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The article reports that Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has become the latest firm to partner with Thomson Reuters by adopting its Contract Express tool for document reviews. It states that HSF is the latest firm to adopt the technology, joining firms like Allen & Overy, and Linklaters, and mentions comments from HSF UK & EMEA head of real estate Donald Rowlands and real estate partner Jeremy Walde on the move.

The article reports that Slaughter and May has more technology-focused staff per fee-earner than any other top 100 firm ranked in 2018 British 200: Business Services report. It states that 10 largest teams range in size from 62 at both Addleshaw Goddard and BLM up to 172 at Ashurst, and mentions the average ratio for the number of fee-earners to each ­technology staff member across the sample.

The article reports that Italian firm BonelliErede is opening its first office in the Middle East, launching an offering in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It states that Former London, England managing partner Andrea Carta Mantiglia will be the executive chairman of the new office, while corporate lawyers Marco De Leo and John Shehata will be on-site local partners, and mentions that BonelliErede's new Middle East office will focus on M&A, and project finance.

The article reports that Slaughter and May has invested in artificial intelligence platform Luminance as part of a Series A funding round. It states that round, led by Talis Capital and also including Invoke Capital, values the merger due diligence tool, and mentions that according to Luminance chief executive Emily Foges said the investment was a reflection of the fact that legal market technology was not evolved.

The article reports that the law firm Shearman & Sterling has announced one of its largest ever promotions round, along with other moves. It states that contingent includes a trio of lawyers in London, England; a considerable change from last year, and mentions that Capital markets lawyer Rebecca Marques has become a partner. It notes that majority of the new partners are based in the firm's US offices, .

The article reports that Eversheds Sutherland has planned to announce the firms new British chair, with partners setting a deadline for their votes. It states that Manchester senior partner Michael Clavell-Bate, joint head of energy and infrastructure Robert Pitcher and head of financial services Pamela Thompson emerged as the nominees to replace incumbent environmental partner Paul Smith, and mentions that partners will vote through a system provided by the Electoral Reform Services.

The article reports that Pinsent Masons has concluded its redundancy consultation, resulting in a number of staff taking voluntary redundancy across its British offices. It states that firm launched the consultation in September 2017 as it looked to align itself with a fee-earner to legal personal assistant ratio, and mentions that consultation covered all 11 of the firm's British offices.

The article reports that Linklaters has increased its headline notional rate in litigation. It states that he headline notional rate, the rate a partner is expected to try to charge, is supposed to have exceeded one thousand pounds for the first time, and mentions that the term "notional rate" is used at Linklaters to describe the highest rate a partner can charge. It notes that rationale for the rate increase is likely to have come from a senior management.

The article reports that Bird & Bird will open its second office in the Netherlands in January 2018, but will make no additional hires to run it. It states that firm does not expect partners to be based in the office, but instead use it as a resource to meet clients and work on specific projects, and mentions comments from Netherlands managing partner Marcus Huisman.

The article reports that Clyde & Co and Malaysia-based firm Shaikh David & Co have entered into a formal association to target clients in the firms' key sectors. It states that Shaikh David & Co offers insurance and reinsurance, banking and insolvency, and shipping and offshore, and mentions that Clyde & Co has recently developed a strong relationship with Shaikh David & Co, as James David was previously a lawyer at Clyde & Co.

The article reports that Keystone Law will become the third British firm to list on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), following Gordon Dadds and Gateley. It states that the firm has planned to join the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) where the new trading entity will be known as Keystone Law Group plc, and mentions that Corporate broker Panmure Gordon has been instructed by the firm to act as financial adviser during the process.

The article reports that amid scores of sanctions facing Russia, among the country's legal community, there has been a clear acknowledgement that sanctions have had an impact on business, along with a a desire to use the situation as a catalyst for change. It states comments from Igor Artemiev, the head of Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service, on impact of sanctions on the firms, and mentions challenge caused by civil code and corporate law in the country.

The article reports that Weightmans has announced its best ever half-year results, with turnover rising substantially in the first six months of 2017/18. It states that the firm's revenue grew from its 2017 value, and mentions that Weightmans introduced a new operating structure in which the business was split in two in which one group handles legal operations, and the other looks after client relationships.

The article reports that departure of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett's former London, England head Greg Conway to the US symbolizes several shifts in the firm's London office. It states that his move has marked another exit from Simpson Thacher's private equity practice in the City, and mentions the three London departures, namely Mike Wolfson, Alvaro Membrillera and Conway.

The article focuses on findings of the FTSE 100 2018 report published by this journal. It states that report also contains vital information on the composition of the FTSE 100's in-house legal teams, and mentions top companies found by the report, including BT Group, Aviva, and BHP Billiton. It notes that HSBC has the largest legal team of any company in the FTSE 100.

The article reports that Weightmans spent a significant amount last year on new technology including the overhaul of its practice management system (PMS) while in recent years the firm's total spend on new tech has increased substantially. It states that according to Weightmans managing partner John Schorah, among other investments the firm introduced Thomson Reuters' 3E practice management system.

The article reports that Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partners have voted to remove its second-tier lockstep ladder as part of a series of changes to its remuneration system. It states that move has brought Freshfields partners back onto one lockstep, with one source explaining that it makes it more "holistic," and mentions that Freshfields relegated a number of equity partners to the "second tier" of its lockstep in 2016.

The article reports that Britain's largest law firms are slimming down on the amount of office space they allocate to each staff member, according to findings of research conducted by this journal. It states that according to the findings while the total amount of space occupied by Britain's top 200 firms has risen, and the cost of space has also gone up, the average space per person has shrunk significantly year-on-year.

The article focuses on the evolution of the British legal sector over the past 30 years, as of November 2018. It states that the evolution can be divided into three phases, namely innocence and enthusiasm; expansion and over-reach; and chastened realism, and mentions that Clifford Chance is a perfect example of how law firms can chart the development of law firms. It notes that the third decade unfolded in the shadow of the firm Lehman.

The article reports on several organizations changes announced by the law firm DWF. It states that the firm has promoted several lawyers to partner in its latest round, and mentions that Liverpool and London in England have each received two new partners. It notes that firm's core insurance practice has been the most heavily strengthened with lawyers like Eileen Pathiraja, and Fiona Matthews, and cites that majority of the new partners did not train at DWF.

The article reports on several organizations changes announced by the law firm DWF. It states that the firm has promoted several lawyers to partner in its latest round, and mentions that Liverpool and London in England have each received two new partners. It notes that firm's core insurance practice has been the most heavily strengthened with lawyers like Eileen Pathiraja, and Fiona Matthews, and cites that majority of the new partners did not train at DWF.

The article reports that BLM has entered a consultation to move its volume motor offering from Southampton to Manchester and Liverpool in England in the firm's latest strategic decision. It states that firm has made a number of steps during its review process, and mentions that according to the firm is a strategic move in response to a customer insight exercise. It notes that the decision is supposed to be the latest in a string of difficult choices for the firm.

The article reports that Lawyers on Demand (LoD) has posted a significant turnover growth in its first full year since merging with Australian firm AdventBalance. It states that turnover figure accounts for the growth across both businesses, and mentions that LoD has performed well by providing an on-site secondment business and expanding its service line in recent years to include and on-call business.

The article reports that Gordon Dadds has successfully completed a placing of ordinary shares on AIM. It states that funds will allow the firm to feature in the top half of this year's British 200 ranking, and mentions that the most recent deal was with the London, England-based property and private client firm Alen-Buckley. It notes that Gordon Dadds' chief executive Adrian Biles, owner of a significant percent of the company's shares, has led the transformation of the firm.

The article reports that Stephenson Harwood has introduced a permanent working from home scheme that will allow fee-earners to take one day out of the office per week. It states that arrangements were arrived at following a consultation with practice group leaders and business service heads, and mentions comments from Stephenson Harwood managing partner Sharon White, on the importance of creating a working environment that encourages individual productivity.

The article reports that top global firms have been failing to pass on the reductions from litigation services prompted by the growing use of new technology to their clients. It states that in a survey of in-house lawyers, 50 per cent said they had seen zero cost savings as a result of the use of technology by their primary legal services adviser, and mentions that some firms were experiencing a degree of cost savings thanks to firms using technology.

The article reports that Clifford Chance has achieved its Asia Pacific revenue target following a three-year delay. It states that Clifford Chance has delivered one of its best annual financial results in recent years, posting a double-digit hike in both revenue and profit per equity partner for 2016-2017, and mentions that Asia Pacific revenue target was set by the firm's management first in 2011. Comments from global managing partner Matthew Layton are presented.

The article reports that Linklaters' top of equity has increased substantially as the firm finds itself under increasing pressure to deal with competition from US peers. It states that Linklaters' partners voted last year to modify the firm's lockstep, and mentions that Linklaters' latest move can be seen in line with those taken by its rivals. It notes that firm's alteration means it now operates a similar lockstep structure to Allen & Overy.

The article discusses how many British in-house (corporate) attorneys are content with their current employment situations and lack the desire to confront external legal service providers about service and lack of innovation issues. According to legal executive Nilema Bhakti-Jones, in-house lawyers lack the imagination and creative zeal to pressure firms to provide them with the tools they need to succeed.