The LawCareersNetLIVE conferences, sponsored by The University of Law, are a golden opportunity for students to network with international, City and national firms; gain insights into firms’ key practice areas; and benefit from expert application advice direct from recruiters.

A number of firms' work placement schemes have been shortlisted for the annual National Council for Work Experience Awards.

At LCN we usually focus on UK legal matters, but the unprecedented events involving hundreds of US lawyers and several principled judges in the United States over the weekend are of such global importance to those who value the law and legal process that we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t report them and compile some useful links for the aspiring legal practitioners who comprise our readers.

We’ve reached the time of year again when many law students are in the midst of training contract applications. As daunting as this process may be, here are a few tricks that may help you stand out from the crowd.

Bristol - the UK’s most environmentally friendly city, the world’s leading producer of hot air balloons and the place I call home during term-time.

I've pulled together three top tips to help you tackle those January blues and stay upbeat in the coming months… after all, its nearly summer.

The Next 100 Years, a project founded by Dana Denis-Smith, has launched a new £100,000 scholarship campaign, Paving the Way, “to give the next generation of game changers help on the first step of their journey into a legal career”.

A third increase will be applied to the fees associated with the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) assessments from September 2025, taking the costs to £1,934 for SQE1 and £2,974 for SQE2. 

Linklaters has launched a tailored training contract for Mandarin speakers whereby candidates are trained in London before moving to practise in China upon qualification.

Shoosmiths has unveiled Project Apollo, a self-developed generative AI contract review platform built with support from Microsoft and trained on the firm's legal know-how. 

Economic data tells a story of unparalleled and strident expansion for legal services. These figures are not only impressive, but also thought provoking: could there be a limit to this legal growth in a well-functioning economy?

Magic circle law firm Linklaters has launched a bespoke A-level tutoring programme – Making Links Discovery – with two pillars, one aimed at advancing social mobility and the other on improving racial and ethnic diversity within the profession.

Mark Evans has been inaugurated as the 181st president of the Law Society of England and Wales. He has pledged to champion all aspiring solicitors, noting that “there are still significant challenges for prospective solicitors, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds”.

Long since labelled a ‘male-dominated industry’, the legal profession is having its gendered division challenged by women solicitors joining at three times the rate of men.

Research published by the Law Society shows that although proposed changes to the legal aid financial eligibility test are positive, the impact of the cost of living crisis and rises in inflation will continue affecting those using legal aid in the justice system.

The College of Law and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives have teamed up to deliver a 'one-stop shop' for the legal profession's training requirements.

Both Kennedys and Browne Jacobson have recently welcomed their first batch of legal apprentices, reflecting a trend that is fast gathering momentum.

The City Consortium, which includes Freshfields and Linklaters, will provide ‘top-up courses’ for future trainees taking the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) to ensure candidates are prepared to commence training contracts within a City practice.