A range of law firms have announced plans to give their staff bonus payments due to the ongoing cost of living crisis.

The SRA's consultation regarding its proposed changes to the way it regulates the profession has caused the Law Society to comment that the proposals combine "helpful proposals with changes which are concerning for solicitors and consumers".

International law firm Ashurst LLP sets new diversity targets, including the introduction of ethnicity targets in the UK, a global LGBTI+ target and new gender equality targets, to be met by 2026.

Stephenson Harwood and US-headquartered White & Case have revealed their trainee retention rates for the cohort qualifying in Autumn 2016.

Before we go any further, here are a couple of longer articles to sink your teeth into. The first is all about what might be featuring in the global economy in 2016, while the second is an insider’s view of the mysterious Bank of England – both worth your time. As are the following news stories.

It’s the story that just runs and runs; the week was again dominated by what’s been happening in Greece.

Holman Fenwick Willan has launched a Global Lawyers Challenge, the prize for which is a full day at HFW's Paris, Athens or Geneva office over the course of a two-night stay.

As the Investigatory Powers Bill (otherwise known as the snoopers’ charter) continues to be debated in parliament, amendments have been proposed in the House of Lords to ensure that legal professional privilege, which is fundamental to any decent justice system, is protected.

With London’s free legal advice centres closing at the rate of one a month towards the end of 2011, the London Legal Support Trust is planning to hold several events in 2012 to raise funds to prevent further closures throughout the year.

Kaplan has been appointed to run the new Solicitors Qualifying Exam, but students, law firms and academics have still received no information on what the assessment will cost.

Millicent Grant, president of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx), has won this year’s Black Solicitors Network (BSN) Lawyer of the Year accolade at the UK Diversity Legal Awards.

A record number of solicitors and legal colleagues took part in the 20th London Legal Walk, which took place on Tuesday 18 June. Around 18,000 people walked or ran one of the 10k routes, raising more than £900,000 to support frontline free legal advice agencies.

Slater & Gordon, the Australian practice credited as the world’s first listed law firm, has agreed to acquire PI specialists Russell Jones & Walker for £53.8 million in a landmark transaction for the legal world.

What’s different about today? It no ordinary Thursday – it’s Super Thursday! Which means that the Bank of England is making a decision on interest rates, releasing minutes from its most recent policy-setting meeting and publishing its Quarterly Inflation Report. Follow it live on the Guardian’s live business blog. And don’t forget about these other important business-driven stories from the past week.

The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Education have jointly announced that the apprenticeship standards for the Trailblazers in Law initiative have been approved.

Boots is a name in a sea of other employers that are mandating a full-time return to the office, including several law firms all over the country.

The UK Supreme Court has recently made a statement that’ll greatly impact brand owners and is likely to have a ripple effect through the fashion, footwear and sports industries.

Find out about the recruitment process at BLM and what to expect on the firm’s vacation scheme.