Elizabeth Rimmer, chief executive of charity LawCare, has called for law firm partners and other senior figures to “take responsibility for protecting mental health at work”, following growing concerns about lawyers’ wellbeing.

The shining lights of the student pro bono scene were celebrated on 26 April at the annual LawWorks & Attorney General Student Pro Bono Awards. Held at the House of Commons, the awards are designed to recognise the exceptional work being done by students and their law schools around the UK in the provision of free legal advice and support.

Much of this week has been spent trying to keep a lid on the bubbling excitement associated with this year’s most momentous social event – no, not the royal wedding on Saturday, but the LCN Training & Recruitment Awards, tonight! Even with the inevitable distractions such an occasion provokes, we have kept our eyes on the prize and have been monitoring the business pages, with you in mind. Read our carefully curated selection of interesting news here.

Future-focused law firm Osborne Clarke LLP has selected BPP University Law School as its education provider of the new Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE).

Law on the high street has changed following the Legal Services Act 2007. 

Today is International Women’s Day, undoubtedly a time to celebrate the achievements and fortitude of women everywhere. However, it is also a time to reflect on women’s place in the world of business and law – for example, the number of female CEOs is still woefully low and female partners in law firms remain underrepresented. And dare we mention gender pay parity – not yet a reality, despite legislation requiring it. Gender politics aside, read on for this collection of interesting business news from the past week.

All law firms should pay trainee solicitors a minimum salary of no less than £18,183 outside London and £20,276 in London, the Law Society has stated in a non-binding recommendation.

Accounting giant Deloitte has announced a three-year training contract that incorporates one study day a week for trainees to prepare for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam.

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) will scrap the Bar course aptitude test (BCAT) despite opposition from the Bar Council.

As teachers across the country prepare to welcome back students into the classroom for the first time since March, there are a number of other important updates for you to catch up on in this week’s commercial news round-up.

Reed Smith recently ran a competition asking students from four universities to submit a video on what they thought the law firm of the future would look like.

Magic circle firm Linklaters has adopted the Halo Code – the UK’s first Black hair code, which “explicitly protects employees who come to work with natural hair and protective hairstyles associated with their racial, ethnic, and cultural identities”.

City law firms are considering an additional requirement that candidates will need to gain some “City-specific” training on top of passing the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) when the new ‘super exam’ comes into effect.

The Criminal Bar Association has announced that some of its members will not attend crown courts on the morning of 6 January, the first day of the new court term next year, in protest at the government’s legal aid cuts.

DAC Beachcroft LLP, Hill Dickinson LLP, Mishcon de Reya LLP and Pinsent Masons LLP have each been named as one of the UK’s top 10 family-friendly employers. 

Time to really get to grips with what firms are looking for from their future trainees – we published this feature recently, and among the long list of attributes, commercial awareness is pivotal. It is essential that you take an interest in the world around you and particularly the way in which the law and business sectors intersect. For this week’s selection of topical stories, read on.

City law firms and accountancy firms are updating their application guidelines to consider the use of AI, with some prohibiting the technology and others celebrating it.

The Times recently released its Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality list, with the likes of Addleshaw Goddard, TLT LLP, Linklaters LLP and DWF Group Limited, among other law firms, named on the list.