Newcastle upon Tyne has emerged as the best UK city for legal professionals, while London ranks as the worst, according to new research from Witan Solicitors. The study analysed salary data, job availability and affordability metrics from the Office for National Statistics to assess where lawyers can achieve the greatest financial stability and quality of life.  

How do you gain the upper hand in trans-national litigation?

Best in Law, sister publication to LawCareers.Net and The Training Contract & Pupillage Handbook, has recently been published. Now in its 13th year, the magazine is published in conjunction with the LCN Training & Recruitment Awards and remains an essential read for those who really want to stand out from among their peers.

Has anyone else reached the point of the university year where your workload is so unmanageable that the only thing you do instead of facing it is watching TV? No? Just me? If you are looking for a way to salve your conscious as you turn your back on the hundreds of pages of reading you haven’t done yet (and which you promise yourself you will catch up on over Christmas), I would recommend watching something that is (however loosely) based around the law in some way. 

The process was very open and friendly and the message was clear about what the firm was looking for. They really do look for a good fit, rather than just churning through candidates.

The firm was really open and transparent throughout the process, and notified us of the outcome very quickly.

From the outset, the firm gave me a high level of exposure to client contact, and continues to provide me with work which has real importance. There are lots of opportunities for trainees, both internally and externally.

The firm is really sociable and there are a lot of opportunities to speak to NQs and second-seat trainees about their experiences, and get tips on how to be a good trainee in your seat.

They really listen and take into account your own wishes, strengths and qualities as a trainee, and have a vision for you at the firm that tends to wholly match your own.

What really stood out for me was how well paired everyone was with their supervisors. You could tell the graduate recruitment team had spent a long time considering who will be the best fit and it really showed how the firm will go the extra mile to make sure your experience is the best it can be.

We were given real work in a structured way, with clear expectations and directions to resources. I was taken aback by the level of involvement and commitment of partners in the process, who took hours out of their day to get to know us at social events and training sessions. This reassured us that the business was taking us seriously and our time was being well spent in choosing this vacation scheme.

Bex Gerrard is a HR coordinator at Gowling WLG (UK) LLP. She opens up about her disability and experience at work, and outlines what she believes makes a truly inclusive workplace.

You can only really practice company law in the City of London, can't you?

What are the duties of, and risks for, company directors in the case of insolvency?

In recent years, the real estate market has undergone a significant shift. While traditional sectors such as residential housing, retail and office space have long dominated the landscape, a growing share of attention is now being directed towards so-called ‘alternative’ real estate sectors.

Can intangible property rights (IPRs) and rights in personal data exist in harmony?

What do a Russian cellist, the prime minister's father and the perpetrators of the 1983 Brink's Mat gold bullion robbery all have in common? 

Find out what early careers officer Lizzy Ferguson is looking for in your applications to Birketts LLP, the importance of the firm’s vacation scheme to the training contract application process and the firm’s stance on the use of AI in applications. 

Birketts LLP, a full-service law firm with office locations across the East of England, London and the South East, eyes plans to develop its international practice by using its City office as a “springboard”.