it as the legal profession.With that in mind, editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith are
Law firms and climate change: That green office is a distraction
Send us Fan MailEvery law firm and his dog seems to be moving into a green office at the moment, but how important is that really when it comes to a law firm's impact on the environment?Well with COP28 well underway in Dubai, for the last episode of The Lawyer Podcast for 2023, we dive into one of the great challenges for this generation of lawyers: how can firms manage their relationship wit
Forget dealmakers, litigators are law's true entrepreneurs
Send us Fan MailThe new episode of The Lawyer Podcast is out now!Across the UK and Europe, new types of litigation are booming – and the money is pumping in.On this episode of The Lawyer Podcast, Catrin Griffiths, Christian Smith and Alex Taylor sit down to debate what the future holds for the once maligned practice area, and whether litigators are proving themselves more creative than their trans
The City-regional salary gap: are associates being mugged off?
Send us Fan MailSalary wars are so 2022. Or are they?On Tuesday this week, The Lawyer’s deputy editor (UK) Rich Simmons revealed the largest firm pay gaps between London and the regions.Did you know that Hogan Lovells’ Birmingham newly qualifieds (NQs) are paid £45,000 less than their London colleagues? And Eversheds Sutherland’s regional NQs are all paid £33,000 less than those in the City? A Lon
Horizon, not live
Send us Fan MailThe Lawyer’s Horizon Live is due to kick off next month. We are launching a series of webinars, dinners and roundtables featuring some of the biggest names in law discussing the most prominent issues affecting the profession.To celebrate, on the new episode of The Lawyer Podcast, four of The Lawyer’s editors present some of their favourite Horizons in recent times.The Lawyer editor
Stop whinging about PEP - it matters
Send us Fan MailProfits are falling and costs are rising. On the latest episode of The Lawyer Podcast, the team chat about why profit isn't a dirty word:Love it or hate it, PEP is part of a firm's branding and the status of its lawyers;Profit matters for firms' long-term health and investment;Would-be partners should use PEP in tandem with intel on capital requirements to know what
The truth behind the CMS redundancies
Send us Fan MailProposed redundancies at CMS and Taylor Rose have raised associate anxieties across the market, with many wondering whether they could be the start of wider trouble.Hosts Catrin Griffiths and Christian Smith are joined by director of insight Matt Byrne and deputy editor (UK) Rich Simmons to discuss what you need to know, and whether you should be worried.
Paul Weiss and the Goblet of Money
Send us Fan MailWhy is everyone talking about Paul Weiss and Neel Sachdev?The Lawyer Podcast is BACK after the summer break and for the first episode of the new term, the team take on the hottest story of the summer: Paul Weiss and its big London play.Join hosts Catrin Griffiths, Christian Smith and guests Matt Byrne and Rachel Moloney as they unlock the Chamber of Secrets to reveal what you need
FROM THE ARCHIVES: A&O and Shearman & Sterling emergency episode
Send us Fan MailLike many of its listeners, The Lawyer Podcast is on its summer holidays.But hanging over the summer for partners at A&O and Shearman & Sterling is the question of whether they should vote through the two firms’ proposed merger.With the vote expected in the Autumn, whether the biggest firm tie-up in decades will actually go through is still a live debate.So if you’re lookin
Buried treasure, AI, and are trophy offices a male thing?
Send us Fan MailThe last episode of The Lawyer Podcast before the summer break is out now!Join hosts Catrin and Christian as they speak with Horizon editor Katy Dowell about why so many firms are moving or upgrading offices, and why they don’t all agree on what the future office should look like.What do treasure chests, Robert the Bruce, Adam Smith, seduction and sedition have in common? Anderson
Simpson Thacher boss on A&O-Shearman; super-senior associates; and Lawyer Awards preview
Send us Fan MailThe new episode of The Lawyer Podcast is out now!On this episode, Catrin and Christian preview next week’s The Lawyer Awards and take a look at some of the categories exciting them this year.Rachel Moloney, deputy editor (City), joins the podcast to discuss which firms retain talented senior lawyers in corporate when they're not making partner, while other firms just don’t lik
Special edition: Live from the GC Strategy Summit
Send us Fan MailThe new episode of The Lawyer Podcast comes to you live from The Lawyer’s recent GC conference in Bedfordshire.Catrin and Christian are joined by a range of senior in-house leaders, along with journalists from The Lawyer to discuss what’s keeping GCs up at night.Sarah Binder from Lime and Kodak’s John O’Reilly explain how a bad economy is making life tough for in-house lawyers, Cha
Emergency Episode: We don’t buy the A&O line
Send us Fan MailIt looks set to be one of the most extraordinary deals in legal market history, ushering in a new era of global law, and so The Lawyer Podcast is here with an emergency edition to tell you what the A&O - Shearman & Sterling merger means.Hosts Cat and Christian are joined by deputy editor (City) Rachel Moloney to talk through why they have merged, why it is bold, and why, no
Quinn and Pallas’s client tussle; new partners; and we sympathise with A&O and Linklaters
Send us Fan MailOn the brand new episode of The Lawyer Podcast, the coronation may be over, but law firms are still crowning new leaders and partners across the City. Our deputy editor (City), Rachel Moloney, joins hosts Catrin Griffiths and Christian Smith to discuss the trends emerging from the annual round of promotions. Our other deputy editor (UK) Richard Simmons is also with us to explain wh
Ince; US firms have more lawyers but less work; and office dog days are over
Send us Fan MailThe latest episode of The Lawyer Podcast is out now!Tune in as hosts Catrin Griffiths and Christian Smith speak to reporter Maria-Ward Brennan about the downfall of the Ince Group, while Horizon editor Katy Dowell joins the podcast to reflect on previous law firm collapses.Director of insight Matt Byrne takes us on a tour of what the 2023 US Top 50 report reveals about some of the
Litigation funders are the new banks; Paul Hastings' memo is good for its brand; and small firms: the life you could have had
Send us Fan MailOn the new episode of The Lawyer Podcast, editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith speak to director of insight Matt Byrne, who reveals how litigation funder Harbour is evolving into something of a bank to law firms. Keep an eye out for Matt’s article next week.Meanwhile, in-house reporter Lucie Cruz brings all the goss on Paul Hastings’ controversial slide to
A night at the ballet; banned football teams; and why are we being nice about Eversheds?
Send us Fan MailIn the latest episode of The Lawyer Podcast, we ask:Which law firm is involved with a ballet about a tech billionaire?Why is the challenger firm in Oslo banned from a football tournament?And why are we being so nice about Eversheds?
Why recruiters are happier than ever; and do you like virgin piña coladas?
Send us Fan MailThe latest episode of The Lawyer Podcast has just landed.If you think the last few years have been buoyant for recruiters, then check out what director of insight Matt Byrne has to say about just how busy the lateral market has been.Elsewhere, do you like virgin piña coladas? After her LinkedIn post about alcohol at law firm events gained traction online, Kirkland & Ellis assoc
Cravath's $4m man; NQs' litigation problem; and why Zuckerberg's win spells trouble for class actions
Send us Fan MailOn this episode, editor Catrin Griffiths and deputy editor (City) Rachel Moloney bring you all the drama from Cravath’s raid on Shearman & Sterling’s leveraged finance team.Meanwhile litigation editor Christian Smith quizzes deputy editor (UK) Richard Simmons and in-house reporter Lucie Cruz on how junior lawyers are faring this trainee qualification season.And Catrin and Chris
Lord Pannick's fees are chickenfeed; Mishcon's big signing (not Matt Hancock); and Ukraine, a year on
Send us Fan MailOn this episode, litigation editor Christian Smith and international editor Alex Taylor discuss Man City’s new signing: Lord Pannick KC, and how big money means lawyers are the new stars of football.The Lawyer’s editor Catrin Griffiths talks about an emerging trend of former managing partners switching firms. And to mark the anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine, the show
BDB Pitmans needs a new merger partner; and the legal issues hanging over rugby before the Six Nations
Send us Fan MailFollowing the launch of the Hot 100 last week, The Lawyer’s editor Catrin Griffiths sits down with new Hot 100 member Banke Odunaike from CBRE to discuss her career, the nuances of being a role model, and what her son made of her inclusion. The Six Nations kicks off this weekend as a storm of legal issues hangs over rugby. The Lawyer’s litigation editor Christian Smith explains wha
Women partners are not "absent Mums"; and Hogan Lovells won’t merge with Shearman & Sterling
Send us Fan MailThe Lawyer Podcast is back for 2023.In the first episode of the year, The Lawyer's editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith are joined by deputy editor (City) Rachel Moloney to discuss all the rumours surrounding Hogan Lovells’ merger talks with Shearman & Sterling.We also speak to Hill Dickinson partner Jessica Neary about being accused of being an “a
