This week’s best economic news is that the year-long squeeze on wages is nearing an end, at least according to the Office of National Statistics, which has released figures showing that people’s pay is now catching up to inflation. However, reports from elsewhere in the world show that the global economic situation remains precarious.

Applications are now open for LawCareers.Net’s legal careers conferences, LawCareersNetLIVE sponsored by The University of Law, taking place in November and December later this year.

The Attorney General’s Pro Bono Committee has published its 2025 Pro Bono Recognition List, which highlighted the work of 4,780 lawyers. Now in its second year, the list celebrates lawyers who have given 25 or more hours of pro bono legal assistance over the previous calendar year.

Our recent commercial awareness case study video uses the PESTLE technique (Political Economical Social Technological Legal Environmental) to analyse the implications of the recent Flybe government bailout. 

Here’s our last round-up of 2023, covering plans to tackle spiking, a possible merger, Swiss business and 2023 awards. We’ve got it all, especially for you. 

The government’s attempt to introduce a discriminatory residence test for legal aid claimants, which sought to limit the availability of services for people born outside the United Kingdom, but living here for "one year or more", has been unanimously thrown out by the Supreme Court.

The Bar Standards Board has published its latest annual business plan, setting out what the regulator will be doing over the next year to meet its strategic aims.

The Law Society has outlined the priorities that it will pursue in its drive to ensure that the solicitors’ profession is supported during and after the government’s Brexit negotiations.

LawWorks has announced the winners of the 18th LawWorks and Attorney General’s Student Pro Bono Awards, sponsored by LexisNexis. The awards celebrate the best pro bono activities undertaken by students and law schools.

Professors Jonathan Choi and Daniel Schwarcz conducted a study using GPT-4 to examine the effect of using AI on student’s work. The study found that the results of low performing students improved by 45% when using AI, while higher performing students were affected negatively by the use of AI.

The University of Law has announced an exciting partnership with Themis Bar Review to offer a Themis Global Advantage programme, which has been designed for University of Law students and alumni who want to sit the Uniform Bar Exam in New York.

The BBC has opened applications for its 2023 solicitor graduate apprenticeship scheme which will enable four graduates to work in the BBC’s legal team to qualify as a solicitor through the Solicitors Qualifying Exam route.

Growing firm Fletchers Group appears to be going against the grain by moving towards the partnership model while other firms seem to be doing the opposite. 

A merger has been announced between US law firm Perkins Coie and British silver circle firm Ashurst LLP, establishing a transatlantic union that’s expected to generate more than £2 billion revenue and will result in a combined total of 3,000 lawyers across 52 offices in 23 countries.

Clifford Chance has launched a new range of diversity and inclusion targets around gender, ethnicity and LGBT+.

After announcing that the opening date of the Pupillage Gateway application system would be moved from April to January from 2016 onwards, the Bar Council has now U-turned to say that the current timetable will remain in place (with applications being made in April and offers being sent out in August) until further notice.

The government plans to build 14 new Nightingale courts to tackle outstanding court cases caused by the pandemic, according to a statement from Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland.