News in Brief
Share your news! If you’ve got some news, we’d like to hear it, so it can be included in a future issue of Centrum. Please send words and, if appropriate, images to: gail.jaffa@psmg.co.uk. Our next deadline is April 30, 2023.
![](https://assets.foleon.com/eu-west-2/uploads-7e3kk3/16293/scrolling_mousewheel-cropped.813fa0b43710.gif)
Hover over the images and click to read articles
![](https://assets.foleon.com/eu-west-2/uploads-7e3kk3/16293/news_page_-_news_-_news_taylor_merger_-_contents_picture_box.731f88c326ae.jpg?)
Mishcon de Reya and Taylor Vinters complete merger
Law firms pivot away from billable hour to meet shifting client demands
LexisNexis Legal & Professional has released a new investigative report entitled “Calling time on the billable hour”. It looks at why almost half of all external legal spend is now taking place through alternative fee arrangements such as flat or fixed fees, a major increase since pre-pandemic times.
![](https://assets.foleon.com/eu-west-2/uploads-7e3kk3/16293/news_billable_hour_f.214630f0124b.jpg?)
Mishcon de Reya and Taylor Vinters complete merger
Mishcon de Reya and Taylor Vinters are now one firm. The merger, announced in September 2021, delivers on both firms' strategies to support the innovation economy, and accelerate their growing share of the technology, media, and life-sciences legal and consultancy services market in the UK and in key international innovation hubs globally.
![](https://assets.foleon.com/eu-west-2/uploads-7e3kk3/16293/news_taylor_merger_f.e91a5d288b9e.jpg?)
Congratulations to David Mann and Saleem Fazal, Freehold founders and ambassadors, who have been named in the New Year Honours List. David and Saleem both receive the MBE in recognition of the work Freehold has done in making the British real estate sector more inclusive for LGBTQ+ professionals and for the support Freehold has given to the community since 2011.
![](https://assets.foleon.com/eu-west-2/uploads-7e3kk3/16293/news-_freehold_founders_david_mann_and_saleem_fazal_named_in_new.c09569e57bda.jpg?)
Roy Sexton takes presidency of Legal Marketing Association
The Legal Marketing Association (LMA) - which represents thousands of legal marketing and business development professionals around the globe - has announced Roy Sexton, Clark Hill’s director of marketing, has begun his term as President of the 2023 LMA International Board of Directors.
![](https://assets.foleon.com/eu-west-2/uploads-7e3kk3/16293/news-_roy_sexton_takes_presidency_of_legal_marketing_association.4f41cdfcf8d7.jpg?)
Charlotte Davidson steps-up at Serle Court
Charlotte Davidson has been promoted to the post of business development (BD) director at Serle Court Chambers. Charlotte had previously spent five years as its BD manager.
![](https://assets.foleon.com/eu-west-2/uploads-7e3kk3/16293/news_-_charlotte_davidson_steps-up_at_serle_court_f.1412c8ddfe6f.jpg?)
Almudena Arpón de Mendívil y Aldama, partner at law firm Gómez-Acebo & Pombo in Madrid, has been announced as the new president of the International Bar Association (IBA). Ms Arpón de Mendívil is the first woman to hold the position in 20 years and only the second in the association’s 76-year history.
![](https://assets.foleon.com/eu-west-2/uploads-7e3kk3/16293/news_-_iba_presidency_f.144bbd69c3f0.jpg?)
Lex Mundi wins prestigious award at the World Economic Forum
Lex Mundi has been awarded a Catalyst Business Commitment badge at this year’s World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. It recognises the work of the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation in supporting social enterprise.
![](https://assets.foleon.com/eu-west-2/uploads-7e3kk3/16293/news_lex_mundi_award_f.acda3e8330fb.jpg?)
Client listening is a necessity for survival
My Customer Lens has launched the 2023 edition of its Future of Client Listening research. The results show professional services firms are expanding the scale and impact of their client listening programmes, but fundamental challenges remain. You can download the report here.
![](https://assets.foleon.com/eu-west-2/uploads-7e3kk3/16293/news_client_listening_f.c08946b877cb.jpg?)
The role of the law firm CMO in a crisis…and beyond
The role of the chief marketing officer in the global pandemic has, like much else, been required to adapt, be nimble and think more creatively than ever. In a fascinating podcast Patrick Dransfield of In-House Community looks at the threats, the opportunities, the need to step-up and listen carefully to all stakeholders, and to demonstrate true leadership.
![](https://assets.foleon.com/eu-west-2/uploads-7e3kk3/16293/news_-_patrick_dransfield_f.65a3cafbf08e.png?)