Barlow Lyde & Gilbert
Encyclopedia
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP (informally BLG) was an international law firm
headquartered in London
, United Kingdom
which specialised in commercial litigation, dispute resolution, insurance and reinsurance. It had around 290 lawyers and 80 partners and offices in Hong Kong
, London
, Manchester
, Oxford
, São Paulo
, Shanghai
and Singapore
.
BLG merged with Clyde & Co
in November 2011, with the merged firm taking the Clyde & Co name.
On 1 May 2007, the practice of BLG in London and Singapore transferred to Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP, a limited liability partnership. Following local regulatory clearance the practice of BLG in Shanghai were also transferred to Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP, with a separate but affiliated partnership known as Barlow Lyde & Gilbert continuing to operate in Hong Kong. In September 2007 a three-partner team led by commercial litigation head Clare Canning defected from BLG to U.S.-based law firm Mayer Brown
. In May 2008 it was announced that Simon Konsta would replace Richard Dedman as BLG's senior partner. In July 2008 BLG were appointed as solicitors to the inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes, a Brazilian accidentally shot dead by London police. In January 2009 it was reported that BLG had applied for a licence to open an office in São Paulo
, Brazil
. In July 2010 BLG acquired the Manchester-based insurance business of failed law firm Halliwells, comprising a 17-partner team and an additional 220 members of staff including 80 fee-earners.
In March 2011 BLG's aviation team announced its intention to move to Holman Fenwick Willan. In June 2011 it was reported that BLG was in merger discussions with the UK-based international law firm Clyde & Co
. A merger between BLG and Clyde & Co was approved by the partnerships of both firms in July 2011. In August 2011 it was announced that the new firm formed by the merger of BLG and Clyde & Co would be named Clyde & Co, and that around 15 per cent of BLG's 100 partners would leave the firm as part of the merger. The merger between BLG and Clyde & Co was formally completed on 1 November 2011.
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
headquartered in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which specialised in commercial litigation, dispute resolution, insurance and reinsurance. It had around 290 lawyers and 80 partners and offices in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
BLG merged with Clyde & Co
Clyde & Co
Clyde & Co is an international law firm which works worldwide across 120 countries. The firm's work is cross-border, high profile and complex. The firm employs nearly 700 fee-earners in 23 offices across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North, Latin America and Africa who are qualified in 17...
in November 2011, with the merged firm taking the Clyde & Co name.
History
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert was founded in 1841 in the City of London. The firm opened its first overseas office in Hong Kong in 1986, with further office openings in Singapore (2004), Oxford (2008) and Manchester (2009). In 2007 BLG introduced a new management level of associate director as part of a major restructuring. BLG made up 36 associates to associate director in the first round, establishing the new role as sitting between associate and partner.On 1 May 2007, the practice of BLG in London and Singapore transferred to Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP, a limited liability partnership. Following local regulatory clearance the practice of BLG in Shanghai were also transferred to Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP, with a separate but affiliated partnership known as Barlow Lyde & Gilbert continuing to operate in Hong Kong. In September 2007 a three-partner team led by commercial litigation head Clare Canning defected from BLG to U.S.-based law firm Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown is an international law firm head-quartered in Chicago which specializes in commercial transactions and litigation. The firm employs more than 1,600 lawyers, including approximately 875 in the Americas, 425 in Europe and 300 in Asia....
. In May 2008 it was announced that Simon Konsta would replace Richard Dedman as BLG's senior partner. In July 2008 BLG were appointed as solicitors to the inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes, a Brazilian accidentally shot dead by London police. In January 2009 it was reported that BLG had applied for a licence to open an office in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. In July 2010 BLG acquired the Manchester-based insurance business of failed law firm Halliwells, comprising a 17-partner team and an additional 220 members of staff including 80 fee-earners.
In March 2011 BLG's aviation team announced its intention to move to Holman Fenwick Willan. In June 2011 it was reported that BLG was in merger discussions with the UK-based international law firm Clyde & Co
Clyde & Co
Clyde & Co is an international law firm which works worldwide across 120 countries. The firm's work is cross-border, high profile and complex. The firm employs nearly 700 fee-earners in 23 offices across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North, Latin America and Africa who are qualified in 17...
. A merger between BLG and Clyde & Co was approved by the partnerships of both firms in July 2011. In August 2011 it was announced that the new firm formed by the merger of BLG and Clyde & Co would be named Clyde & Co, and that around 15 per cent of BLG's 100 partners would leave the firm as part of the merger. The merger between BLG and Clyde & Co was formally completed on 1 November 2011.
Main practice areas
BLG's main practice areas were:- Litigation and Dispute Resolution
- General Insurance
- Reinsurance & International Risk
- Professional Liability
- Aerospace
- Marine, Energy & Trade
- Corporate
- Commercial & IT
- Employment & Pensions
External links
- Clyde & Co
- Vault.com report on Barlow Lyde & Gilbert
- Firm's rankings in Chambers UK and Chambers Global
- The Lawyer UK 200 - 21 September 2007
- RollOnFriday - inside info
- Barlow Lyde & Gilbert Profile - Legal Week