Shearman & Sterling has announced that it is keeping on all 13 of its September 2015 qualifying trainees, while fellow US-headquartered firm Latham & Watkins is retaining 20 of its 21 autumn qualifiers.

Oxford Brookes University has joined forces with corporate technology-focused law firm Moorcrofts to create an app that can read contracts to identify the sections that require human attention.

After setting up a £150 million funding pot, DLA Piper has become the biggest City law firm to join the third-party litigation financing market.

Nottingham Law School has applied to the Solicitors Regulation Authority for an alternative business structure licence, which would allow the school’s students to become part of a "teaching law firm".

Private wealth and real estate firm Boodle Hatfield LLP has reported a fee income of £32.5 million for the 2022/23 financial year, rising from £30.7 million the previous year.  

The SRA has delayed its decision on the controversial Solicitors Qualifying Examination, but has indicated that it is not a case of whether, but when, it will happen.

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

Simmons & Simmons has announced that it will donate £2 million to charities to support covid-19 relief efforts worldwide after a strong financial year.

The Labour party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has asked his shadow justice team to “immediately” review the government’s cuts to legal aid.

Over a year on from his landmark race review, Labour MP David Lammy has told the House of Commons Justice Committee that things have got “considerably worse” for BAME people in the criminal justice system.

The Law Society - working in collaboration with law firms and charity LawWorks - has established a telephone helpline to provide free legal assistance to riot victims.

Pinsent Masons is embracing the spirit of National Pro Bono Week by taking part in Micro-Tyco, a charitable business challenge that gives teams £1 of seed capital which they must transform within the month of November into as much money as possible.

The King approved the appointment of 94 barristers and one solicitor as new King’s Counsel (KC) on Monday.

The Legal Services Board has confirmed plans to regulate all will-writing and estate administration services by classing them as 'reserved activities'.

Legal Week reports that the Legal Services Board (LSB) has authorised the introduction of an aptitude test for those seeking a place on the BPTC.

The University of Law is the first university to be granted an Alternative Business Structure licence by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Over 60 law firms have this year’s Guardian UK 300, which lists the best UK employers for people seeking their first graduate jobs. 

This round-up is big on banks; they seem to have featured heavily in the past week’s news cycle. For tales of their varying woes, plus much more, read on.

Middle Temple’s Pupillage Podcast has returned for a second season.

Despite reports that the government has postponed gender pay gap reporting for 2019/20 due to the coronavirus outbreak, UK firm Irwin Mitchell shared its recent data which shows that its gender pay gap has shrunk.