‘My 10 point plan for SQE reform’ – Legal Cheek
Thom Brooks, professor of law and government at Durham University, puts forward his recommendations for overhauling the SQE Thom Brooks speaking at LegalEdCon 2025 Legal Cheek invited me to speak…
Legal Cheek
Bird & Bird bumps NQ solicitor pay to £102k – Legal Cheek
Rise of just over 4% City law firm Bird & Bird will increase salaries for its newly qualified (NQ) solicitors from September. The outfit confirmed rates for its new associates…
Monday morning round-up – Legal Cheek
The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend Court backlog ‘main issue’ hampering justice, says police chief Judges to rule on Palestinian group’s legal action over…
Solicitor given suspended sentence for pothole fraud – Legal Cheek
Legal background aggravating factor A personal injury lawyer who falsely claimed his vehicle was damaged by potholes for insurance payouts, twice, has been found guilty of fraud following a local…
Regulator flags areas of improvement for College of Legal Practice – Legal Cheek
Report finds virtual law school meets standards in five key areas but falls short in two The higher education regulator has identified several areas where the College of Legal Practice…
‘Significant decline’ in pupils willing to recommend career at the bar – Legal Cheek
Lack of work-life balance A new report has found fewer pupil barristers are willing to recommend pupillage, citing increased stress levels as a major concern. Only a third of pupils…
Aspiring lawyer wins right to sue Clyde & Co over alleged discrimination after TC rejections – Legal Cheek
Law grad claims she was unfairly denied remote assessment An aspiring lawyer has been given the go-ahead to pursue legal action against Clyde & Co over alleged discrimination after being…
Judge warns of embargo breach after claimant’s husband sent draft judgment – Legal Cheek
‘Unidentified glitch’ A High Court judge has issued a stern warning to solicitors after their client breached a court embargo by sending a confidential draft judgment to her husband. Three…
Shoosmiths partner profits soar 30% as firm awards £3.5 million in staff bonuses – Legal Cheek
Strong financial year Partners at the national law firm Shoosmiths have seen their profits surge by almost a third in the 2024-25 financial year, surpassing the £1 million mark for…
Aspiring barrister’s ‘ever expanding spiral’ ends in paralegal role – Legal Cheek
Unconventional job hunt pays off An aspiring barrister who set out on foot in an “ever expanding spiral” from his home in search of legal work has now landed a…
Personal injury solicitor struck off for diverting client damages to wife-linked rehab business – Legal Cheek
Faked invoices and correspondence A personal injury solicitor who diverted a portion of his client’s settlement payment into a rehabilitation company connected with his wife, creating false documentation in order…
‘We rather like hanging around law libraries’: Top judges reveal their attitudes towards AI – Legal Cheek
Human input remains crucial A new report has shed light on senior judges’ views on AI, highlighting both the areas of their work that could benefit from the technology and…
Monday morning round-up – Legal Cheek
The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend ‘Kirklandisation’ of Big Law pushes firms to launch salaried partnerships (£) Assisted dying bill: What happens next? My…
‘Help! My supervisor has completely checked out’ – Legal Cheek
Trainee worries it may jeopardise NQ role In our latest Career Conundrum, a current trainee solicitor worries that their disinterested supervisor might harm their chances of landing their preferred NQ…
The best social media posts of the week – Legal Cheek
A round-up of online musings, memes and more Contract law is simple: Contract law is simple: Termination for cause = “If I fuck up, you can kick me out.” Termination…