header-logo header-logo

A legal liaison

10 February 2012 / Jon Robins
Issue: 7500 / Categories: Opinion , Profession
printer mail-detail

Jon Robins looks behind the scenes of Slater & Gordon’s recent buy-out

Earlier this month, Slater & Gordon, the world’s first publicly listed law firm, snapped up Russell Jones & Walker for £53.8m. The trailblazing Australian personal injury (PI) firm has been consistently named-checked as a role model for aspiring UK firms in this newly regulated world of legal services ever since it went public in 2007. RJW is an obvious cultural fit.

S&G, has made little secret of its interest in making an entrée into the UK market. Last summer the firm told investors that it was exploring the “potential opportunity” in the UK; meanwhile RJW has been busy working on its plans to extend the Claims Direct brand.

A couple of months ago I interviewed Andrew Grech, S&G’s managing director, for a report out last month, Brave New Worlds: New thinking in legal services (see www.jures.co.uk). He shrugged off what he called the “natural fascination” of UK commentators in S&G’s status as a listed company. “It somewhat misses the point,” he

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
back-to-top-scroll