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. 

CILEX (The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) has appointed leading NHS lawyer Sara Fowler as its 62nd president, and former Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education CEO, Jennifer Coupland, as its new CEO. Fowler began her term on 16 July 2025, succeeding from Foot Anstey LLP partner Yanthé Richardson, while Coupland will replace current CEO Craig Hamer in September.

What impact will the recent changes to the taxation of foreign domiciliaries have on the UK economy?

Who has applied for a new gTLD and why?

Plans to stop McKenzie Friends from being able to recover fees from members of the public following successful court action have received the support of the Law Society and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives.

The University of Law’s ‘100% employability promise’ for 2016, which offers LPC students half their tuition fees back if they are not employed nine months after graduating, has been joined by a further postgraduate course discount – but the offer’s small print has been heavily criticised.

Legal aid lawyers have been called a “dying breed” after research by the Junior Lawyers Division found that only 4% of young lawyers are interested in working in legal aid.

Details of a new postgraduate law conversion course to replace the GDL when the Solicitors Qualifying Exam comes into effect in 2021 have been released by BPP University Law School.

How do you know which type of law firm is the right fit for you? Where you train will influence your career path, as the key practice areas, size and clients of each firm vary. 

What has happened to the Office of Fair Trading and what is the Competition and Markets Authority?

The UK’s legal technology sector attracted a record £188.8 million in investment last year, representing a 35% jump on the previous year, according to LawtechUK’s second Investment Snapshot.

The introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) should be delayed, according to leading law academics, because continuing uncertainty around the new system is making it impossible for students to make informed decisions about the choices available to them.

Taylor Wessing’s UK arm and international firm Winston & Strawn LLP have confirmed that they’re currently in merger discussions. If finalised, the merger could create the latest transatlantic force with over 1,300 lawyers and revenues of around $1.63 billion – placing this new firm within the top 40 in the Global 200.

Hogan Lovells has teamed up with three universities to launch a £150,000 bursary scheme to help law undergraduates through their studies.

A new law firm has been launched entirely dedicated to the protection of animal rights. Advocates for Animals, which is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, plans to work for charities and non-governmental organisations and is already supported by the legal charity, the UK Centre of Animal Law.

Global law firm Reed Smith has launched a new programme, Wellness Works, to support the wellbeing of its employees. 

Olympic rowing gold medallist Katherine Grainger CBE will be joining 6,000 members of the legal profession for next month’s London Legal Walk to raise money for the free legal advice sector.