DWF CEO Sir Nigel Knowles says big pay rises are not a solution to legal sector’s recruitment crisis February 14, 2022 Sir Nigel Knowles, the former Co-CEO and co-chairman of DLA Piper, has said that offering young lawyers huge pay rises will not fix the legal sector’s recruitment crisis. In a letter to the Financial Times, Knowles said “offering more and more money to young people is only a sticking plaster” as he argued law firms [...]
Small London law firm seeks to compete with Magic Circle by appointing its own ‘fertility officer’ February 14, 2022 A small family law firm, with offices in Clapham, Hammersmith, and Islington, has become the first UK company to appoint its own “fertility officer,” as it seeks to compete with larger rivals that have begun offering highly expensive fertility benefits. London law firm Burgess Mee has named surrogacy law specialist, Natalie Sutherland, as its first [...]
Squire Patton Boggs ups pay for freshly trained lawyers to £95k a year February 14, 2022 Ohio headquartered law firm Squire Patton Boggs has given newly qualified lawyers in its London offices a £10,000 pay rise after upping their salaries to £95,000. A spokesperson for the firm told City A.M. that Squire Patton Boggs has also given NQ lawyers in its Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham offices a £5,000 pay rise, which [...]
Major recruiter hits back at SRA after watchdog says it will crack down on workplace bullies February 13, 2022 The managing director of a major recruitment company has slammed the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for being out of touch, after the watchdog said law firms should stamp out bullying. The SRA said it plans to crack down on law firms that promote toxic workplace cultures, after releasing new guidance calling on the legal sector [...]
UK legal sector post record turnovers on back of M&A boom February 13, 2022 The UK’s legal sector has posted its largest turnovers ever, on the back of booming demand for legal services, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In 2021, the UK’s law firms generated £41.58bn in revenues, compared to annual turnovers of £36.78bn in 2020, figures from the UK government’s ONS show. The [...]
Inside Farrer & Co – the blue-blooded law firm that serves Britain’s aristocracy February 10, 2022 Throughout its 300-year history, Farrer & Co has gained a reputation for being London’s poshest law firm. First established in 1701, the firm is famous for serving the elite and acting on behalf of Britain’s aristocracy. The London firm also has longstanding links to the Royal Family, and currently acts as the Queen’s go-to lawyers. [...]
Addleshaw Goddard to merge with Irish law firm, in line with fast-paced EU expansion February 10, 2022 London law firm Addleshaw Goddard is set to merge with Dublin headquartered firm Eugene F Collins (EFC), as it pushes forwards with plans for a fast-paced European expansion. Addleshaw’s merger with EFC comes as the London firm’s first expansion into Ireland as it pushes forwards with plans to double in size over the next three [...]
Law Society’s pay gap has gotten wider through Covid as men fill higher paying jobs and take home bigger bonuses February 9, 2022 The Law Society and the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA’s) gender pay gap has widened since the start of the pandemic, according to new figures from the trade body. On average, men were paid 11.5 per cent more than women in 2021, and received 23.2 per cent larger bonuses. By comparison, men only received 10.6 per [...]
Lewis Silkin set to leave its City HQ for £2.5bn Southbank development February 9, 2022 London law firm Lewis Silkin is set to leave its City of London headquarters and move south of the River Thames, as it seeks to sharpen its focus on its media and tech clients. The commercial law firm, which first started operating out of offices on Rye Lane, Peckham in 1950, said it will move [...]
Solicitor suspended for a year after overcharging client with bill for £2.9m February 8, 2022 A solicitor has been banned from practicing for a year and ordered to pay costs amounting to £41,400, after a tribunal said he had tried to overcharge his client after asking more than £2.9m for his services. The tribunal said Nabeel Amer Sheikh had failed to act with “integrity” as it claimed the solicitor had [...]