Solicitors could face new competence checks as the Legal Services Board published fresh expectations for regulators to ensure lawyers stay up to date on the knowledge, skills and behaviour required to be a solicitor and provide good quality legal services. 

As reported in the Law Gazette, the Legal Services Board Consumer Panel (LSBCP) has received a huge response from the legal profession and members of the public to its recent call for evidence on whether regulating the will-writing industry would be in the best interests of consumers.

The Legal Services Board (LSB) has published a consultation with proposed regulatory measures to strengthen ethical standards in the legal sector.

International firm Kingsley Napley has adopted the Halo Code – which “explicitly protects employees who come to work with natural hair and protective hairstyles associated with their racial, ethnic, and cultural identities” – and has formally incorporated the code into its dress and appearance policy.

Norton Rose Fulbright and Queen Mary University of London have teamed up to provide two full scholarships for the latter’s LLM in Energy and Natural Resources Law course for a second year.

The University of Exeter’s student law society – Bracton Law Society (BLS) – is to be disbanded after an investigation by the university and the students’ guild into the racist WhatsApp messages that were publicly released in March.

Solicitors in magistrates' courts and police stations across the country began refusing new legal aid cases yesterday, in protest at the government’s latest 8.75% cuts to legal aid fees.

The Law Society has responded to the concerns raised in the legal education and training review, reinforcing its commitment to the traditional route to qualification while simultaneously acknowledging that the LETR should lead to the opening of alternative ways into the profession.

Discouragement from senior colleagues is worsening an “unprecedented recruitment crisis” as high numbers of junior barristers continue to leave criminal practice, the chair of the Criminal Bar Association has said.

Herbert Smith Freehills has announced a new internship programme offering graduates with autism a chance to work at the firm for eight weeks.

Andrew Caplen, Law Society president, has increase the pressure for a digital Magna Carta, in order to establish global internet rights and particularly to protect legal privilege from surveillance systems.

Freshfields wishes to distance itself from its ‘magic circle’ tag, the firm’s global managing partner has said. 

The regulatory arm of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives is examining whether its processes can be streamlined to help more paralegals make the jump to become chartered legal executives – specialist lawyers capable of setting up their own firms and working independently.

The legal aid cuts are a false economy, an appeal court judge has said in the wake of trials being help up by litigants in person who, understandably, are struggling to represent themselves adequately without the help of trained lawyers.

BPP University Law School has announced fees for its new Bar Course which is set to replace the BPTC from September 2020.

UK law firms must adapt to keep pace with increasing competition from their US counterparts, a survey of top firms by accountancy firm PwC has warned.

The take up of apprenticeships among law firms continued this month with the announcements that Mischon de Reya is to take on two new apprentices at its London office.

Dana Denis-Smith, founder of the First 100 Years and Next 100 Years, will become the eighth woman to take on the role of president of the Law Society of England and Wales. 

As well as postponing pay rises and bonuses, City firm Norton Rose Fulbright has asked staff to agree to a reduced work week and lower salaries in a bid to “safeguard jobs as far as possible”.

Legal education provider The University of Law has revealed that it has entered six new university partnerships to guarantee Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) course places for future lawyers.