Short and sweet this week; a handful of interesting business-driven news stories that you should know at least a bit about. Read on for more: 

Earlier this month the Conveyancing Association (CA) announced the launch of its new Paralegal Course, provided via its online training portal, The Conveyancing Academy. The course has been designed to provide delegates with a basic knowledge of property law and the procedures associated with straightforward conveyancing transactions.

The News of the World saga continues, with an announcement that Lord Justice Leveson will conduct the hacking inquiry in the Royal Courts of Justice.

Hill Dickinson has launched the recruitment drive for its third annual intake of legal apprentices.

Innovative UK top 20 firm DWF has launched in the French legal services market for the first time through a merger with boutique Paris firm Heenan Paris. 

There’s only one story in town today and no prizes for guessing what that is – first, if you haven’t voted already, please do! 

Lawyers and litigants have been told to address judges in court or at hearings simply as ‘judge’, instead of ‘sir’ or ‘madam’ as part of new guidance.

The latest round of partner promotions at City firms indicates some progress toward greater gender equality at the top, with women making up a higher number of newly promoted partners than in previous years.

Five refugees are due to sit the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) in September with the support of magic circle firm Linklaters.

A recent report commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has shown the wide variety of education and training processes used across the legal profession.

The Times and City law firm Herbert Smith Freehills have announced the topic for their annual student advocacy competition.

The Bar Council has this week hosted the second Bar Placement Week in Leeds and Manchester, following the scheme’s success in 2014.

The House of Commons Justice Committee has summoned justice secretary Chris Grayling to examine the government's proposed cuts to legal aid for a second time.

The Association of Graduate Recruiters has recently published its bi-annual survey, suggesting graduate job vacancies will rise by 17% this summer.

The time has come for me to leave LCN blogging. It has been an absolutely fantastic experience and a career-building opportunity. Here are my final thoughts for all potential and current law students.

For ease, here are some of the latest legal developments in the NoTW hacking story.

There were 238 more barristers in 2023/24 compared to 2022/23, according to data from the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) annual report. This takes the total number of BSB-regulated barristers to 17,656.

Mills & Reeve has been named as one of 100 Best Mid-Sized Companies to Work For in The Sunday Times’ annual analysis of workplace engagement and satisfaction in the United Kingdom.

The government’s ban on prisoners being sent books has been ruled unlawful by the High Court.

Recently merged Womble Bond Dickinson has taken on five new legal apprentices in its Plymouth office. The apprentices will work in the firm’s corporate and commercial, real estate and dispute resolution teams.