City firms mandate phone and face-to-face comms bootcamps for Gen Z lawyers Legal City Law firms are rolling out mandatory programmes to train their junior lawyers in communication skills, including how to speak on the phone and deal with clients in person. Addleshaw Goddard’s ‘early careers’ team introduced a training programme after identifying that some early-career lawyers “may have had limited exposure to a professional services environment and [...]
Trainees ‘exploiting’ aspiring lawyers by monetising advice on social media Legal Trainee lawyers are taking to social media to monetise their “advice” and offer “mentorship” to aspiring candidates looking to land training contracts and apprenticeships, sparking backlash from industry veterans who claim the practice is exploitative. Paul Leamy, a solicitor at Temple Bright and former Winston Taylor partner of ten years, told City AM there is [...]
Watchdog takes aim at lawyers blaming juniors for AI blunders Legal The legal watchdog has called out lawyers responsible for supervising junior staff when false AI-generated citations are put forward to the courts, as senior lawyers “remain accountable” for juniors. The Solicitors Regulation Authority, the legal regulator for over 200,000 English and Welsh solicitors, said in a warning notice issued on Monday that those in charge [...]
Top court ‘opens the floodgates’ for part-time workers’ claims August 12, 2026 The Supreme Court “may have opened the floodgates to a large number of potential claims against employers” after ruling that part-time workers claiming discrimination do not need to prove their part-time status was the “sole reason” for less favourable treatment. The case was brought by Warren Augustine, a part-time private hire driver for Data Cars, [...]
Boozy lunches still on the menu: Law firms bankroll juniors to schmooze clients in the City July 31, 2026 The long lunch, a cornerstone for corporate workers wooing clients in the City, has been considered to be on the decline with the rise of hybrid working, stretched budgets, and a new cohort of young professionals opting for alcohol-free options. But at law firms, this tradition is not off the menu; instead, it is being [...]
Mishcon de Reya hikes junior lawyer salaries to £110,000 July 23, 2026 Top City law firm Mishcon de Reya has upped its salaries to £110,000 for its incoming cohort of junior lawyers as the pay war continues to intensify. The firm, known for its high-profile disputes, has upped its newly-qualified salaries by 10 per cent, effective from September, while also increasing the salaries of first-year trainees to [...]
Luminance’s boss: Why building our own AI beats ‘rented intelligence’ June 25, 2026 Amid a surge of legal AI tech firms coming to market, concerns are emerging about ‘rented intelligence,’ with some companies criticised for simply putting their logos on technology developed by others. In contrast, Luminance insists it is focused on the bigger picture, betting its future on AI models it has built in-house. Speaking to City [...]
‘Streets ahead’ – London aims to wear the legal AI crown June 25, 2026 New York may have the money, but London is trying to claim the ‘global capital of legal AI’ crown, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. In the midst of a brutal transatlantic talent war, where US firms are driving salaries through the roof and aggressively poaching top talent across the City, London has quietly secured a major strategic [...]
Social media ban may push children to ‘darker corners of the internet,’ lawyers warn June 15, 2026 Sir Kier Starmer’s announcement to ban social media for under-16s on Monday morning may create privacy issues for children and encourage them to use less regulated platforms, legal experts have warned. Speaking at Downing Street on Monday, the Prime Minister said social media platforms are harming children’s wellbeing and making it easier for their mental [...]
Mayer Brown defends ‘do not disturb’ policy despite criticism from rivals June 15, 2026 When the US law firm Mayer Brown, based in the City, implemented a policy that partners should not disturb associates during their holidays, its London office managing partner said some rival partners criticised the move. Speaking to City AM, Dominic Griffiths said: “When I introduced that policy [three years ago], there were one or two [...]