Which?calling

Consumer organisation Which? has appointed a new head of its telephone legal advice service with a brief to ‘build the brand’. Steve Coyle joins the organisation after nine years with Avon Cosmetics, most recently as head of sales development for Western Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Graduate appeal
The magic circle quintet were the highest-ranked law firms in this year’s Times Top 100 Graduate Employers survey. Clifford Chance was top in 26th place, followed by Allen & Overy (29th), Linklaters (40th), Slaughter and May (57th) and Freshfields (63rd). Eversheds came 64th, Herbert Smith 68th, DLA Piper 72nd and Lovells 73rd.

Heller Ehrman to dissolve
US firm Heller Ehrman is set to dissolve after banks seized control of its assets. The action took place after a team of Heller’s lawyers moved to a rival, triggering a seizure clause in the banking contract. US firm Mayer Brown called off merger talks with Heller around the same time. Heller has an office in London.

New chair at C&I Group
The Commerce and Industry (C&I) Group has appointed Sapna Bedi FitzGerald as its new chair. FitzGerald is company secretary and head of legal at LSL Property Services and has been a member of the C&I Executive since 1998. She said: ‘Those of us who work in-house know it is anything but a soft option.’

In-house cutbacks
In-house legal departments are cutting back on staffing and spending, according to the annual 2008 Law Department Survey by consulting firm Hildebrandt International. Legal spend at in-house departments rose by 3% worldwide – a lower increase than in all previous surveys. Staffing levels also fell, although average compensation rose by 10%. The survey covered 7,000 lawyers in 220 companies.

Mortgage lender fined
The Financial Services Authority has fined GE Money Home Lending £1.12m for systems and control failings – the first time the authority has fined a mortgage lender in relation to its lending processes. The failings hit 684 borrowers, who suffered combined losses of £2.3m before GE made redress. The authority’s director of enforcement, Margaret Cole, said: ‘We expect high standards by lenders in the administration of their mortgage book.’

Law reform competition
Law students and pupils have until 10 October to submit entries to the law reform essay competition sponsored by the Bar Council Scholarship Trust. Entrants must make the case for a desirable, practical and useful law reform in up to 3,000 words. The first prize is £4,000.

Guilty of corruption
Former solicitor Nigel Heath, from Olney near Milton Keynes, pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to conspiring with two other persons to corruptly offer the US Attorney General $500,000 to lift a freezing order on bank accounts. He is to be sentenced on 17 October.

Scots asbestos battle
Insurers are preparing to challenge the Scottish government’s decision to make pleural plaques – caused by asbestos exposure – compensatable. AXA, Zurich and Norwich Union are understood to have instructed lawyers to look at ways to prevent proposed compensation legislation being introduced.

Conveyancing firms boost
The Nationwide Solicitors Alliance (NSA), a co-operative to help support small- to medium-sized high street conveyancing firms, launched this week. NSA firms will be encouraged to develop local agreements to standardise documents to speed up home-buying.

Awards shortlist unveiled
The shortlist for the Law Society Excellence Awards has been announced. There are 12 categories this year. The shortlist for Solicitor of the Year is Saimo Chahal, Chris Fry, Anne-Marie Hutchinson, Robert Kellock and Nigel Priestley. For full details see the Law Society website: www.lawsociety.org.uk.

Judge slams Wembley costs
A High Court judge has criticised two companies for racking up legal costs of £22m during a four-year contract dispute over the construction of Wembley Stadium. Builders Multiplex, represented by Clifford Chance, accused sub-contractors Cleveland Bridge of breach of contract. Cleveland, represented by McGrigors, was ordered to pay Multiplex £6.1m, far short of the £25m Multiplex claimed it lost. Mr Justice Jackson said the legal fight served ‘no useful purpose.’