With the summer holidays in full swing for university students, and just beginning for those younger would-be lawyers, now is the perfect time to consider how to spend some time building the foundations for your future career. Alongside all your staycations, of course!

While a number of big firms have begun to recall furloughed staff as coronavirus lockdown measures begin to ease, the year ahead remains uncertain for hundreds of solicitors.

What is private equity?

A new social impact start-up, 30 Minute Chat, aims to break down barriers for aspiring lawyers trying to get into the legal profession by connecting students and paralegals with high-profile lawyers for one-off 30-minute chats.

What are the implications of Hurricane Katrina for the insurance industry?

Just as the media frenzy surrounding Andrew Marr's confession that he took out a superinjunction to supress news of an extramarital affair died down, another storm erupted over a premiership footballer's injunction to supress reports of his alleged extramarital affair with a reality TV star.

Top 50 law firm Birketts LLP has announced it will merge with Batchelors Solicitors, a leading firm based in London and Kent.The merger is set to complete on the 31 March 2023 and is the latest step in Birketts’ growth trajectory.

The University of Law is set to deliver the Legal Practice Course and LLM Legal Practice at the University of Southampton from September 2022.

The Legal Education Foundation (TLEF) is offering 19 trainee solicitor posts at leading social justice organisations across the UK, as part of its early 2022 Justice First Fellowship (JFF) scheme.

The Law Society of England and Wales has embraced the UK’s adoption of the new Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer. This is a milestone in the legal world globally as it signifies the first international treaty with a focus on the safety of lawyers, which was adopted by the Council of Europe in response to increasing reports of attacks on the legal profession.

With the Bar Standards Board having to delay BPTC exams until August, concerns have arisen as to whether students will qualify in time to start pupillage in the autumn.

According to the new report by Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC), “45% of the Young Bar reported a negative impact on their financial situation, higher still at 60% for those working in crime – as court work ceased in 2020, their earnings plummeted.”

It’s hard to keep on top of everything, which is why we summarise the most important and interesting commercial news stories every week. The below stories can be taken at face value, or used as starting points to jump into further research. How could Germany’s economy affect the legal as well as the business world? Where could law firms have been involved in Eat and Patisserie Valerie’s sales? It’s up to you to find out!

LawWorks and Deloitte Legal are inviting solicitors across the profession to participate in a new pro bono service to improve access to justice through technology.

Despite the majority of UK law firms experiencing a rise in revenue this year, a new 2023 benchmarking report from national audit, tax, advisory and risk firm Crowe found that this failed to turn into higher profits amid continued rising costs over the past year. 

Despite talking a good game on diversity issues, the legal profession needs to “be brave and walk our talk” by making diverse workplaces an individual responsibility, according to the findings of the Miranda Brawn Annual Diversity Leadership Conference hosted by The University of Law earlier in October. 

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