Thom Brooks, professor of law and government at Durham University, puts forward his recommendations for overhauling the SQE Thom Brooks speaking at LegalEdCon 2025 Legal Cheek invited me to speak at its first LegalEdCon in 2018 on a panel about…
Rise of just over 4% City law firm Bird & Bird will increase salaries for its newly qualified (NQ) solicitors from September. The outfit confirmed rates for its new associates will move from £98,000 to £102,000, an uplift of just…
The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend Court backlog ‘main issue’ hampering justice, says police chief [BBC News] Judges to rule on Palestinian group’s legal action over Israel military exports [The Standard] Is surveillance by…
Legal background aggravating factor A personal injury lawyer who falsely claimed his vehicle was damaged by potholes for insurance payouts, twice, has been found guilty of fraud following a local council investigation. According to Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Alykhaan Nourani was…
Report finds virtual law school meets standards in five key areas but falls short in two The higher education regulator has identified several areas where the College of Legal Practice (COLP) must improve its support for students and staff if…
Lack of work-life balance A new report has found fewer pupil barristers are willing to recommend pupillage, citing increased stress levels as a major concern. Only a third of pupils would now “definitely” recommend the profession as a career path,…
Law grad claims she was unfairly denied remote assessment An aspiring lawyer has been given the go-ahead to pursue legal action against Clyde & Co over alleged discrimination after being rejected for a training contract, though parts of her claim…
‘Unidentified glitch’ A High Court judge has issued a stern warning to solicitors after their client breached a court embargo by sending a confidential draft judgment to her husband. Three days before ruling on an inheritance dispute, His Honour Judge…
Strong financial year Partners at the national law firm Shoosmiths have seen their profits surge by almost a third in the 2024-25 financial year, surpassing the £1 million mark for the first time. The bumper profits will see the firm…
Unconventional job hunt pays off An aspiring barrister who set out on foot in an “ever expanding spiral” from his home in search of legal work has now landed a role. Legal Cheek readers will recall last week’s story of…