Clifford Chance and A&O Shearman become the latest magic circle law firms to increase pay for newly qualified (NQ) solicitors to £150,000, after their counterparts announced similar moves in recent weeks. 

A recent European Court of Justice ruling means that insurers will no longer be able to use gender as a basis for determining the cost of insurance premiums, with car insurance, life insurance and pension annuities all to be affected.

Barristers’ chambers across the UK have implemented pay increases as they battle to attract the top aspiring barristers.

The Bar Standards Board has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Inns of Court to recognise the “vital” role played by the Inns for aspiring barristers.

Mid-tier law firms Simmons & Simmons LLP, RPC and Shoosmiths have launched new policies to reward lawyers for billing higher hours, with bonuses of up to 40% of base salary on offer. 

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"

Summer is here! Not that you’d know it to look outside. Console yourself in the face of gloomy weather with this selection of interesting business-related news from the past week.

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

Employment in London's legal services sector is growing faster than any other financial or professional services industry, according to figures released by lobby group TheCityUK.

Commercial awareness; you can’t have too much of it and the more you work at it, the deeper and more nuanced yours will become.

An app that aims to be 'the Uber of legal and accountancy services' has been launched by solicitor and former managing partner of Harvey Ingram, Simon Astill.

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.