Criminal legal aid fees are set to increase by the end of September, as the government revealed plans to “lay a statutory instrument in parliament before 21 July, to begin the process of implementing increases to fees”. 

Three international law firms have teamed up with City University London to offer LLM students the chance to apply for three high-quality internships.

The Bar Standards Board has announced how it intends to eliminate the discrimination, harassment and unfair treatment experienced by women barristers, just as news has emerged that of the top 100 highest-earning criminal defence barristers, only four are women.

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.

LPC students at BPP Law School can now choose a fast-track option allowing them to complete the course in seven months rather than the traditional nine.

Despite pressure from students, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) will not reinstate spring Bar Professional Training Course exams. The regulator said it would be impossible to create a “suitable, secure alternative” to in-person assessments by April.

The annual celebration of pro bono achievement went ahead in a ceremony on 5 December, organised by LawWorks, hosted by Allen & Overy, and sponsored by the Law Society and LexisNexis. 

The number of freelance solicitors has doubled over the past three years, from around 300 in 2021 to 650 at the beginning of 2024, according to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). However, freelance solicitors still make up less than 1% of practising solicitors.

The daily commute into the office often ensures that I have at least 30 minutes (subject to train delays) to organise my week, plan my upcoming events and educate myself further so that I can excel in the coming weeks.

As we prepare for our student careers conference LawCareersNetLIVE in London tomorrow, you might like to watch the partner panel discussion on the day which is being broadcasted live on Facebook. 

The Bar Council has revealed that women and Black employed barristers are most likely to have experienced bullying, harassment or discrimination at work.

Browne Jacobson LLP recently launched its innovative mentoring programme REACH (Race, Equality and Cultural Heritage), which is aimed at aspiring Black lawyers.

LawCare has extended its online chat service for legal professionals to four days a week from today, Tuesday 10 May 2022. 

The government is in consultations to cut a further £220 million from criminal legal aid despite widespread opposition across the legal profession.

Kennedys solicitor apprentice Tegan Johnson has been named as one of BPP’s apprentices of the year on the BPP website. Tegan was awarded ‘Apprentice of the Year - Level 5+’.

Larger law firms are more advanced in their integration and promotion of AI within their services compared to mid-tier firms, according to research from Thomson Reuters.

Apprentices are being let down by their quality of training, says a report published yesterday by Parliament’s education committee which also claims that too many people, particularly the disadvantaged, are not being supported to pursue an apprenticeship.

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives has applied for the right to grant independent practice rights in litigation, advocacy, immigration, probate and conveyancing to chartered legal executives.

Proposed new anti-terrorism laws could deny basic legal rights by allowing police to question suspects before they can access a solicitor, the Law Society has warned.