Wake Up Call: US Firms Go After Talent in UK With Private Equity

Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel.

• London-headquartered law firms are grappling with a growing tide of American firms expanding in the city, luring talent from English rivals. The trend, spurred in large part by private equity investment in Britain, has forced UK firms to overhaul compensation models and increase pay in a war for talent. (Financial Times)
• Junior lawyers working for a law firm conflicting with their ethical values could harm their health, according to a professor at University College London, Faculty of Laws. A disconnect could arise from the junior lawyer’s lack of understanding about the firm’s position or the firm’s failure to consider the lawyer’s perspective. (Legal Cheek)
• A new University of Texas law school in El Paso would cost $20 million over a decade, according to a feasibility study commissioned by state lawmakers. An El Paso law school has been discussed locally for decades—it’s the most populous city in Texas without a law school and there are no other law schools within a 250-mile radius. (Reuters)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Andrew Dyson was named UK managing partner at DLA Piper.
• Joel Montin joined DLA Piper as a regulatory and government affairs partner in Stockholm, Sweden.
• Narissa Lyngen was promoted to counsel at White & Case in its tax practice.
• Michael Kaufmann joined Greenberg Traurig as of counsel in its energy and natural resources practice. He joins from Reed Smith.
• Damien Bourke joined Dentons as a tax disputes partner in Brisbane, Australia.