Magic circle giant Linklaters is to offer its lawyers the opportunity to work fewer hours for a lower salary – but the scheme remains a pilot in four of the firm’s German offices for now. 

A bit more variety this week, but the headlines are still dominated by all things Brexit, as you would expect only two weeks down the line. Read on for a selection of Brexit, and other commercially driven, stories.

In a bid to encourage equality across the business, leading private wealth and real estate firm Boodle Hatfield LLP has announced its new equal opportunity parental leave policy. 

Members of the legal profession celebrated International Women’s Day yesterday, highlighting the achievements of women on social media. This year’s theme, #BreakTheBias, is about living in “a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.” 

The body representing junior lawyers has called for greater scrutiny of decisions made by the legal profession’s ‘super regulator’ after the Solicitors Qualifying Exam was approved amid widespread criticism.

Research conducted by academics at the Universities of Cardiff and Bristol show that the vast majority of work done by paid McKenzie Friends is delivered outside the courtroom, rather than actively representing their clients in court.

Clyde & Co has announced that it has offered jobs to 100% of its trainees, across all of its international offices, with a 100% acceptance rate in the United Kingdom (and a 98% global acceptance rate).

The London Metropolitan University’s Faculty of Business and Law has been awarded funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England to set up a mentoring programme for law undergraduates from under-represented backgrounds.

The Bar Council has responded to the Bar Standards Board’s new policy statement on pupillage, work-based learning and qualification.

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives recently held its annual graduation ceremony, with new CILEx members celebrating their new status as qualified lawyers.

International legal business DWF Group Plc has opened its fourth office in Germany through the recruitment of the entire Düsseldorf office of Marccus Partners.

DAC Beachcroft is expanding its apprenticeship programme by recruiting two new legal apprentices into its real estate team.

Birmingham law firm Shakespeare Martineau LLP is supporting British Muslim charity Mercy Mission UK to launch a mentoring scheme, offering work experience placements to Muslim youth. 

Osborne Clarke LLP has achieved a 19% increase in global revenues with the firm planning to pay bonuses of at least £2,500 to UK staff.

The Law Society has launched its new Access to Justice campaign, aiming to “defend the rule of law in an environment where legal advice is becoming more expensive and difficult to obtain”.

Post-election, probably the biggest related topic in the City is the prospect of a "Brexit" and what that might mean to investors and UK businesses.

The SRA has published a report on the results of its work-based learning pilot, which began in September 2008.

Law firm Kingsley Napley LLP is the first legal employer to sign the Menopause Workplace Pledge, which is run by the Wellbeing of Women charity.

The gender pay gap for partners and employees at Freshfields has reduced to 57.2% according to figures published at the end of March 2020.