International Law

Couple Wins Damages After Condo Neighbor Complains They Were Having Noisy Sex

Asked by a condominium resident to do something about the “indiscreet and scandalous” noise a neighbor couple allegedly made while having sex in their suburban Rio de Janeiro home, a judge in Brazil has acted. Instead of providing relief to plaintiff Lucas Bohrer Filho, the judge has found merit to…

Jul 12, 2011 11:24 PM CDT

Law Firm’s iPhone App Helps Employers Calculate Unfair Dismissal Costs

A Scottish law firm is providing its human resources clients with an iPhone app to help answer questions about employment law. The HR Advisor app calculates unfair dismissal costs, provides answers to questions about topics such as maternity and paternity leave and links to helpful government websites, reports the BBC…

Jul 12, 2011 5:49 PM CDT

High-Up Cop ‘Like Clouseau’ as ‘06 News of World Probe Fizzled; Was Ex-Prime Minister Hacked?

Multiple police leaders in charge of a botched 2006 investigation of alleged widespread telephone hacking by the News of the World were grilled today by members of a British Parliamentary committee. But one in particular was on the hot seat. Former Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman of the Metropolitan Police Service…

Jul 12, 2011 5:21 PM CDT

Davis Polk Raids Mayer Brown to Open New Sao Paulo Office, Lures Away 2 of 3 Partners

Corrected: Davis Polk & Wardwell has raided Mayer Brown’s office in Sao Paulo for the lawyers it needs to open a new office in Brazil’s financial center this summer. Joining Davis Polk will be Mayer Brown partners Stephen Hood, the chief of Mayer Brown’s office there, and James Vickers, reports…

Jul 12, 2011 12:06 AM CDT

‘Adult Supervision’ Lacking in UK Paper’s Phone-Hacking, Del. Suit Says, Blaming Board

As a popular United Kingdom tabloid newspaper ceases publication after allegations of widespread hacking into thousands of individuals’ telephone messages—including the account of a missing British 13-year-old who was later found murdered—what one newspaper describes as “toxic fallout” is raining down. Shareholders on Friday amended a prior complaint (PDF) in…

Jul 11, 2011 6:35 PM CDT

Influenced by US Lawyers, UK Attorneys Relax Dress Rules, Experiment with Skinny Ties, Bright Socks

Influenced by United States law firm casual dress trends, British attorneys are starting to loosen up on their traditional suit-and-tie-at-all-times attire. But they are far from adopting the attorney “beachwear” accepted at Los Angeles-based Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, where a founding partner recently told the careerist that the firm…

Jul 8, 2011 2:18 PM CDT

Texas Executes Mexican National Despite White House Concerns About Foreign Treaty Violations

Humberto Leal Garcia was executed today in Texas for the 1994 murder and sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl, despite White House concerns about violations of international law and damage to American interests. Similar concerns were also cited in a U.S. Supreme Court petition for a stay last week, which…

Jul 8, 2011 12:51 AM CDT

Growing LeClairRyan Acquires 14-Lawyer Euro-Focused NY Boutique

A growing Atlantic and Northeast regional law firm is expanding the attorney roster at its New York office by more than 50 percent with the acquisition of a 14-lawyer boutique there. Based in Richmond, Va., LeClairRyan will have about 350 lawyers on its roster and 40 in its New York…

Jul 7, 2011 9:17 PM CDT

Terrorism Suspect Indicted in NY Was Confined on Navy Ship for Two Months

The United States confined a Somali terrorism suspect on a Navy ship where he was interrogated over a two-month period. Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame will face a civilian trial in New York, where an indictment accuses him of conspiracy and providing material support to two terrorist groups, according to the Washington…

Jul 6, 2011 11:29 AM CDT

Allen & Overy ‘Quite Pleased’ with $1.87B Revenue Record

Boosted by a new Australia practice, London-based Allen & Overy saw its gross revenue rise to a record $1.87 billion in the fiscal year that ended at the end of April 2011. The magic circle firm is “quite pleased” with the year’s financial results, managing partner Wim Dejonghe tells the…

Jul 5, 2011 11:39 PM CDT

Russian Lawyer Was Beaten by 8 Jail Guards Before He Died, Report Says

A jailed Russian lawyer who had accused government officials of corruption was chained to a cot and beaten by eight guards immediately before he died in 2009, according to a report to the country’s president by an advisory human rights council. When an ambulance crew that had been called in…

Jul 5, 2011 10:29 PM CDT

Clifford Chance Revenue Rises 2 Percent, Partner Profit Jumps 8 Percent to $1.6M

Clifford Chance has announced its 2010-11 financial results, which included a 2 percent increase in law firm revenue and an 8 percent rise in average profit per equity partner. It is now just over 1 million pounds, after a 25 percent PEP leap to 933,000 pounds in the prior fiscal…

Jul 5, 2011 7:11 PM CDT

Morocco’s New Constitution Could Be Model for Arab World

Morocco’s recently approved constitution—granting new rights to women and minorities—is being praised by foreign policy experts hopeful that reforms could be a model for Arab monarchies facing uprisings. The reforms, proposed by King Mohammed VI, were approved by 98 percent of Moroccans who voted Friday. They give more power to…

Jul 5, 2011 2:50 PM CDT

Ogier Becomes First Offshore Firm to Secure Formal Presence in Mainland China

Ogier has tapped Kristy Calvert, who previously headed mining giant Rio Tinto’s legal department, to launch an office in Shanghai, making it the first offshore firm to secure a formal presence, according to Legal Week. The new office, which is expected to work closely with the firm’s 40-lawyer office in…

Jul 5, 2011 11:43 AM CDT

Partner Leaves DLA to Launch Firm Focused on International Human Rights Issues

Washington-based governmental affairs lawyer Jared Genser last week left DLA Piper to start his own firm aimed at helping companies, nonprofits and governments establish humanitarian projects. The firm, Perseus Strategies, will consult and provide public relations strategies relating to international development, global health advocacy and alleviating poverty, the Washington Post…

Jul 5, 2011 11:15 AM CDT