Legal education provider The University of Law (ULaw) has appointed Patrick Johnson as its director of equality, diversity and inclusion as part of efforts to remove existing barriers and create an environment “where everyone, from any background, can succeed”.

Given that it is currently Black History Month, I wanted to write about ethnic diversity specifically within law firms and the significant amount of work that there is still left to do.

The Edward Bramley Law Society is the largest law society at The University of Sheffield and one of the largest in Europe. It holds a special place in many law and non-law students' hearts at the university due to the incredible opportunities we offer and the tight-knit, inclusive community we strive to cultivate.

With Mental Health Awareness Week just around the corner, legal mental health charity LawCare is calling upon the legal community to address the high levels of anxiety within the profession. 

International firm Ropes & Gray has launched a new contextual, CV-blind trainee recruitment process aimed at reducing unconscious bias to ensure that all applicants are assessed on their merits, not their backgrounds.

The coffee market is growing. As of January 2025, there were 11,456 branded coffee chain outlets, a 5.2% increase over the 12 months to January, according to Allegra World Coffee Portal’s 2025 Project Café UK report.

The Law Society’s annual statistics report 2020 offers a snapshot of the profession in the 12 months to 31 July 2020, with women outnumbering men plus concerns regarding ethnicity reporting and monitoring as most newly qualified solicitors do not disclose “their ethnic origin on the mySRA website”. 

Rare has confirmed that Ashurst and Herbert Smith Freehills are the latest two firms to sign up to its contextual recruitment system, which allows recruiters to identify outstanding candidates regardless of their background.

Here’s LawCareers.Net’s 26-step guide to the training contract application process, plus 10 mock interview questions to help you prepare.

The LawCareersNetLIVE conferences, sponsored by The University of Law, are an unmissable opportunity for students to network with international, City and national law firms; gain insights into firms’ key practice areas; and benefit from expert application advice direct from recruiters.

The LawCareersNetLIVE conferences, sponsored by The University of Law, are an unmissable opportunity for students to network with international, City and national law firms; gain insights into firms’ key practice areas; and benefit from expert application advice direct from recruiters.

Passion for commercial matters is key at the transaction-focused London office of global firm Kirkland & Ellis, as Lauren Massey explains.

Isabella Lewis (she/her) is a senior associate who works in debt finance at A&O Shearman. In this profile, Isabella discusses her area of focus, trade and commodities finance, how extensive research led her to decide on a career in law and the importance of business development. 

I think the combination of mentors, confidence and consistent hard work is what drove me to the pinnacle of BigLaw. So, to all aspiring socially mobile lawyers, here are my top pieces of advice to succeed in BigLaw.

The Chancery Lane Project (TCLP) has drafted 10 climate clauses to use in commercial agreements and legal documents under US law. This is significant as law firms across the globe work towards doing business more sustainably.

The Chancery Lane Project has drafted 10 climate clauses to use in commercial agreements and legal documents under US law. This is significant as law firms across the globe work towards doing business more sustainably.

What are the legal issues raised by the operations of taxi company Uber?

A survey of pupils has revealed that students still feel the course is too expensive, despite the average cost per student dropping by £4,700 in 2022, compared to 2019 (amount adjusted for inflation).

AI Act: what are the legislative and political challenges that could arise?

Networking is a vital skill – not only for aspiring lawyers looking to gain employment or work experience,  but also throughout a qualified lawyer’s career. Solicitors and barristers are always looking to bring in new business, make useful connections and learn more about the legal and business worlds, so networking is a key part of any lawyer’s working life.