The requirement that prospective solicitors gain two years’ practising experience in order to qualify will remain when the Solicitors Qualifying Examination comes into force, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has confirmed. 

Most trainee-hiring law firms run work experience schemes and events specifically for year 12/13 and first-year students. So, if you’re seriously considering becoming a solicitor, you’ll be doing yourself a big favour by getting involved at this early stage of your career – if not just to identify whether a career in the legal profession is for you. Use this list of law firms offering opportunities to year 12/13 and first-year university students to get you started!

Most trainee-hiring law firms run work experience schemes and events specifically for year 12/13 and first-year students. So, if you’re seriously considering becoming a solicitor, you’ll be doing yourself a big favour by getting involved at this early stage of your career – if not just to identify whether a career in the legal profession is for you. Use this list of law firms offering opportunities to year 12/13 and first-year university students to get you started!

A law career can take you into a variety of sectors. Four years ago, I moved into the complex, everchanging world of defence technology and the transition to this world of futuristic concepts has been an eye opener. The defence industry is about so much more than bullets and guns.

Hear from Harry Samuels in this Meet the Lawyer barrister profile, as he discusses his career at the Bar, a recent interesting case and the collegiate culture at XXIV Old Buildings.

Lawrence Graham’s merger with Wragge & Co was completed today, with the combined firms now being known as Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co.

In a week where nobody really knows what’s going on, calm your bemused Brexit brain by taking a look at our summary of some relevant commercial news stories from this week.

How does blockchain interact with law and business?

I recently graduated with my law degree (which still feels odd to write) and, call me nosy, one of the most interesting things following this has been hearing about the plans of my fellow graduates. These conversations have reminded me how versatile a law degree is and forced me to think of life outside of legal studies.

Coronavirus: What should employers be thinking about when considering home working for their employees? What might covid-19 mean for the future of home working?

Working from the comfort of your home, while may seem like a blessing in one of the most challenging years of our time, can very easily become a curse. The reality is, there is a fine line between ‘working from home’ and ‘living at work’. In my experience, I’ve found it extremely easy for work to consume my home life. It seems that the legal profession is embracing this change and that a return to office life as we know it is unlikely for the near and distant future. Therefore, it’s important that we all find a way to make working from home work for us. 

In recent years, there’s been a growing dialogue around mental health in the law – a profession that has a reputation for long hours and intense work. A number of studies and changing priorities have put working hours under the microscope, with more people beginning to ask questions about working practices and the demands often expected of lawyers.

In recent years, there’s been a growing dialogue around mental health in the law – a profession that has a reputation for long hours and intense work. A number of studies and changing priorities have put working hours under the microscope, with more people beginning to ask questions about working practices and the demands often expected of lawyers.

A fantastic academic record isn’t enough to satisfy recruiters in the legal profession. They also want to know that you can represent the firm to clients and work well with colleagues. Equally, recruiters want to see that you’ve made an informed decision about becoming a solicitor or barrister.

Women are outperforming men in relation to some judicial appointments up to and including the High Court, statistics published by the Judicial Appointments Commission have revealed.

More than a third of law firms in England and Wales are now majority-owned by women, showing continuing progress toward gender equality in the legal profession, the Law Society has said in marking this International Women’s Day.

Half of working mothers in the legal profession are taking on more childcare responsibilities than their partners during the UK’s lockdown, a survey conducted by the team behind the First 100 Years Project reports.

A quarter of women working in the legal profession have had their incomes reduced from pre-coronavirus levels, with one in five working reduced hours, a snap poll has found.

Women made up 36% of partner hires in the United Kingdom during Q1 2024, according to Legal Monitor’s latest UK partner hires report. 

Recently merged Womble Bond Dickinson has taken on five new legal apprentices in its Plymouth office. The apprentices will work in the firm’s corporate and commercial, real estate and dispute resolution teams.