City firm Herbert Smith Freehills has elected 26 partners worldwide – its biggest partner promotions round since 2012 and four more than 2019 – despite coronavirus concerns.

The government has dubbed two of the City’s biggest law firms, Baker & McKenzie and Linklaters, “social mobility champions”.

Leading law firms including Allen & Overy, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, HFW and Simmons & Simmons have signed up to the Greener Litigation Pledge, a commitment launched by Mishcon de Reya. 

Two leading City firms have delayed partner promotions due to pandemic pressures.

Ashurst has delayed partner promotions until later this year due to “continuing market uncertainty”. 

A group of six City law firms have partnered with BPP University Law School to develop a new course that will prepare future trainees for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE).

A new commercial awareness competition for students at non-Russell Group universities has attracted sponsorship from 12 City law firms.

Elite law firms could be pressured to return to a full five days in the office as larger fee-paying clients crack the whip on their own staff.  

City firms are expecting an increase in the amount of corporate merger & acquisition work thanks to some recovery in the business economy.

Reed Smith and Mayer Brown joined Aspiring Solicitors at an event discussing how to increase awareness and understanding of disabilities in the legal profession earlier this month.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has launched his 'Opening Doors' social mobility campaign together with James Caan, businessman and TV personality, and Peter Searle, chief executive of the recruitment company Adecco.

A global network for crypto-related fraud has been launched by a group of legal industry professionals, including lawyers from Osborne Clarke and RPC, barristers and forensic accountants. 

Thirteen City firms have launched the ‘Noticed toolkit’, alongside inter-firm diversity network Noticed, to tackle racism.

Allen & Overy LLP and Travers Smith LLP have revealed a new partnership with LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex) charity GiveOut to launch a new LGBTQI Legal Aid Fund.

A group of City law firms have launched an initiative to give opportunities to less-privileged students and shake off their elitist reputation.

City solicitors have warned that firms may require all trainees joining from 2022 onwards to pass the new ‘super exam’, despite the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s indication that transitional arrangements allowing students to qualify through the old system may be in place until 2031. 

Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP has introduced a four-day in-office work policy, meaning lawyers in the firm’s London office are expected to come into the office at least four days a week. 

City law firms are considering an additional requirement that candidates will need to gain some “City-specific” training on top of passing the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) when the new ‘super exam’ comes into effect.

Top City firms have been preparing to advise their clients on the consequences of the United Kingdom’s potential exit from the European Union.

London firms have reacted to the proposed Brexit deal with “cautious optimism” despite lawyers advising business to prepare for the worst, as reported in the Law Gazette.