International

Parliament must give its consent before Brexit process begins, Britain’s Supreme Court rules

Britain’s Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Parliament must give its consent before Britain begins the process of leaving the European Union. The court said proceeding without an act of Parliament would breach constitutional principles, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) reports. The court noted that Parliament had approved legislation…

Jan 24, 2017 3:42 PM CST

China arm of King & Wood Mallesons explains collapse of European offices

The China management committee of King & Wood Mallesons has used a social media app to post a critique of failures that led to the demise of the European arm of the law firm. The message said a first recapitalization plan failed because of “a lack of core leadership and…

Jan 24, 2017 8:55 AM CST

Chinese human rights lawyer has been tortured in prison, his legal team says

Chinese human rights lawyer Xie Yang signed a false confession in detention in China after his captors beat him, deprived him of sleep and forced him into painful positions, according to interviews published by his lawyers. Xie told his lawyers he suffered a “complete mental breakdown” and signed the statement…

Jan 23, 2017 11:39 AM CST

Should robots be civilly liable for damage they cause? EU may consider the idea

The European Union may need to revise its rules of civil liability to address damages caused by autonomous robots, according to a report endorsed last week by a committee of the European Parliament. The report raises the idea of creating a legal status for robots as they become more sophisticated…

Jan 17, 2017 10:45 AM CST

8 strategies for constructing your new law firm

It’s 2017, and we are all cyborgs. Don’t believe me? What’s the capital of Kyrgyzstan? You just thought about reaching for your smartphone—your auxiliary brain—to look it up, didn’t you? Instant knowledge is unremarkable in 2017, which is solid evidence that we are living in the future.

Jan 1, 2017 1:30 AM CST

Erasing the News: Should some stories be forgotten?

The media and lawyers wrestle with the question: Should some stories be forgotten? An uptick in requests has followed EU support for removing access to online info.

Jan 1, 2017 12:10 AM CST

Sutherland and Eversheds agree to merger

Atlanta-based Sutherland Asbill & Brennan and U.K. law firm Eversheds have agreed to merge. The merger had “exceptionally strong approval” from both partnerships, according to a press release. The merged firm will have 2,300 lawyers and 61 offices in 29 countries. The new firm will be called Eversheds Sutherland beginning…

Dec 16, 2016 9:14 AM CST

Sutherland and Eversheds confirm merger talks

Sutherland Asbill & Brennan and Eversheds have confirmed they are discussing a merger that would create a law firm with more than 2,300 lawyers in 29 countries. According to a joint statement by the firms, a merger proposal is being presented to partners for a vote likely to take place…

Nov 29, 2016 10:37 AM CST

Dentons launches new shared services hub in Poland, will lay off about 25 in UK

Dentons will eliminate approximately 25 jobs in the United Kingdom in preparation for the opening of its new shared-services hub in Warsaw, Poland. The hub, which officially launched on Monday, will cover the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Africa and Europe. The firm announced that its new Warsaw operation…

Nov 22, 2016 1:35 PM CST

No Brexit without Parliament OK, UK’s High Court rules

Britain’s High Court of Justice unanimously ruled Thursday that Parliament must first approve the issuing of Article 50, the formal declaration to separate from the European Union. The court ruling said that Prime Minister Theresa May did not have the constitutional power to trigger Article 50 of the Treaty on…

Nov 3, 2016 1:45 PM CDT

Uncertainty about Brexit gives UK lawyers a boost

LONDON—As the United Kingdom continues to operate in limbo after its historic vote to leave the European Union, law firms offer advice and counsel as their clients navigate the uncharted waters.

Nov 1, 2016 1:50 AM CDT

Northern Ireland judge rejects legal challenges to Brexit

A judge in Northern Ireland has turned aside two of the first legal challenges to the United Kingdom leaving the European Union. According to The Guardian, Justice Paul Maguire, a High Court Judge in Northern Ireland, ruled Friday that the court lacked the power to stop the government from triggering…

Oct 28, 2016 2:40 PM CDT

Artificial intelligence predicted case outcomes with 79% accuracy by analyzing fact portrayal

Researchers were able to predict the results of human rights cases with 79 percent accuracy by using artificial intelligence to analyze the factual sections of published human rights judgments. The study, published in PeerJ Computer Science, found that the outcomes were best predicted by analyzing the “circumstances” section of a…

Oct 25, 2016 7:00 AM CDT

Littler expands European presence by combining with French labor and employment firm

Labor and employment giant Littler Mendelson continued its European expansion, announcing its arrival in France by joining with Paris and Lyon labor and employment firm Fromont Briens. On Monday, the firm revealed that it had entered into a Swiss verein-style combination with the 170-lawyer Fromont Briens. The combination is Littler’s…

Oct 20, 2016 5:12 PM CDT

Mexican judge presiding in El Chapo appeals is shot and killed

A Mexican judge who presided in several legal challenges filed by lawyers for Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was shot and killed outside his home on Monday. Judge Vicente Antonio Bermudez Zacarias died after being shot in the head while jogging in Metepec, about 40 miles from Mexico City, report the…

Oct 18, 2016 4:03 PM CDT