13-17 November was National Anti-Bullying Week 2023. It’s an annual event coordinated by the Anti-Bullying Alliance charity, which aims to raise awareness of bullying among young people. The week emphasises prevention and effective responses to bullying.

A number of firms have signed up to a social mobility initiative launched by the government last year.

The Bar Council has come out in support of a new barrister training programme involving a two-part Bar Professional Course run by the Inns of Court, which should be cheaper for aspiring barristers. 

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) has revamped its monthly magazine, the CILEx Journal, to support the growing number of CILEx lawyers. 

LawWorks and the Bar Pro Bono Unit have teamed up to launch a fundraising competition for law school students – the Law School Challenge 2012.

Joining the select group of firms that boasts 100% trainee retention, Sullivan & Cromwell has announced that its first cohort of trainees have all been offered and accepted NQ positions at the firm.

The recent LawCareers.Net Trainee Survey has revealed that 81% of respondents used either LawCareers.Net or The Training Contract & Pupillage Handbook, or both, as part of their hunt for a job.

BPP Law School is offering scholarships and pupillage support for its Bar Professional Training Course programme; candidates can apply from 4 February 2014.

Founded by Dr Ann Limb in 1998, the organisation was set up following Baroness Kennedy KC’s Learning Works report, which identified a significant number of adults who lacked formal qualifications.

Not on quite the same scale as the desperate times of 2009, but a couple of firms have recently been asking their future trainees to defer their places in exchange for a cash payment, citing "business activity levels" as the reason.