Shoosmiths’ summer vacation scheme, which was due to take place in June, has been cancelled in light of recent government advice. 

The all-time high in the current backlog of crown court cases is likely to have a disproportionate impact on children and young people from ethnic minority backgrounds, the House of Lords constitution committee has found.

More flexible and innovative ways to qualify as a barrister could be enabled by the introduction of a professional statement defining what a newly-qualified barrister should be able to do from "day one", the Bar Standards Board has said.

New research has revealed that City law firms are hiring at a rapid rate, with a 14% annual rise in vacancies recorded in the capital.

There has been a sharp rise in the number of trainees being paid less than the Law Society’s recommended minimum salary, according to a new survey. 

This week’s round-up from the business world covers almost as many stories as there are candidates competing to be chosen as the next prime minister by Conservative MPs and 124,000 or so party members.

The post-New Year fog may not have quite lifted yet, but one startling fact should serve to wake you up – deemed ‘Fat cat Thursday’, by lunchtime today the chief executives of top British companies will have made more money than the average UK worker will earn in the entire year. A depressing state of affairs, by anyone’s standards. For more financial and business news that you should be alert to, read on.

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

A joint campaign launched by The Law Society, the Solicitors Regulation Authority, LawCare and other solicitor charities aims to promote the help available to solicitors dealing with personal challenges.

Both the Law Society and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives welcomed new presidents to their organisations last week.

The Legal Action Group has established a commission to examine the consequences of cuts to the legal aid budget and suggest solutions to ensure access to justice for all members of the public.

Premier international law firm Milbank LLP has launched a new training pathway – leveraged finance track – for candidates with “a clear and committed interest in leveraged finance”. 

The president of the Law Society, Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, has given evidence to the Justice Select Committee of MPs setting out the disastrous consequences that would result from the government’s plans to further cut legal aid.

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

Pass rates for the Legal Practice Course vary from 100% at two universities to just 37% at the lowest performing provider, according to the latest statistics gathered by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

The University of Law and the American Bar Association are holding an International Legal Education Summit at ULaw’s London Moorgate centre on Saturday 19 October.

Herbert Smith Freehills and The Times are running their annual student advocacy competition, with submissions due by 22 July 2013.

MyLCN is an essential companion in your search for a training contract or pupillage.

The value of the planned new Solicitors Qualifying Examination which all solicitors would have to pass in order to qualify has been questioned in the House of Lords.