The chairperson of the Criminal Bar Association, Nigel Lithman QC, has voiced his opposition to the government’s Quality Assurance Standards for Advocacy scheme, as well as its plans to cut 30% of all legal aid fees.

A new online find-a-barrister service for businesses and members of the public has been launched.

Paralegals will regulated for the first time through a voluntary scheme which it is hoped will prove their credentials to wary employers and members of the public.

At the recent CILEx awards, honouring excellence in study, practice and practical training, Bond Dickinson won the award for CILEx Employer of the Year Award in relation to its apprenticeship programme.

Pro bono legal assistance provided by Eversheds has saved children's charity, the Lane End Farm Trust, from closure.

Nabarro LLP, Simmons & Simmons and Slater & Gordon have been singled out for praise at the National Council for Work Experience Awards 2013, marking them out as some of the UK's best internship providers.

Solicitors representing young people in the youth courts are to receive specialist support from the Solicitors Regulation Authority to help them meet the needs of their young clients. 

The government’s £1 billion courts modernisation project will be probed again by MPs, it was announced yesterday.

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) has launched its inaugural National Awards to celebrate the best and the brightest among its members. Among other things, the awards will recognise those who have promoted access to the profession, shown leadership, and championed diversity and inclusion.

A survey has found that the proportion of trainees who stay with their firms after qualifying has recovered to 80% in 2011, marking a 5% increase on the figures from 2009 and 2010.

The London office of US firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has launched a training contract programme and vacation scheme, with a view to its first trainees starting in September 2015.

Founded in 2011, PRIME now has 61 firms involved, 27 partner organisations and has given out more than 12,000 weeks of work experience.

Pupil barristers will have access to virtual criminal hearings to help them develop their advocacy skills, as part of an observation scheme created by the South Eastern Circuit.

The London Borough of Hillingdon has appointed four school leavers as legal assistant apprentices in its legal services department.

People in need of legal services are now able to find regulated paralegals on the Professional Paralegal Register, which was launched on 6 July.

Crime barristers will take action on their own against unreasonable hours and overnight working if the judiciary fails to heed their concerns, the chair of the Criminal Bar Association has warned.

Only 20% of barristers nominated for the honorary QC title between 2010 and 2012 were women, with 62 of the 81 people put forward in that time being men.

Several firms have moved to defend themselves from accusations that their gender pay gap reporting has been rendered meaningless because the reports exclude data on partners.

After missing the official start date of 6 October 2011, the SRA will be ready to begin accepting licensing applications for alternative business structures from 3 January 2012.