The Law Society of England and Wales has called the recent Legal Aid Agency (LAA) data breach “extremely concerning” and highlighted “the need for sustained investment to bring the LAA’s antiquated IT system up to date and ensure the public have continued trust in the justice system”. 

The Law Society has called for further investment into the justice system – especially civil and criminal legal aid, which wasn’t mentioned in the recent autumn budget. The Law Society President Richard Atkinson said: “The message that the Lord Chancellor should be hearing is spend to save.”

The outstanding achievements of professionals across the legal sector have been celebrated by the Law Society.

Members of the legal profession celebrated International Women’s Day yesterday, highlighting the achievements of women on social media. This year’s theme, #BreakTheBias, is about living in “a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.” 

Chair of the City of London Law Society, Colin Passmore, has called for law firms to introduce overworking “trigger warnings” to protect the mental health of lawyers, following the death of a partner at a City Law firm.

Des Hudson, chief executive of the Law Society, has confirmed that he will retire from his position in July.

“Clarification is needed now on UK entry clearance for people at risk under the new Taliban rule in Afghanistan,” says the Law Society.

The Law Society has said that the vote by the UK electorate to leave the European Union has created an “unprecedented and complex range of legal issues”, but that the profession is focused on finding solutions.

To mark International Women’s’ Day 2018, the Law Society has released its findings from the largest international survey of women in the law. The survey of 7,781 people (5,758 women, 554 men and 1,469 unknown or other) aims to shed light on current state of gender equality in the legal profession.

The Law Society met with the Lord Chancellor last week in another bid to influence the government's decision in relation to its planned legal aid cuts.

The Law Society has called the recent UK-EU summit a “welcome starting point” in rebuilding post-Brexit ties. 

The King’s Counsel Appointments (KCA) have announced the names of 96 new silks – King’s Counsel (KCs). Despite the nine solicitors who applied this year, all successful applicants were barristers, reflecting the long-standing pattern that the KC cohort is overwhelmingly drawn from the Bar. Since solicitors first became eligible for KC status in 1995, only 66 have been appointed out of 231 applicants.

The Law Society of England and Wales has awarded 15 scholarships to aspiring solicitors, welcoming them into its Diversity Access Scheme (DAS), which is now in its 21st year. The DAS supports those facing social, educational, financial or personal obstacles to qualifying – assisting awardees on their legal academic journey and helping them obtain relevant work experience and access to mentoring opportunities.

The Law Society has awarded 14 scholarships to aspiring solicitors through its Diversity Access Scheme (DAS), which supports aspiring solicitors who are facing social, educational, financial or personal obstacles to qualifying.

The annual Law Society Diversity Access Scheme (DAS) has reopened its system and is accepting applications until 6 April 2016.

The Law Society is taking to the road with a Question Time-style show, designed to raise awareness among the profession about the opportunities and challenges in 2011 and beyond.