News - LawCareers.Net

Gowling WLG launches specialist real estate training contract pathway

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Gowling WLG (UK) LLP has launched a new specialist training contract within its award-winning real estate group, aimed at attracting and developing trainees with a strong interest in real estate law.

CLC among regulators joining government AI Growth Lab

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Council for Licensed Conveyancers is set to join the government’s AI Growth Lab, an advisory sandbox aimed at supporting the development of AI products by helping organisations navigate existing regulatory frameworks.

Your commercial news round-up: Google AI, Universal, water contamination, Lloyds

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Have you been keeping up with the commercial news? Google is set to change how AI summaries appear in search results and the UK government has announced a major investment in Europe’s first Universal theme park. Meanwhile, South West Water (SWW) has been fined over a contamination outbreak and Lloyds has restored services after a major banking disruption.

Spell check tool to be trialled in SQE2 written assessments in July 2026

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A spell check tool has been added to the Pearson assessment platform for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam’s (SQE) written assessments and will be trialled during the July 2026 SQE2 assessment window.

Winston & Strawn and Taylor Wessing complete transatlantic merger to form Winston Taylor

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Winston & Strawn and Taylor Wessing have completed their previously announced merger, launching new transatlantic law firm Winston Taylor, the firms confirmed on Monday 1 June. The combination brings together more than 1,400 lawyers and is projected to generate around $1.75 billion in revenue.

Your commercial news round-up: heatwave, UK youth crisis, Brexit food export rules, Ferrari

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Record-breaking heat is reshaping UK shopping habits and warnings of a potential “lost generation” are intensifying as more young people fall out of education and work. Meanwhile, the UK government has struck a new deal with the EU to ease post-Brexit food export rules and Ferrari has hit a bump in the road, with its shares falling after unveiling its first fully electric model. Read on for LawCareers.Net’s picks of this week’s top commercial stories.

Osborne Clarke launches standalone AI venture Justima

Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

London-headquartered law firm Osborne Clarke LLP has spun out its AI-driven regulatory monitoring business, Justima, as a standalone company.

US law firms dominate high-value London disputes, court data shows

Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

US-headquartered law firms are securing a significant share of the largest and most complex disputes in London, according to an analysis of court data by legal data business Solomonic.

SQE2 pass rate climbs once again to 80% in latest January 2026 sitting

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has released the results of part two of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) for the January 2026 sitting, revealing an overall pass rate of 80%. This marks a small jump of 2% from the previous SQE2 results released in October 2025.

Your commercial news round-up: inflation, Gulf trade deal, TikTok legal battles, SpaceX

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

From a brief respite in inflation rises for the UK economy, to a ‘David and Goliath’ legal battle involving Lord Alan Sugar and TikTok, and Elon Musk’s SpaceX plans to list on the stock market – this week’s commercial news round-up has it all! Read on for our picks of this week’s top commercial stories and take some time to think how this might impact the legal industry.

Boodle Hatfield reports second year of double digit growth

Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Private wealth law firm Boodle Hatfield LLP has reported expected revenue of £49.5 million for the 2025/26 financial year, marking its second consecutive year of double-digit growth.

Law Society calls for clearer AI guidance in courts amid growing risks

Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Law Society of England and Wales has urged the UK government and regulators to ensure that AI is used responsibly in the preparation of court documents, warning that stronger guidance and safeguards are needed as its use expands across the justice system.

Law Society proposes NHS 111-style legal support via GOV.UK Chat

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Law Society of England and Wales CEO Ian Jeffery has praised the government’s new GOV.UK Chat tool but stated that it “offers an opportunity to expand its scope by embedding and signposting early legal guidance and expert support”.

The Solicitors’ Charity report reveals sharp rise in support needs across the profession

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Demand for support among solicitors in England and Wales has tripled since 2023, as practitioners face increasingly complex and overlapping challenges, according to The Solicitors’ Charity’s Big Report 2025/26.

Your commercial news round-up: King’s Speech reforms, Labour leadership, holiday bookings

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The King’s speech has set out the government’s legislative agenda ranging from court and police reform to changes in immigration law and home ownership, as the Law Society of England and Wales calls for sustained investment to underpin change. Meanwhile, political uncertainty is growing amid speculation over Labour leadership tensions and pressure on household finances is showing up in weaker summer holiday bookings at Tui.

Burges Salmon rolls out firm-wide AI partnership with Wexler

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Burges Salmon LLP has announced a firm-wide partnership with legal tech startup Wexler to support its litigation work, following a successful pilot within its dispute resolution team.

Law Society calls for expert consultation on Mental Health Act 2025 guidance

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Law Society of England and Wales has urged the UK government to formally consult experts and people with lived experience to develop a code of practice for the Mental Health Act 2025, as part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2026.

Law firm launches AI tool to translate legal documents into plain English

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Kent-based law firm Manak Solicitors has launched an AI-powered tool designed to translate complex legal documents into plain English, including versions styled for Generation Z (Gen Z) users to Baby Boomers.

US growth features prominently in law firm partner promotion rounds

Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Law firms are increasingly focusing on growth in the US through partner promotions, according to analysis by CityAM. Recent figures from magic circle firms, including Clifford Chance and Freshfields, point to a “quiet rebalancing” in the global legal market.

Your commercial news round-up: Shell profits, UK speed limit cut, WH Smith closure, Amazon drone deliveries

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Global economic aftershocks from the US-Israel war with Iran are being felt across the UK, with soaring oil prices boosting energy giants’ profits and fresh calls for the government to cut speed limits to ease fuel costs. Elsewhere, weak consumer spending is pushing the former WH Smith high-street chain towards store closures and Amazon has begun rolling out drone deliveries in the UK. Read on for LawCareers.Net’s picks of this week’s top commercial stories.

New law opens crown prosecutor roles to more CILEX lawyers

Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The new Victims and Court Act has opened the door for more CILEX lawyers to become crown prosecutors – a move that could help “alleviate shortages and tackle the massive backlogs we are facing in the criminal courts”, according to CILEX (The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) President Sara Fowler.

Aspiring lawyers must still master core law subjects in AI age, says senior judge

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Aspiring lawyers will still need to study core law modules despite the rapid rise of AI, the Master of the Rolls has argued, despite the growing reliance on AI in completing routine legal research.

Law Society calls for clarity over government’s flexible working proposals

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Law Society of England and Wales has welcomed changes set out in the Department for Business and Trade’s recent consultation on flexible working rights, but urged that reforms must be “clear and fair for all”.

Your commercial news round-up: click and collect, AI agents, shoplifting, anti-ageing serum

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

John Lewis is facing a legal challenge over click-and-collect sales and Lloyds has struck a deal with Google to build its own AI agents. Meanwhile, Co-op is ramping up anti-theft measures by forensically marking stolen goods and a £49 face serum advert has been banned for making misleading anti-ageing claims.

Browne Jacobson supports young Black lawyers with new cohort of REACH mentoring programme

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Browne Jacobson LLP has launched the fifth year of its Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) mentoring programme, welcoming a new cohort of 12 aspiring Black lawyers to gain insight into the legal profession.

Simmons & Simmons hits female promotion target as firms unveil 2026 partner rounds

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Law firm Simmons & Simmons LLP has reached its target for women to represent half of partner promotions for 2026, as the latest promotion cycles continue to be announced across the legal sector.

Freshfields and Anthropic enter multi-year AI partnership to develop legal workflows

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Magic circle law firm Freshfields has entered a multi-year collaboration with leading AI company Anthropic to accelerate the development and firm-wide deployment of AI-powered legal workflows, with the Claude family of AI models now available globally across the firm.

42BR Barristers to absorb 4 Brick Court family law team in summer 2026

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

42BR Barristers has announced that family law practitioners from 4 Brick Court (4BC) will join its chambers in summer 2026, significantly expanding its family law offering and making it one of the largest single-site sets of chambers in the UK.

Your commercial news round-up: UK medicine prices, Lufthansa flight cuts, AI effect on jobs, ticket touting ban

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Global fallout from the US-Israel war with Iran continues to ripple through UK consumers and businesses, from rising medicine prices to airlines slashing European routes as fuel costs soar. Meanwhile, concerns are growing that AI adoption is flattening entry-level recruitment and the pressure is mounting on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to honour Labour’s pledge to ban ticket touting. Read on for LawCareers.Net’s picks of this week’s top commercial stories.

LawCare CEO urges junior lawyers to seek help with workload pressures

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The pressures faced by aspiring and early-career lawyers were examined in the latest episode of the LawCareers.Net Podcast, with CEO of mental health charity LawCare Elizabeth Rimmer highlighting that “long hours are so deeply embedded in legal culture that junior lawyers often don’t feel they have permission to speak up”.

Legal sector sees highest rate of growth in more than 15 years, annual survey finds

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Law firms in England and Wales saw sector-wide growth in 2025, with average annual earnings growing by 11.2% last year, according to the Law Society of England and Wales’ 2026 annual Financial Benchmarking survey.

Hogan Lovells posts pre-merger retention rate

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Hogan Lovells has posted its spring retention rate, confirming that 14 out of 21 newly qualified (NQ) lawyers will remain at the firm, after making 16 offers. All 21 NQs applied for roles.

Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader approve $3.6 billion transatlantic merger

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft have approved their proposed transatlantic merger, creating what the law firms have described as “the largest law firm merger in history”. The merged firm, to be known as Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, will launch on 1 July 2026.

Your commercial news round-up: Chinese and UK economy, Lidl and Iceland ad bans, Ticketmaster monopoly, ammonia pollution

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Global markets are digesting a mixed economic picture as China’s growth beats expectations, despite disruption from the US-Israel war with Iran. Meanwhile, recent data points to stronger UK economic momentum but the conflict has already led to weaker growth forecasts. Elsewhere, Britain’s new junk food advertising rules have claimed their first high-profile casualties, a US jury has delivered a landmark verdict against Ticketmaster’s parent company and fresh research has raised alarm over pollution linked to intensive animal farming in parts of the UK. Read on for LawCareers.Net’s picks of this week’s top commercial stories!

Latham & Watkins breaks $1 billion London revenue barrier

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Global law firm Latham & Watkins has surpassed $1 billion in revenue for the first time in London, marking a “record-breaking” year for the firm, according to its chair and managing partner Rich Trobman.

Ashurst and Perkins Coie partners vote in favour of merger

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Ashurst LLP and Perkins Coie are set to merge to create a globally integrated law firm with combined revenues of around $2.8 billion, following a vote of approval from both firms’ partnerships.

Majority of legal professionals now use AI, Clio report finds

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

AI adoption in the legal sector has accelerated over the past year, with software company Clio reporting that 89% of lawyers use it “in some capacity” and 70% saying they began doing so in the past 12 months.

Your commercial news round-up: global oil prices, UK house prices, Universal merger, UK solar power

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Global oil prices have jumped amid fears that a fragile US-Iran ceasefire could unravel, while uncertainty over the conflict and its impact on the economy and interest rates saw UK house prices dip. Meanwhile, Universal Music Group is weighing a multibillion-dollar takeover proposal and ministers have approved the UK’s largest solar farm, following record-breaking renewable energy output. Read on for LawCareers.Net’s picks of this week’s top commercial stories!

LawtechUK set for next phase as government commits £4.5 million in funding

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The government has announced that it’ll continue to fund the LawtechUK initiative, a legal sector innovation and technology programme, committing £4.5 million until 2029.

Weightmans broadens reach with London and Leeds mergers

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Liverpool-headquartered law firm Weightmans LLP has merged with two law firms, Elborne Mitchell and Myton Law, strengthening its presence in London and Leeds, respectively.

Your commercial news round-up: social media use, SpaceX, subscription traps, office space

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Social media use is changing, with fewer adults posting regularly, and SpaceX has announced plans to go public. Meanwhile, new laws will make cancelling subscriptions easier, saving consumers money, and the London Property Alliance has warned that lack of office space in the City could be a stumbling block as the capital receives more investment.a

SQE1 pass rates rebound from previous record low

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Just over half of candidates who sat the first stage of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE1) in January 2026 passed, according to new figures released by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The regulator’s statistical report, published yesterday, confirmed an overall pass rate of 53%, marking an improvement from last summer’s record low rate of 41%.

Law Society warns of AI risk as it launches new guide to support safe use of tech

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Law Society of England and Wales has published a new practical guide designed to help solicitors make safer decisions when using AI, warning of challenges to data protection, unreliable and inaccurate outputs, and biased results.

White & Case revenue climbs to $3.6 billion as PEP rises 10%

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

White & Case LLP has reported global revenue of almost $3.6 billion for 2025, a year-on-year increase of more than 8% that helped lift profit per equity partner (PEP) by 10% to $4.4 million. The firm said the results reflected strong performance across its global network, with half of all matters last year involving cross-border elements.

Law Society president raises concerns as criminal court backlogs remain at record level

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Backlogs in the criminal courts remain at record levels, with 379,437 cases outstanding in the magistrates’ courts and 80,203 in the crown court – including more than 21,002 cases open for over a year.

Your commercial news round-up: UK inflation and growth, new CO2 plant, iPhone age checks, porridge mice contamination

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The UK faces fresh economic and consumer pressures this week as global conflict and domestic challenges intersect. Fresh forecasts warn that the UK is set for weaker growth and high inflation and the government is trying to prevent potential CO2 shortages by restarting operations at a Teesside plant. Meanwhile, Apple is introducing mandatory age-verification for UK users amid mounting online-safety demands and food brand Moma has issued a precautionary recall after possible mice contamination at its manufacturing site. Read on for LawCareers.Net’s picks of this week’s top commercial stories!

Accounting breaches behind more than a quarter of SRA firm closures

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has stepped up its scrutiny of how law firms manage client money, with new figures highlighting accounting breaches as a leading cause of firm closures.

Sentencing reform aimed at easing prison overcrowding takes effect

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Short prison sentences are set to become far less common following the introduction of a major sentencing reform that came into force on Monday 23 March 2026.

Vinson & Elkins launches first Continental European office in Brussels

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Vinson & Elkins RLLP has opened its first Continental European office in Brussels, expanding the Houston-founded law firm’s competition and regulatory capabilities across the region. The office is led by Brussels-based antitrust partner May Lyn Yuen, who joined the firm from Hogan Lovells.

Kirkland & Ellis reports double digit growth in 2025

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP’s profit per equity partners reached $11.1 million in 2025, as the firm posted another year of rapid growth across revenue, profits and deal activity.