42BR Barristers and 4 Brick Court to Combine
42BR Barristers will merge with 4 Brick Court this summer, adding 34 of the latter's barristers and their pupils to its existing 60‑member team. The combined set will operate as a single‑site chamber of over 150 members, retaining current clerking arrangements and client relationships. Both groups say the tie‑up strengthens 42BR’s specialist family law offering within its broader common‑law practice. 4 Brick Court’s pupils will continue to receive the £55,000 (≈$70,000) annual award.
‘Will a Gap Year Hurt My Training Contract Chances?’
A non‑law graduate is considering a year off before starting the PGDL and worries the gap could damage future training‑contract applications. Legal Cheek’s Career Conundrums column fielded the query, noting that firms generally assess the relevance of any intervening experience...
Former Magic Circle Trainee Who Built and Sold an AI Business Mid-Training Contract to Deliver LegalEdCon 2026 Keynote
Alexander Kardos‑Nyheim, a former Magic Circle trainee, founded Safe Sign Technologies, an AI startup that built legal‑specific large language models, and sold it to Thomson Reuters before qualifying as a solicitor. He will deliver the closing keynote at LegalEdCon 2026...
Junior Lawyer Development at Risk as AI Takes over Volume Work, Research Warns
New research warns that AI’s takeover of high‑volume legal tasks threatens the traditional apprenticeship model for junior lawyers. By automating document review, due diligence and research, AI removes the repetitive practice that builds critical reasoning. Firms risk pushing trainees into...
Clients Still Expect Lawyers to Dress Smartly, Research Finds
A new Law Firm Marketing Club survey of 642 UK consumers reveals that 52% of clients still expect lawyers to dress in formal attire, while 51% want to see lawyer photos on firm websites. The study also shows strong demand...
How to Secure a Training Contract at a Top Law Firm
Legal Cheek’s podcast hosted by Tom Connelly features future Magic Circle trainee Ryan Scott, who reveals how he secured a training contract at his dream firm. The conversation emphasizes meticulous time‑management during the peak application window and the need for a...
Monday Morning Round-Up
The legal sector saw several headline moves this week, most notably Sunny Mann’s rise from warehouse work to become global chair of Baker McKenzie, a $3.7 bn firm. In the UK, Harrow Court reopened after a three‑year shutdown while white‑collar defence lawyers...
Hogan Lovells Retains 14 of 21 Spring Qualifying Trainees
Hogan Lovells retained 14 of its 21 spring‑qualifying trainees, issuing 16 offers with 14 acceptances, including two on fixed‑term contracts. The firm’s spring retention rate sits at roughly 67%, down from a 67%‑ish autumn figure of 16 of 24. New hires...
Kirkland & Ellis Looks to Lure Rival Firm’s Top Partner with Whopping $80 Million Pay Package
Kirkland & Ellis is reportedly preparing a three‑year, $80 million guaranteed compensation package to lure Joshua Feltman, the head of restructuring and finance at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. The move follows the departure of partner David Nemecek to Simpson Thacher,...
Another Lawfluencer Steps Back From Lawyer Life
Popular lawfluencer Henry Nelson-Case announced he is no longer practicing as a lawyer after more than a decade in the field. He began his career as a paralegal in 2014, qualified as a solicitor in 2018, and shifted to a...
RPC Confirms Location of New City HQ
International law firm RPC announced it will vacate its Tower Bridge House lease and move into a Grade II‑listed warehouse at 10 Devonshire Square. The 67,000 sq ft space spans five floors, includes a private roof terrace, and runs on 100% renewable energy. The location...
The SQE Isn’t Perfect but some of the Criticism Crosses a Line
The National Junior Lawyers Division’s survey found that 80% of SQE candidates deem the route “not fit for purpose,” but the finding rests on a small, self‑selected sample of 476 respondents—about 2% of the over 20,000 candidates who have taken...
The Unofficial Assessment Centre Exercises that Decide Who Get Big Money Training Contracts
Law firms are increasingly using hidden, unofficial assessment exercises—such as receptionist feedback and driver‑reported behavior—to evaluate graduate candidates for high‑pay training contracts. The practice mirrors Duolingo’s “taxi driver test,” where a driver’s observations can veto a hire. Receptionists may swap...
SRA Confirms Sentencing Act 2026 Will Not Feature in April SQE2 Assessments
The Solicitors Regulation Authority confirmed that the Sentencing Act 2026 will not appear in the April 2026 SQE2 assessment because the exam’s legal knowledge cut‑off date is 28 December 2025, while the Act only commenced on 22 March 2026. SQE2, the practical‑skills...
Lawyers Embracing AI but Leaving Clients in the Dark
Clio’s 2026 UK & Ireland Legal Insights Report surveyed over 500 lawyers and 500 members of the public, revealing that 89% of legal professionals now use AI tools, yet only 7% of clients recall being told about AI involvement. While...
Second Batch of Speakers Confirmed for LegalEdCon 2026
LegalCheek announced the second wave of speakers for LegalEdCon 2026, the annual legal education and training conference set for Thursday, May 14 at Kings Place in London. The event, now in its ninth year, will host learning‑and‑development and graduate recruitment...
Greenberg Traurig Boosts London Training Contract Numbers by 50%
Greenberg Traurig announced it will raise its London trainee solicitor intake from eight to twelve positions, a 50% increase, for the 2027 recruitment cycle. The firm’s trainee salary is £55,000 (about $68,750) in the first year, rising to £60,000 (≈$75,000)...
Why You Should Care About Trainee Retention Rates
The Legal Cheek podcast highlights trainee retention rates as a rare hard metric that cuts through glossy recruitment marketing. Hosts Julia Szaniszlo and Tom Connelly explain that high attrition can signal a gap between a firm’s promises and the actual...
Bank Holiday Round-Up
During the UK bank holiday, a series of legal headlines highlighted growing cyber‑security risks, shifting property and entertainment law, and regulatory updates. Jones Day disclosed a hacker breach that accessed client data, while a UK court confirmed Kanye West’s legal...
Weightmans Scoops up Two Firms in London and Leeds
Weightmans, a Liverpool‑based firm with over 1,500 lawyers across ten UK offices, announced mergers with London’s Elborne Mitchell and Leeds‑based Myton Law effective 1 April 2026. Elborne Mitchell adds insurance, employment and commercial expertise, while Myton Law brings a niche focus on...
Just over Half of Students Pass Latest SQE1 Sitting
The Solicitors Regulation Authority reported a 53% overall pass rate for the January 2026 SQE1 exam, up from a record low of 41% in July 2025. First‑time candidates performed better, with a 58% pass rate, while the two component papers...
Exclusive: AI Tool Promises to ‘Streamline’ Law Student Experience
Mens ReAI, an AI‑powered platform for law students, has raised $643 million (≈$712 million) in funding and launched in the UK with free and paid tiers. The free version lets users scan handwritten notes and highlight up to 15 pages, while the...
Monday Morning Round-Up
Legal Cheek’s Monday round‑up bundles a spectrum of legal headlines, from UK lawyers suing over robot name trademarks to Apollo and BlackRock denying any pressure on Kirkland in the Optimum lawsuit. In the United States, Meta and Google face a...
ULaw Strikes SQE Partnership with Leicester Uni
The University of Law (ULaw) has announced a strategic partnership with the University of Leicester to deliver its SQE‑ready LLM Legal Practice programme from September. The new arrangement allows students to study the full‑time LLM covering SQE1 and SQE2, as...
White & Case Employee Claims He Was Photographed Naked While Unconscious at Firm Retreat
White & Case is defending a lawsuit filed by a digital production specialist who alleges he was stripped naked and photographed while unconscious during a 2023 firm retreat in Palm Springs. The employee, identified as John Doe, says he discovered...
Aspiring Judges Given Green Light to Use AI in Job Applications
The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) in England and Wales has released guidance allowing aspiring judges to use AI tools for drafting and polishing self‑assessment materials, provided they retain full responsibility for accuracy. Acceptable uses include grammar checks, structural improvements, theme...
Magistrate Sanctioned for ‘Racially Inappropriate’ WhatsApp Message About Churchill
Magistrate Derek Muhammad received formal advice for misconduct after a private WhatsApp comment about Winston Churchill was deemed racially inappropriate. Muhammad argued the remark critiqued colonial exploitation, not racial animus. The South‑East Conduct Advisory Committee concluded the comment could be...
Former Knights Paralegal Barred for Stalking
Senior paralegal Gemma Clarke, formerly of Knights, was barred by the Solicitors Regulation Authority after convictions for two stalking offences and criminal damage valued under £5,000 (≈$6,250). The convictions occurred on May 1 and September 16, 2024, and the SRA cited breaches of...
Lawfluencer Announces Departure From City Law After Finishing Training Contract
Vera Mayzel, a legal influencer with nearly 40,000 followers, announced on Instagram that she is leaving her newly‑qualified solicitor role at Hogan Lovells. After completing a training contract and qualifying in February 2026, she said she is stepping back from Big Law...
Bakers Keep 17 Out of 20 Newly Qualifying Trainees
London‑based Baker McKenzie reported that 17 of its 20 newly qualified associates will stay, delivering an 85% retention rate for the 2026 cohort. One of the retained lawyers is on a fixed‑term contract, which slightly alters the calculation to 80%...
The SQE Was Meant to Improve Things — so Why Is It Still so Controversial?
The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), launched in 2021 to replace the LPC and broaden access to the legal profession, has become mired in controversy. Recent data show a record‑low 41% overall pass rate and high‑profile administrative blunders, including a grading...
Monday Morning Round-Up
Legal Cheek’s Monday round‑up bundles a mix of high‑profile legal stories, from a judge anonymously trolling a female barrister to Anthropic’s general counsel warning that generative AI could render the traditional billable‑hour model obsolete. The piece also notes the resignation...
Simpson Thacher Deadline Blunder Leaves Major Client Facing Merger Block
US law firm Simpson Thacher missed Aramark’s filing deadline by one day, causing the Competition Appeal Tribunal to reject the appeal against the CMA’s order to unwind its acquisition of Entier. The tribunal held that the deadline was 5 pm Thursday...
Ropes & Gray Raises London NQ Pay to £170k
Ropes & Gray has increased its newly qualified solicitor salary in London to £170,000, a 3% rise from the previous £165,000 level. The uplift, effective 1 January 2026, places the US‑based firm ahead of the Magic Circle, whose NQ pay sits at...
Solicitor Convicted of Stalking Legal Blogger Receives Community Order
A 63‑year‑old solicitor, Andrew Jonathan Milne, was convicted of stalking after sending roughly 124 harassing emails, voicemails and a birthday gift to legal blogger Daniel Cloake. The magistrates’ court imposed a 24‑month community order, 300 hours of unpaid work and...
Government Launches Legal Advice Service for Rape Victims
The UK government announced a new Independent Legal Advisor (ILA) service for rape victims, providing specialist legal advice throughout the criminal justice process. The scheme is funded with £6 million over two years and will help victims understand their rights and...
US Lawyers Work Harder than UK Lawyers, Claims Top US Lawyer
John Quinn, founder of litigation‑focused firm Quinn Emanuel, told The Times that U.S. lawyers typically log longer hours than their U.K. counterparts. Legal Cheek research shows junior lawyers at U.S. firms in London work an average 13‑hour day, often leaving...
Kennedys Fined £18k After Client Account Used as ‘Banking Facility’
International law firm Kennedys was fined £18,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority after its client account was used as a banking facility in a commercial property transaction between 2016 and 2018. The SRA found that payments were made from the...
What Employment Lawyers Actually Do
The Legal Cheek podcast episode featuring Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott dives into the breadth of employment law practice, from handling unfair dismissal claims to advising on corporate transactions such as due diligence, TUPE and workforce restructuring. The hosts outline...
Departing Clifford Chance Lawyer Takes Swipe at Magic Circle Firm with ‘Commemorative’ Mugs
A senior associate who spent more than two decades at Clifford Chance left the firm with a parting gesture: a set of mugs emblazoned with a critique of the firm’s “up‑or‑out” promotion model. In her farewell email she called for...
SRA Requires Students to Disclose SQE Prep to Access Results
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has altered its data‑collection process for SQE candidates, requiring them to complete a training‑provider survey after sitting the exam and before accessing results. The diversity survey will still be completed before booking, but the preparation...
International Law Firms in the Gulf on High Alert After Weekend Missile Strikes
Missile strikes across the Gulf triggered security alerts for international law firms. Firms like Baker McKenzie and White & Case ordered remote work per local guidance. The incidents disrupted air travel and prompted UK travel advisories. Expansion plans in the...
Build Better Client Relationships and Win a House Deposit, Shoosmiths Tells Lawyers
Shoosmiths has launched a firm‑wide challenge urging lawyers and staff to devise measurable ways to improve client relationships. The top performer will win either a £25,000 house‑deposit contribution or a brand‑new car, with the winner announced in April. Smaller quarterly...
OpenAI Bans ChatGPT Accounts Linked to Fake Law Firms and Lawyers
OpenAI has disabled several ChatGPT accounts it identified as part of a coordinated fraud operation called “False Witness.” The scheme involved fake law firms and impersonated lawyers using the model to craft persuasive legal‑sounding messages, create bogus profiles, and steer...
Investment in UK Legal Tech Soars to Record High, Report Finds
The UK legal‑tech sector secured a record £188.8 million in 2025, a 35% increase over the prior year, according to LawtechUK’s Investment Snapshot. Twenty home‑grown firms raised £42 million in the second half of the year, with an average raise of £2.1 million,...
Latest SQE2 Pass Rate Hits 78%
The Solicitors Regulation Authority reported a 78% overall pass rate for the October 2025 SQE2 sitting, the highest to date and a two‑point increase from the previous July/August exam. A total of 1,342 candidates sat the assessment, with first‑time takers...
Clifford Chance Retains 76% of Spring Qualifying Trainees
Clifford Chance announced that 38 of its 50 spring‑seat trainees have accepted newly qualified positions, delivering a 76% retention rate. The firm received 47 applications for NQ roles, extended 39 offers and saw 38 accepted. Clifford Chance recruits up to...
SQE Students Must Apply for Reasonable Adjustments Earlier Under New Rules
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has revised its reasonable adjustments policy for SQE candidates, requiring applicants to submit adjustment requests and finalize plans before the seat reservation deadline. The change, first applied to October SQE2 bookings, aims to align the process...
What Does a Corporate Lawyer Actually Do?
The Legal Cheek podcast delves into the day‑to‑day reality of corporate lawyers, highlighting their role in negotiating deal terms, drafting agreements, and conducting due‑diligence. Hosts Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott discuss the massive document reviews trainees face under tight deadlines....
Monday Morning Round-Up
Legal Cheek’s Monday round‑up highlights a flurry of UK and international legal headlines, from Prime Minister Rishi Starmer’s push to fast‑track judge‑only trials ahead of a potential leadership challenge, to US law firms being accused of overwhelming British courts. The briefing also...