Solicitors in magistrates' courts and police stations across the country began refusing new legal aid cases yesterday, in protest at the government’s latest 8.75% cuts to legal aid fees.

Barbara Mills KC has been elected as vice chair of the Bar Council 2024. 

Discouragement from senior colleagues is worsening an “unprecedented recruitment crisis” as high numbers of junior barristers continue to leave criminal practice, the chair of the Criminal Bar Association has said.

Axiom Ince has been shut down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) following allegations of financial misappropriation – a closure that could end up being the most expensive SRA intervention in history.

International firm Norton Rose Fulbright is set to significantly expand its Newcastle legal support hub. 

Employment tribunal backlogs are continuing to spiral at an alarming rate, according to new figures, with the number of open cases hitting 491,000 at the end of March 2025 – up 11% from March 2023 (444,000).

Big news just in: in order for the infamous Article 50 to be activated and Brexit to occur, the High Court has ruled that it is not a decision for the government alone to make and that a parliamentary vote must be held. The government is expected to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court – watch this space. For other news of note, read on.

As you might expect, the potential Brexit has dominated news headlines following confirmation that there will be a referendum in June on whether Britain will be staying in the European Union. Implications for businesses of all sizes is one of the key features of the debate - here is just a small selection of this week’s Brexit (and other) stories:

Serious interventions are needed to improve diversity in the overwhelmingly white, male and privileged judiciary of England and Wales, a human rights group has said after reporting that the country’s judges are among the least diverse of a host of developed nations.

Freshfields wishes to distance itself from its ‘magic circle’ tag, the firm’s global managing partner has said. 

As we are just weeks away from the EU referendum, the campaigning on both sides is reaching fever pitch, with one of the most hotly contested areas of debate the economic implications of in or out. 

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

Another week, another spurious claim to a day being “super” – and today is “Retail Super Thursday”, so named because it combines revelations about Christmas sales figures at loads of big-name UK retailers. The Guardian is providing live updates, including from M&S, John Lewis, Tesco and JD Sports. In other titillating business news...

Leading regional firm Coffin Mew has completed its merger with Charles Lucas & Marshall. 

Research and writing skills tests could no longer be included in stage one of the new Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), with the Solicitors Regulation Authority suggesting that law firms could instead pay for potential trainees to take these tests separately.

Thomas Egger is set to continue its legal apprenticeship programme with a new hire after its first apprentice successfully progressed to the role of trainee legal executive.

As the country emerges from Storm Imogen to find itself bathed in glorious sunshine, the day feels full of possibility – why not harness that energy to improve your understanding of the commercial world? 

Mega firm A&O Shearman has released guidance for students on the use of AI in training contract and vacation scheme applications.

Herbert Smith Freehills has launched its first ever Community Engagement Awards, designed to showcase the best social projects led by students in India.