Ben Edwards

Earth

Freelance journalist and editorial director @pensarmedia. Mostly write about financial markets, banking, investment and legal services. Ex-Dow Jones/WSJ.

Articles

Pérez-Llorca furthers LatAm ambitions with landmark Colombia merger

1 week ago | globallegalpost.com | Ben Edwards

Spanish firm Pérez-Llorca is set to enter Colombia after agreeing to merge with Gómez-Pinzón in a landmark deal that marks the first merger between a leading Colombian and an Ibero-American firm. Gómez-Pinzón will bring across a 120-lawyer team based in its Bogotá and Medellín offices, with all Gómez-Pinzón partners due to become partners at Pérez-Llorca.
UK GCs say they will keep more work in-house as cost pressures bite - study

1 week ago | globallegalpost.com | Ben Edwards

More than half of in-house lawyers in the UK say they will send less work to outside counsel over the next five years, according to a Thomson Reuters survey. The 2025 State of the UK Legal Market report found that 54% of UK in-house lawyers say a higher a proportion of work will be done in-house, with 35% of law firms expecting to see the same.
US nuclear power innovator Terrestrial Energy hires GC ahead of public listing

1 week ago | globallegalpost.com | Ben Edwards

US nuclear reactor business Terrestrial Energy has hired Brian Romanzo as general counsel ahead of its transition to become a publicly-listed company. Romanzo joins from franchise development business REP’M Group, where he was also GC. At Terrestrial Energy he will be responsible for all legal matters, bringing with him extensive in-house experience handling corporate, regulatory and transactional matters.
Why it’s time to change the pension narrative

1 week ago | raconteur.net | Ben Edwards

Pensions have often been viewed as a burden for companies in the UK, particularly defined benefit (DB) schemes. For many years, these schemes were gripped by funding shortfalls in the wake of the financial crisis, due to low interest rates and declining asset returns. But times have changed. The UK’s final-salary DB schemes are in much better health, with The Pensions Regulator estimating that 54% are fully funded on an insurance-buyout basis.
How to boost the UK’s financial services industry

1 week ago | raconteur.net | Ben Edwards

In her Mansion House speech last year, Rachel Reeves, the UK chancellor, laid out her vision for the future of the UK’s financial services industry. Reeves described the industry as the UK’s “crown jewel” and acknowledged its role in driving economic growth. But crisis-era regulation has held the industry back, she said. And, while the UK has historically been viewed as a global leader in financial services, Reeves acknowledged that other countries are competing for business.
Children’s book publishing giant Scholastic appoints first new GC in 17 years

1 week ago | globallegalpost.com | Ben Edwards

The world’s largest children’s book publisher and distributor Scholastic has promoted Chris Lick to general counsel, replacing Andrew Hedden who is retiring from the role. Lick is currently senior counsel at Scholastic. In his new role he will be responsible for providing strategic legal counsel in the US and globally in areas such as IP, litigation, compliance, content development, and strategic alliances and acquisitions.
US’s second largest bookstore chain Books-A-Million hires second GC in a year

2 weeks ago | globallegalpost.com | Ben Edwards

US bookstore chain Books-A-Million has rehired Catherine Hogewood as general counsel, seven years after she previously held that position. Hogewood joins from Marsh McLennan, where she had been working in a consultancy role. At Books-A-Million, she will oversee all legal matters and strategy across the corporate, real estate and risk management functions. She brings with her more than 25 years of corporate legal experience and will report directly to CEO Terrance Finley.
A&O Shearman rehires M&A partner from Skadden to boost London deals team

2 weeks ago | globallegalpost.com | Ben Edwards

A&O Shearman has rehired M&A lawyer George Knighton from Skadden to bolster its dealmaking capabilities in London. Knighton was previously a partner at legacy Allen & Overy, until 2019 when he departed for Skadden where most recently he was co-head of its UK corporate practice.
Tech transparency: how law firms should address AI use with clients

3 weeks ago | raconteur.net | Ben Edwards

Many law firms are already using or testing AI products internally, but there is still some trepidation about using them directly on client matters. According to Thomson Reuters’ 2024 Future of Professionals report, 46% of law firm respondents said they don’t feel very confident about articulating AI value to clients. This may be borne out of concerns around the impact on the billable hour and what this will mean for pricing models in the future as work is completed faster.
Deliberating on generative AI: how to select the right legal assistant

3 weeks ago | raconteur.net | Laura Bithell |Ben Edwards

The potential for generative AI to change the way legal professionals work is clear – the challenge is cutting through the hype and finding a product best suited to an organisation’s specific needs. Given how fast the technology is evolving and the ever-expanding range of GenAI tools available on the market, legal leaders need to ensure they are asking the right questions when looking at what tools to invest in.