One in 10 lawyers under 30 said they have experienced suicidal thoughts as a result of work, a recent International Bar Association survey found, with wellbeing in the legal profession a “global concern”.

Many law firms, in-house legal departments and other organisations including the Government Legal Department have become the founding signatories of the Law Society’s Pro Bono Charter. 

Changes to the solicitors profession’s entry requirements could place less well-off candidates at a disadvantage and damage equality in the legal profession, the Law Society has warned.

Jonathan Smithers, president of the Law Society, said: “Law can be a demanding career. Many of us are drawn to the intellectual challenge and thrive on the high pressure our work entails, but with this high pressure can come stress.”

Harrow Law Centre, set up in 2010, has taken an unusual step and bid for a criminal legal aid contract and, as such, will now be able to offer greater support to its vulnerable clients.

The College of Legal Practice has created a new law conversion course, which will cost £3,250, to be launched from January 2024. 

National law firm Irwin Mitchell LLP has revealed its plans to target 100% renewable energy use in offices over the next three years, and to reach carbon net zero by 2040.

Details of the 22nd UK Pro Bono Week have been revealed, with the focus on bringing legal professionals together to make a sustained impact around three cross-cutting themes.

B Corps are not a new phenomenon. Some of our favourite brands have had B Corp certification for years – does Ben and Jerrys ring a bell?

The Free Representation Unit is a charity that provides individuals with representation that they could not afford otherwise and gives junior lawyers a valuable opportunity to get practical advocacy experience. 

The Free Representation Unit (FRU) is a charity that provides individuals with representation that they couldn’t otherwise afford and gives junior lawyers a valuable opportunity to get practical advocacy experience.

What is the future of divorce proceedings in the United Kingdom?

From associate to partner, Stevens & Bolton LLP’s Sophie Ashcroft reflects on coming out at work, building confidence with clients and why visibility matters in today’s law firms.

Trained on vast datasets, Generative Artificial Intelligence models can produce impressively sophisticated outputs - some of which are perhaps indistinguishable from human-created works. However, these new tools raise significant legal quandaries, particularly for copyright law.

The Law Society of England and Wales has confirmed that a regional solicitor admission ceremony will take place in Leeds on Monday 11 September 2023. 

Fifth Day, a pro bono scheme for non-lawyers in the legal sector, was launched earlier this week – it aims to encourage law firms to offer volunteering opportunities to non-fee earning staff. 

Baroness Hale, deputy president of the Supreme Court, has warned that the growing disconnect between the opportunities to study law and the number of legal jobs available makes it "very hard" for her to encourage young people to seek a legal career.

Following the success of the First 100 Years powered by Spark21, the team behind the initial project has just launched the Next 100 Years, which is dedicated to achieving equality for women in law.