Cripps and Michelmores end merger talks – Legal Cheek
No deal Less than a month after reports emerged of merger talks, Southern England law firms Cripps and Michelmores have confirmed they will not be joining forces. The deal would…
Legal Cheek
RPC and Wedlake Bell confirm strong summer trainee retention scores – Legal Cheek
89% and 100% RPC and Wedlake Bell have kicked off the summer trainee retention season with impressive results, posting scores of 89% and 100% respectively. Insurance specialist RPC has announced…
SRA unveils changes to SQE appeals and complaints process – Legal Cheek
Aim to improve fairness, says regulator The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has announced changes to its SQE appeals and complaints policies, aiming to improve fairness, transparency, and accessibility for students.…
Solicitor struck off after trying to stop law firm reporting him to SRA – Legal Cheek
‘Troubling mind set’ Credit: Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal A solicitor has been struck off after misleading fellow lawyers over a £650,000 deposit in a multimillion-pound property deal — and then attempting…
City law firm partner moves surge to record levels – Legal Cheek
US outfits driving hiring spree The number of City law firm partners moving to rival firms has hit a record high in the first half of 2025, driven in part…
Ex-Jones Day partner to face tribunal over ‘burn it’ order – Legal Cheek
Found in contempt of court in 2022 A former Jones Day partner is set to face a Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) over allegations that he instructed another individual to destroy…
Monday morning round-up – Legal Cheek
The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend Victims in rape cases can lie in court, says leading barrister (£) British law firm representing Hamas changes…
HFW bumps NQ solicitor pay to £103.5k – Legal Cheek
3.5% rise sees firm join summer salary scramble International law firm HFW has announced an increase in salaries for its newly qualified (NQ) solicitors, effective immediately. The shipping specialists confirmed…
ULaw strikes SQE training deal with Oxford Brookes – Legal Cheek
Partnership will expand to include bar training from September 2026 Oxford Brookes Law School. Image via wikicommons/Donegalscott The University of Law has struck a deal with Oxford Brookes University to…
Freshfields to ‘turbocharge’ future trainees with free tech-focused LLM – Legal Cheek
KCL masters comes with £20k maintenance grant Magic Circle law firm Freshfields has announced a new partnership with King’s College London (KCL) law school, offering future trainees a fully sponsored…
Paul Weiss completes refit of Twitter’s former West End office – Legal Cheek
The vibe is Mayfair hedge fund club privé The fast-expanding London office of US mega firm Paul Weiss has completed its refit of Twitter’s (now X) former London headquarters, releasing…
Barrister fined for drinking alcohol in court car park during break – Legal Cheek
£3k Snaresbrook Crown Court – credit: Cassianto/Wikicommons A barrister has been fined £3,000 by the Bar Tribunals & Adjudication Service after he was reported to be drinking alcohol in his…
HSF Kramer pushes NQ solicitor pay to £145k – Legal Cheek
£10k hike International law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has announced that it has increased the salaries of its newly qualified associates in London to £145,000 — up from £135,000.…
‘I don’t do optimism’: Lord Sumption on why democracy is more fragile than we think – Legal Cheek
Ex-Supreme issues stark warning at sun-soaked festival Lord Sumption: Credit Graham Smith Democracy is under threat and deserves more of our attention, argued former Supreme Court judge Lord Sumption during…
‘About to start my first vac scheme — what are the dos and don’ts? – Legal Cheek
Aspiring solicitor keen to make good first impression In our latest Career Conundrum, an aspiring solicitor wants to know the key dos and don’ts of a summer vacation scheme —…