One NQ on fixed term deal Baker McKenzie has confirmed its latest retention score, with 17 of its 20 newly qualified associates staying on at the firm. One of the retained associates joins on a fixed-term contract, giving Bakers a…
Tech giant’s top lawyer makes bold predicition The billable hour, that most stubborn fixture of the legal profession, may finally have met its match, according to the general counsel of US tech giant Anthropic. Jeff Bleich, the top lawyer at…
The Legal Cheek Podcast discusses the exam five years post roll-out First introduced in 2021 as a way to democratise a historically inaccessible profession, the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) has had a rather bumpy ride, marred by controversies surrounding pass…
The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend Judge trolled female barrister on anonymous social media account [The Telegraph] (£) Anthropic’s top lawyer says AI will kill the legal profession’s dreaded billable hour [Business Insider] Postmasters’…
High Court judge finds claimant was ‘coached’ through evidence A man found to have worn smart glasses connected to his mobile phone during cross-examination has had his case thrown out after a judge ruled his evidence to be “unreliable and…
Aspiring lawyer seeks readers’ thoughts In the latest instalment of our popular Career Conundrums series, an aspiring lawyer is wondering whether to chase graduate recruitment for an update on her vacation scheme application — but is that the right move?…
Filed appeal one day late A filing error by US law firm Simpson Thacher has left a major client unable to complete its takeover of a UK catering business. That client is Aramark, the US food services giant, which had…
£10k boost The London office of US firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher has raised the salaries of its newly qualified (NQ) lawyers to a market-topping £180,000. The move equates to an extra £10k, or just under 6%, putting the firm’s…
Equivalent to one A-Level A new vocational qualification in law is set to launch in 2028 as part of a sweeping overhaul of post-16 education in England, the government has announced. The legal V-Level will form part of a broader…
Rises for trainees too Ropes & Gray has bumped up its newly qualified (NQ) solicitor salaries in London to £170,000, a rise of just over 3% on the previous rate of £165,000. The increase, which took effect on 1 January…