25 out of 33 Shoosmiths has unveiled an autumn retention rate of 76% with 25 of its 33 final-seat trainees staying on. Those staying put will join a raft of departments including corporate & banking, litigation, commercial, people & reward…
Pupillage awards, training spots, Oxbridge intake and more courtesy of Legal Cheek’s new 2026 Chambers Most List Say hello to the 2026 edition of the Legal Cheek Chambers Most List — your one-stop guide to life at the leading barristers’…
The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend Barrister is reported to Bar Council over video claiming Israeli government was behind Manchester synagogue attack — and that they are plotting to assassinate King Charles [Mail Online]…
Cannot conduct litigation — even when supervised A dramatic High Court ruling has found that non-solicitors — including trainees, paralegals and legal executives — cannot conduct litigation, even under the supervision of a qualified solicitor. Handed down by Mr Justice…
Year one rates also up to £62.5k US law firm Cleary Gottlieb has increased the salaries of its London-based trainees. Aspiring lawyers who secure one of the firm’s 16 training contracts on offer each year will now start on £62,500,…
Common law sets, law firms and government bodies show interest in new pathway Barrister apprentices may finally arrive at the bar as early as 2026, according to the chair of the group tasked with bringing them into existence. Tim Coulson,…
LawCare calls for urgent change Young lawyers are facing the highest risk of burnout and the lowest levels of wellbeing across the profession, according to new research. The Life in the Law 2025 report by charity LawCare, based on survey…
Ouch The percentage of students passing the first part of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE1) has fallen to a record low. According to the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s latest statistical report, published today, only 41% of candidates sitting SQE1 in July…
Start of legal year marked with full-on ceremony today attended by new Lord Chancellor, head of judiciary, and other bigwigs (quite literally) Lord Chancellor David Lammy MP alongside Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr The new Lord Chancellor, David Lammy MP,…
Trying to help A magistrate has been issued with formal advice after obtaining a colleague’s medical records without their consent. The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) confirmed that Ramesh Nayak, of the Lincolnshire bench, was sanctioned after he accessed a…