67% Baker McKenzie has posted a 67% autumn trainee retention score, keeping on eight of its 12 qualifying trainees. All eight rookies will join the global giant on permanent contracts, with none retained on fixed-term deals. The new qualifiers will…
Rotations rise from four to six as firm launches new ‘AI Knowledge Lab’ Sidley Austin is giving its London training contract a techy makeover, introducing a compulsory AI seat as it expands its rotation system from four seats to six….
Sent explicit messages Mohammed Ahmed A trainee solicitor has been jailed after sending unwanted explicit messages and an image to a woman he was representing. Mohammed Ahmed was working as a trainee family solicitor and had represented the woman in…
Much-needed cash boost The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has put £1.5 million into funding up to 100 new pupillages in legally aided criminal law. The MoJ has partnered with the Council of the Inns of Court (COIC), who has its…
Up from 80% The latest Solicitors Qualifying Examination 2 (SQE2) results are in, with the overall pass rate climbing to 83% in the April 2026 sitting. That marks another increase from the 80% recorded in the January sitting, which was…
Firm tech tracks down device A former Ashurst Perkins Coie IT analyst has been barred from working at law firms without the SRA’s permission after taking a laptop from one of the firm’s offices and failing to return it. Lewis…
The top legal affairs news stories from the long weekend Wall Street banks push Big Law to cut fees because of AI [Financial Times] (£) Lawyer who cracked Post Office scandal warns against axing jury trials [The Telegraph] (£) ‘Rank…
Funding, timing and qualification For aspiring solicitors without a training contract lined up, deciding whether to start the SQE can mean weighing up the cost, the time commitment and what comes next. While many students wait until they have secured…
12 month suspension A trainee solicitor who took a second job at the Home Office and used his access to check visa files linked to clients, relatives and people he knew has been suspended from practice for 12 months. Md…
Taking content from X without attribution carries risk as well as reward When it comes to media law, few names are more recognisable than veteran solicitor Mark Stephens CBE. With a client list that over his long career has included…