The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) annual report has revealed that 56% of candidates passed the January 2024 SQE1 sitting – an increase on the January 2023 sitting (51%). 

Concern over reliance on generative AI has escalated after fake case-law citations were used in an Intellectual Property Office appeal ruling. The litigant in person (LiP) admitted to using ChatGPT to help draft his case, with Phillip Johnson (the appointed person overseeing the appeal) highlighting various mistakes with the LiP’s argument.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is demanding that law firms adhere to transparency rules and display the SRA digital badge on their websites.

A new Bar training course is seeking to replace the Bar Professional Training Course and aims to offer more flexibility and less risk for students, alongside significantly cheaper fees.

The government has defeated an opposition attempt to reverse reforms to the way that criminal defence barristers are paid for legal aid work, with barristers vowing to step up their strike action in response.

Browne Jacobson LLP has partnered with one of the world’s leading virtual work experience platforms Forage to launch a brand-new programme that aims to improve diversity and inclusion within the legal sector.

With all the furore of government in the past few days, we’re going to assume that you’re fully up to speed (or bored to tears) with all things Brexit-related. Treat yourself this festive period by looking a bit further than the B-word to this week’s selection of commercial news stories that might be of interest to you.

MPs have called for employment tribunal fees to be “substantially” reduced after it was found that such fees have badly reduced the public’s access to justice since they were introduced. 

London South Bank University (LSBU), in collaboration with legal education provider BARBRI, is set to introduce Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) preparation into its legal master’s programme.  

Exclusive research has revealed that the majority of law firms feel the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) is failing to prepare aspiring lawyers for legal practice.  

This week has been the tale of two mergers, with supermarkets Sainsbury’s and Asda still campaigning to convince the Competitions and Markets Authority that their planned merger will benefit customers. Meanwhile Disney has closed the deal on 21^st Century Fox for an eyewatering $71 billion, which will see franchises like Deadpool and X-Men coming over to the dark side to join Star Wars and Marvel.

The Law Society has responded to the concerns raised in the legal education and training review, reinforcing its commitment to the traditional route to qualification while simultaneously acknowledging that the LETR should lead to the opening of alternative ways into the profession.

As a part of its efforts to support a sustainable, low carbon economy and reduce emissions by 90%, law firm DWF Group Limited has launched the ‘DWF forest’, in collaboration with carbon market specialists Climate Impact.

A group of City law firms have launched an initiative to give opportunities to less-privileged students and shake off their elitist reputation.

A number of City firms have revealed new ethnicity targets in response to the global Black Lives Matter protests.

Four criminal justice watchdogs have voiced their “grave concerns” about delays in the criminal justice system caused by covid-19.

The Law Society has requested a two-week break for non-custody cases as concerns about the health and safety of court users emerge.