Manchester-headquartered firm Horwich Farrelly has announced that it has taken on 10 new legal apprentices this year, making the insurance law specialist’s expanding apprenticeship programme one of the biggest in the North West.

In the wake of reports of increasing elitism in the legal profession, magic circle firms Allen & Overy, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May have backed a website designed to boost social mobility.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority will hold four roadshows as part of its Training for Tomorrow 2014 programme, starting at the end of January.

The Law Society has warned that various proposals under consideration by the SRA that would change the way in which solicitors qualify could serve to damage the perception of the United Kingdom as a “global centre of legal excellence”.

Two Welsh universities are to begin providing legal training courses in conjunction with the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx).

A greater level of training for advocates in relation to the questioning of vulnerable witnesses in court is to be introduced in a joint initiative launched by the Bar Council, the Inns of Court, the Law Society, and the CPS.

The Legal Education Foundation is offering 11 training contracts as part of its 2016 Justice First Fellowship scheme, in conjunction with a number of firms.

The Law Society has called on the country's solicitors to promote diversity and equality in the legal profession by marching at the World Pride Parade, which takes place in London on Saturday 7 July 2012.

With just four weeks to go, the levels of furious electioneering continue to rocket upwards. While the big political story today may be Labour’s leaked manifesto, it is the prospect of Brexit and all that means in terms of business and consumer confidence that most concerns UK businesses. Read on for this past week’s related stories and more.

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has authorised BPP Law School’s new Bar Training Course, which is now set to be available from September 2020, replacing the current BPTC.

The National Association of Women Solicitors has voted to join the new Women Lawyers Division of the Law Society, in a move intended to ensure that female lawyers benefit from more unified and influential representation in making the decisions that shape the future of the legal profession.

A long-running pilot scheme trialling a new way for students to qualify as solicitors has come to a close at Nottingham Law School.

In what ways will AI impact the legal profession? For many years, there have been growing concerns that the increasing use and development of AI technology would eventually turf out and replace human lawyers. 

The University of Law (ULaw) has agreed a new partnership with leading firm Muckle LLP, which will see ULaw become the exclusive Solicitors Qualifying Exam training provider for the firm’s future trainees from September 2023. 

Spring may have sprung, but that is no reason to neglect your commitment to self-improvement and progressing your legal career. This week’s selection is a real mixed-bag of commercial stories that should serve to pique your interest in the business world.

Research undertaken jointly by the Judicial Appointments Commission, the Law Society, the Bar Council and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives has found that members perceive nearly all aspects of judicial office as increasingly appealing.

The Welsh government has proposed a new unified and expanded tribunal system: the Appeal Tribunal for Wales. 

The Association of Women Solicitors has criticised the Solicitors Regulation Authority's decision to abolish the minimum salary for trainee solicitors.

Commerciality and business nous: these are prized skills among lawyers and exactly the kind of thing that firms want their trainees to possess (or at least demonstrate the potential to develop). Start working on this part of your brain by reading this week’s collection of economic and business news.