Former competition lawyer Mia Forbes Pirie has been named UK Independent Mediator 2021 by Corporate International.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has approved alternative business structure licences for the AA and over-50s specialist Saga.

CILEx president Nick Hanning has urged Justice Secretary Chris Grayling to make further concessions to his controversial plans to change legal aid, following a partial U-turn on the government’s proposal to deny legal aid recipients the right to choose a lawyer.

A US law firm which only acts for companies in the cannabis industry is set to launch a UK office, in a move which is bound to put some anti-marijuana campaigners’ noses out of joint.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has called for itself to be made fully independent from the Law Society as part of the governance review being carried out by the legal profession’s super-regulator, the Legal Services Board.  

The SRA will be making unannounced visits to 100 "randomly selected" law firms in order to assess their compliance with diversity reporting requirements, it was announced at the Law Society Firms Diversity Forum meeting in September.

The second Law Society free public debate of 2012 will focus on intellectual property and ambush marketing, which are both hot topics this year as a result of the European football championships (Euro 2012) and the impending London Olympic Games.

A new skills and training initiative for the legal profession has made over 100 paralegal apprenticeships available across nine law firms in the Greater Manchester area.

Magic circle firm Linklaters LLP has announced redundancies across all three of its China offices, reducing staff by 15%.  

Manchester law firm Croftons has created an iPhone app designed to help claimants gather accurate evidence and information at the scene of an accident at work or on the road which could result in a personal injury claim.

How might blockchain influence real estate transactions?

This week’s round-up takes a deep dive into what the future may look like. We look at discriminatory laws against women, air quality worldwide and the future of Wales under the first Black leader in Europe. Plus, we cover NHS wait times and the lives lost as a result. This week’s stories highlight some of the most pressing issues in the world right now, so settle in for an important read. 

How will the legal system be affected by LASPO?

I recently started my ‘Practical Legal Research and Writing’ module on the LPC and after weeks of covering the core modules based around substantive law, I was looking forward to changing tack and learning some skills. I am fast learning that skills are harder than they seem! 

During this time of year, the cold season sets in, hats and gloves come out, and most importantly for aspiring lawyers, deadlines for applications fall due. And with applications can come rejections. Some enjoy the rush of adrenaline as each CV is submitted, but I think the majority initially find the application process daunting and any rejections destabilising at best. 

So, you’ve finished law school, secured your training contract or paralegal position and you’re ready for your first day in your new role but then you get hit with another obstacle – one that you never saw coming… I’m talking about time recording, of course!

As many of you may already know, AI is making big waves in almost every sector, from healthcare to entertainment. But while AI has the potential to unlock incredible innovations, it’s also raising some serious concerns about copyright law and the future of creators’ rights.

Justice is absolute. But the law is a heady mix of acceptable compromise, injustice, corruption and politics – whatever makes the wheels run smoother. This is one of the key themes of Criminal Justice, BBC’s impressive five-part drama.

Law firms and their staff have been putting in extraordinary efforts to support their local communities during the coronavirus pandemic, according to reports.