On 22 July Beachcroft LLP and Davies Arnold Cooper LLP announced their merger plans, which will take effect on 1 November 2011, with the firm to be renamed DAC Beachcroft LLP.

QualitySolicitors has signed a deal with high street favourite WHSmith that will see legal representatives in 150 of the stationers’ branches this summer, with a view to eventually rolling it out to 500 stores.

National firm Bond Dickinson has announced that it is hiring a fourth intake of legal apprentices.

International firm Kennedys has revealed the location of its new, upgraded office as part of the firm’s hybrid working plan. 

The 32^nd annual Bar and Young Bar Conference is to take place this year on Saturday 4 November, where attendees will hear from leading experts, including the shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer on topical issues ranging from Brexit to how to guard client confidentiality against cyber-attacks.  

The government is in talks with BPP Law School over plans to provide a legal apprenticeship scheme which will allow aspiring lawyers to qualify into the profession without first having to complete a university degree.

The UK’s most senior judge, Baroness Hale, has guest edited a special episode of the BBC’s Today programme, telling listeners that cuts to legal aid funding have caused “serious difficulty” to the justice system.

Stonewall, the gay rights charity, has announced the results of its annual workplace equality index, which includes 10 law firms for the second year in a row.

The ‘Tesco law’ revolution continues apace with the news that two more top 50 firms, Kennedys and Hill Dickinson, have confirmed plans to convert to alternative business structure status

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain has started the new year by opening a new office in Bristol, staffed by a team of nearly 30 former CMS Cameron McKenna partners, associates and office staff.

As the spring-qualifying trainees at SNR Denton celebrate vastly improved retention rates, more firms' newly qualified (NQ) Spring 2011 figures have come to light.

The alternative legal services (ALS) market has reached a record high of $28.5 billion, according to a recent report.

City firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP has retained an impressive 100% of its trainees this year. All 13 will qualify at the firm in September.

The Bar Council has been in attendance at both the Labour Party and Conservative Party conferences to deliver its clear message to politicians – namely that "justice is a precious asset which needs to be protected"

Magic circle firm Clifford Chance has begun offering training contracts as early as to students who are still 18 years old. 

The Legal Services Board has granted chartered legal executives the right to practise independently in the areas of probate and conveyancing.

The University of Law and Fieldfisher have announced an exclusive deal that will see the firm’s future trainees sent to The University of Law’s Moorgate centre. 

Travers Smith is encouraging staff to use ‘safe-words’ to call out inappropriate language in the office.