Handed two lawyers’ caseloads on second day

A trainee, who was frequently left “unsupervised” and asked to handle the caseloads of two qualified lawyers on her second day, has been awarded £36,000 in damages by an employment tribunal.

The tribunal found that the Mayfair firm Gillen De Alwis Solicitors, which has since entered into administration, “failed to fulfil the fundamental purpose of a training contract”.

It heard that R. Kaur joined the firm in the summer of 2021 and, two days in, was given the “caseload responsibility” of two temporarily employed qualified lawyers, following an email handover.

The tribunal noted that shortly before Kaur joined, the property department became short staffed due to the passing of the solicitor in charge.

This situation seems to have put the department under serious pressure, with Kaur explaining that she and an intern were left to their “own devices at times” and frequently “unsupervised”, often approving documents without them being checked.

It was also noted that less than two weeks into her TC, the trainee had still not received an induction, and evidence showed that one of the firm’s founding partners, Shehani De Alwis, had “made comments that her contract would be in jeopardy” if certain tasks weren’t completed immediately.

Kaur said it was “common place” for clients to complain about lack of progress on their files.

The tribunal noted that another director of the firm emailed the same founding partner, expressing concern about the “threats to terminate her contract” and describing the treatment of the new trainee as “unfair”.

The tribunal further found that De Alwis “bullied and harassed” Ms Kaur, criticising her for not completing tasks she had actually finished, which De Alwis hadn’t noticed due to not reading the emails, and at one point, screaming at her on the telephone. The trainee was also taken off tasks and then shortly put back on them, and she was moved into different departments without notice.

Kaur raised her concerns in meetings and emails about the way the firm was being run and how she was being treated on numerous occasions, but received no response.

The trainee eventually filed a written report to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), a move she mentioned to the firm she was considering but did not confirm she had done.

In April 2022, the firm summarily dismissed Kaur, less than halfway through her training contract.

On this, Judge Leonard-Johnston dismissed the firm’s argument that the trainee was fired for misconduct.

“I have already found that the claimant was not guilty of misconduct, and I place weight on the fact that the respondent, who was after all a firm of solicitors, carried out no investigation or disciplinary procedure at all from which I draw an inference that the respondent did not seriously consider this to be a misconduct case,” the judge said. “Nor did the respondent respond in any way to the claimant’s grievances. As per my findings above, particularly in relation to the timing of her dismissal, I find that the claimant has established it is more likely than not that the reason for her dismissal was the complaints she was making about the firm’s management.”

The judge awarded Kaur over £36,062 for unfair dismissal and an additional £362 for breach of contract after the firm dismissed her without notice.

‘Cockney Kit’ launch

Eversheds Sutherland‘s London office has appeared in a new launch video for West Ham United’s latest football kit.

The Hammers’ new away offering, dubbed the ‘Cockney Kit’, is inspired by the club’s East End roots and features a graphic representation of St Mary-le-Bow Church woven into the fabric.

Legend has it that to be a true Cockney, you must be born within earshot of the Church’s ‘Bow Bells’. The shirt features a motif of this East London icon on its neck.

Step forward Eversheds Sutherland’s London HQ, where the rooftop offers unobstructed skyline views of the historic church.

The launch video, released this week, features many of the club’s famous faces posing in the new kit on Eversheds Sutherland’s roof, and even the firm’s star man, co-CEO Lee Ranson, couldn’t resist getting in on the action.

Is a summer move on the cards?

66%

A&O Shearman has recorded its first post-merger retention score, with 37 of its 56 trainees staying put.

The new outfit confirmed it made 39 offers to the 48 trainees who applied for newly qualified roles. Thirty-seven offers were accepted, all on permanent deals.

Before the tie-up, Allen & Overy offered significantly more training contracts than Shearman, with 80 each year compared to Shearman’s 12.

Combining the trainee intakes of both firms has resulted in a larger-than-usual qualifying cohort, making the lower score — in this case 66% — somewhat expected.

Both outfits were typically strong retention performers prior to the merger, with A&O posting a result of 77% earlier this year and Shearman regularly chalking up results of over 80%.

The firms officially joined forces on May 1, creating a new global mega-firm with nearly 4,000 lawyers across 48 offices in 29 countries and combined annual revenues of approximately $3.5 billion (£2.9 billion).

James Partridge, early careers partner and training principal London, commented:

“This is the first qualifying cohort of A&O Shearman, and we are pleased that 37 trainees from both legacy firms have chosen to remain and progress their careers with us at this exciting time for the firm.”

“At A&O Shearman we remain committed to investing and developing our people and extend our congratulations to our first combined intake of qualifying solicitors,” Partridge continued.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List shows the new recruits will start on a recently-improved salary £150,000.

‘I’m so f*****g bored’

A former pupil barrister has been fined £500 for repeatedly swearing during an online ethics exam and at one point sticking up his middle finger to the camera.

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) said that by doing so Jack Henry Sadler had “acted in a way which was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in him”.

The published finding states that last summer, Sadler was taking a professional ethics assessment remotely as part of his mandatory training during his second six as a pupil barrister.

During the exam, Sadler made statements including: “I’m so fucking bored of this”, “This is annoying, oh my god, this is going to really piss me off”, and “Fucking finally, a criminal question… This civil shit… How can you have any ethics if you’re a civil practitioner, honestly.”

The BSB further noted that at the end of the recorded exam, the then-pupil barrister could be seen holding up his middle finger to the camera.

A second charge found that Sadler “failed to keep the affairs of each client confidential and/or failed to protect the confidentiality of each client’s affairs” after he accessed his work email during the recorded exam and clicked on two emails from solicitors’ firms containing client information.

In mitigation, Sadler stated that he did not realise his words and actions could be heard and recorded, and that nothing he said or did was directed at any individual, especially the exam proctor.

Regarding the second charge, Sadler said he did not appreciate at the time that accessing his Outlook could risk a GDPR breach, attributing this to both a lack of knowledge and a lack of thought on his part. The necessary steps were taken by him and chambers to address any potential breach.

The panel agreed that Sadler, who is an unregistered barrister and has since left the bar, showed genuine contrition and remorse.

The matter was handled through a procedure known as determination by consent, an alternative method for dealing with cases that would otherwise be referred to a disciplinary tribunal.

Barristers Shabana Mahmood MP and Richard Hermer KC

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has appointed a pair of fellow barristers to take over the roles of Lord Chancellor and Attorney General after last week’s landslide election victory.

Shabana Mahmood, MP for Birmingham Ladywood, will take up the role of Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. Prior to becoming an MP in 2010 she practiced as a barrister specialising in professional indemnity.

Mahmood was awarded a scholarship to study the bar course and was called to the bar by Gray’s Inn in 2003 She will become only the second woman to hold the post and the first observant Muslim to do so.

The greatest honour of my life to walk into @MoJGovUK as the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice yesterday.

Before politics, I was a lawyer. I understand the deep challenges facing our justice system. But there is so much we can do. The hard work starts now. pic.twitter.com/38HwhZZRi2

— Shabana Mahmood MP (@ShabanaMahmood) July 6, 2024

Congratulating Mahmood on her appointment, president of the Law Society Nick Emmerson said:

“The appointment of the new justice secretary Shabana Mahmood is a unique opportunity to bring much-needed change to our justice system and address the longstanding neglect and underinvestment that have left it on the verge of collapse. The challenges ahead are significant and demand urgent attention.”

“It’s crucial to acknowledge that transforming the justice system is a long-term project, requiring a collaborative effort, Emmerson continued. “We look forward to working with Shabana Mahmood over the coming parliament and sharing the insight and experience of our members to rebuild our justice system, harness the economic power of legal services and ensure access to justice for all.”

For his new Attorney General, Starmer has appointed Richard Hermer KC from Matrix Chambers, who will be granted a life peerage in the House of Lords.

The experienced silk was called to the bar in 1993 before reaching the prestigious rank of silk in 2009. He is also a Deputy High Court Judge assigned to the King’s Bench Division and the Administrative Court, and specialises in all areas of private and public international law, as well as domestic public and private law.

The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend

Starmer could let out 40,000 inmates early to ease prisons crisis [The Times] (£)

Lawyer accused of sexual misconduct fails to get case thrown out [The Telegraph] (£)

KPMG Law seeks to establish distinctive foothold in UK legal market [City A.M.]

Boeing to plead guilty to criminal fraud charge [BBC]

British police to be deployed in Europe to fight people smugglers [Telegraph] (£)

The City of London’s wish list for the new Labour government [Financial Times] (£)

Labour expected to drop challenge to ICC over Netanyahu arrest warrant [The Guardian]

Labour’s mountain to climb: the challenge facing Keir Starmer’s government [Financial Times] (£)

New law on child exploitation by drug dealers in Labour crime crackdown [The Guardian]

“I thought the legal market was struggling?” [Legal Cheek comments]

Upcoming events

THIS THURSDAY: How to get Qualifying Work Experience — with BPP University Law School [Apply Now]

Bar Tribunal finally acts

Barrister Henry Hendron has been disbarred after receiving a 14-month jail sentence for a number of drugs related offences.

Hendron was convicted in March last year of three counts of intentionally encouraging/assisting the supply of Class A and Class C drugs, and a further charge of possessing “a quantity of crystal methamphetamine”. His sentences concurrently totalled 14 months.

The drugs were purchased from clients Hendron was representing in criminal proceedings, with his arrest taking place outside of Belmarsh prison.

His behaviour, the independent tribunal said “was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in him or in the profession, and which could reasonably be seen by the public to undermine his integrity and independence.”

It continued: “Mr Hendron also had a previous criminal and disciplinary record, including for drug related offences, which were taken into account in making the order to disbar.”

Hendron’s legal troubles began back in 2015 when he was arrested after his boyfriend, 18-year-old Miguel Jimenez, was found dead in Hendron’s Temple flat following a drug overdose. Hendron was 34 at the time.

After pleading guilty in March 2016 to two counts relating to possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply he was handed a community order with 18 months supervision and 140 hours unpaid work.

He was then suspended from legal practice for three years, during which time he failed to comply with the tribunals order, and earned himself a reprimand and ban from public access work for a further two years.

Commenting on the most recent order, a BSB spokesperson said:

“Possessing and encouraging the supply of Class A drugs is clearly a very serious matter. The conduct for which Mr Hendron was convicted, including being involved in his client’s criminal activity, is clearly entirely unacceptable behaviour for a barrister and the Tribunal’s decision to disbar him reflects this.”

In statement, Hendron said:

“Previous tribunals had been generous to me and given me chance after chance which by my conduct I took for granted, and in the battle with addiction I squandered those chances to my own folly. In the time it has taken to determine the bar disciplinary process I have used in trying to come to terms with the inevitable prospect disbarment and of losing the profession I have spent my life serving and love. I fully endorse the sanction of disbarment handed to me today, it was the right sanction to impose.”

Along with his disbarment, Hendron was ordered to pay £2,670 costs.

Get ahead of the competition

Applications have opened this week for Legal Cheek‘s first virtual law fair of the new 2024-25 graduate recruitment season, featuring over 60 leading law firms.

The fair takes place on Tuesday 3 September from 2-5pm. It features video walk-ins with all the firms — including the entire Magic Circle and majority of leading US and international firms, as well as a host of top national outfits — plus six back-to-back careers and commercial awareness virtual workshops delivered by leading lawyers.

It’s free and open to all, and a great opportunity to meet firms from the comfort of your own home right at the start of the recruitment cycle.

Secure your place now

First legal couple in Downing Street since the Blairs

After a landslide election victory the keys to Number 10 have been handed over to a couple of lawyers.

Keir Starmer, the UK’s new PM, has a well documented legal past. Called to the bar by Middle Temple in 1987, Starmer joined Doughty Street Chambers in 1990 before taking up the post of Director of Public Prosecutions in 2008, overseeing a number of significant cases.

Keen law students may recall, for example, Purdy v DPP, a 2009 House of Lords case which has become a staple on administrative and constitutional law courses.

Starmer held the DPP role until 2013, being elected to the House of Commons a year later in December 2014.

It’s not just Keir who has a legal past. His wife, Victoria Starmer, is a former solicitor who practised in London after gaining her law degree from Cardiff University. They’re the first legal couple in Number 10 since the Blairs, with ex-PM Tony and his wife Cherie both originally barristers by trade.

There are also a number of notable lawyers who crossed over from the opposition last night. David Lammy, the former shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, was called to the bar in 1994 before practicing as an attorney in the US for a number of years.

Emily Thornberry has also had an extensive legal career. After being called to the bar she practiced for two decades between 1985 and 2005, specialising in human rights law.

The former shadow Secretary of State for Justice, Shabana Mahmood, is another former barrister to add to the list. Called to the bar in 2003, she had a short career specialising in professional indemnity before being elected as an MP in 2010.

With the large number of new seats taken by Labour, there are also a slew of lawyers entering the Commons for the first time. These include the likes of seasoned public law barrister Tony Vaughan, former Crown prosecutor Linsey Farnsworth and international firm partner Lucy Rigby.

Meanwhile, a host of Conservative lawyer-MPs may be returning to legal practice after having lost their seats. Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk, former Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland and attorney general Victoria Prentis were all voted out last night, alongside several other lower profile legal Tories.

A round-up of online musings, memes and more

Why did I choose to become a lawyer? [Holly Moore on Instagram]

Advice for recent law graduates [Zaynab H on LinkedIn]

Real things legal professionals have said to me as a neurodivergent trainee lawyer [Amelia Platton on LinkedIn]

Social life [Legal Cheek on Instagram]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Legal Cheek (@legalcheek)

‘You think I can get a job at a magic circle firm if I can do a backflip?’ [Reddit]

10 relatable TikToks about law firm interviews [Legal Cheek]

Enid Blyton’s more pessimistic first draft [David KC on X]

Enid Blyton’s more pessimistic first draft pic.twitter.com/7aWkCjEkr5

— David KC (@DavidMuttering) July 2, 2024

Durham undergrad Niall Hignett reflects on the challenges of navigating uni without parental support

An aspiring lawyer has shared his experiences as an “estranged” law student, juggling academic commitments, financial challenges and loneliness.

Niall Hignett, a final-year law student at Durham University, has shed light on the lives of the approximately 10,000 estranged students in the UK, explaining that these students have little or no contact with their parents while pursuing higher education.

Writing for the Metro website, the Durham undergrad shares that his journey began by selling his 18-year-old Renault Clio to give himself a modest cash boost. He explained, “I didn’t need the car anymore because I wasn’t driving back home”.

Amidst the typical law student challenges of a heavy workload and expensive textbooks, Hignett needed to find housing deposits, pay for a guarantor scheme, and fund rent and food, all without “the bank of mum and dad”.

Despite receiving the highest government loan, the funds didn’t come close to covering his costs, he explains. “I spent more time serving drinks than I did in lectures or seminars in that first year of university.”

“It’s not just covering living costs that I was worried about,” says Hignett. “Without the obvious back-up plan to return home, I needed to create a financial safety net for myself. That meant earning as much as possible, and spending as little as possible. For example, I haven’t ever been to an expensive ball or college formal — or even bought one of those Hogwarts-esque gowns. Thankfully, the posh-boy aesthetic wouldn’t suit me anyway — but it’s isolating nonetheless.”

It isn’t just financial concerns that plague estranged students, however. “Seeing other students able to enjoy the experience, and engage more with their degree, was isolating,” says Hignett.

In particular, it was the Christmas break where “feelings of isolation peaked”. Having considered dropping out, and taking a hiatus for a year to earn some extra money working as an election organiser, Hignett returned to Durham in September 2023 to continue his legal studies.

Now on track to finish his degree, and having undertaken placements at a range of firms including Bates Wells and DLA Piper, Hignett credited the “incredible student group” the Estranged and Care Experienced Network.

The group, comprised of current estranged and care experienced students in the UK and Ireland, offer guidance on the basics of applying for higher education and practical advice on financial support, employment, and relationships.

Struggling with stress or anxiety? Contact LawCare via its helpline or live chat.

Why law?

For those embarking on the punishing task of training contract applications for the first time, wondering how the hell you’re going to sit through a partner interview without coming off like a gibbering mess, this one’s for you!

Maybe you’re even a veteran in the field of law firm interviews, having smashed out so many vac schemes and mini-pupillages that you’ve got your interview technique down to a T, this one’s guaranteed to take you down memory lane.

We’re compiled a list of 10 hilarious TikToks about law firm interviews. Let us know which one’s your fave in the comments.

Can’t really remember what marks I got tbh …

@legalcheek Land Law and Equity & Trusts really let the team down #CapCut #babyreindeer #lawyer ♬ original sound – legalcheek

If we’re being honest

@legalcheek Let’s be honest #babyreindeer #lawstudentlife ♬ original sound – legalcheek

But my biggest strength is teamwork

@legalcheek I bring a certain Gen Z mindset to the function #lawyersoftiktok #lawmemes #lawstudent ♬ original sound – legalcheek

@legalcheek NQ pay is how much #meme #lawschool #lawstudent #lawstudentlife #student #university #lawyersoftiktok ♬ original sound – Dessirae

‘I’m a perfectionist’

@legalcheek I genuinely forget how to put a sentence together #CapCut #Meme #studentsoftiktok #lawstudent ♬ original sound – legalcheek

Mr Worldwide

@legalcheek Mr worldwide #lawyersoftiktok #lawstudentlife #yearabroad ♬ original sound – legalcheek

You’re my favourite dish

@legalcheek The questions need to be clearer….#CapCut #Meme #studentsoftiktok #lawstudent #fypシ゚viral #trainingcontract #law #fyp #students ♬ original sound – legalcheek

Shady’s back, back again

@legalcheek This ain’t my first rodeo #law #lawstudent #lawschool #lawyersoftiktok #nohardfeelings #fyp ♬ No Hard Feelings_Now on Google Play – lovelove

Does Netflix count?

@legalcheek Time to panic #lawyersoftiktok #lawyer #lawschool #university #student #fyp #lawstudentlife #Meme ♬ original sound – legalcheek

Thank you, next

@legalcheek Next question#Meme #MemeCut #lawyersoftiktok #student #lawstudent #fypシ #trainingcontract #law #lawyerlife #fyp ♬ original sound – legalcheek

Follow Legal Cheek on TikTok

Greens’ James Nelson will consider abandoning studies if successful

A law student from Bristol University hopes to bring a fresh perspective to politics if he secures a seat in this week’s General Election.

Despite just completing his second year of law school, James Nelson is pursuing a career in politics as the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Filton and Bradley Stoke.

Nelson, one of the country’s youngest candidates at just 20, says he will consider postponing or even dropping out of law school if successful in this Thursday’s General Election.

“I’ve broadly abandoned a legal career,” Nelson told the website Bristol Live. “For many years I’ve had a passion for politics, for standing up for people and for trying to make my community better.”

“Ultimately I will do what allows me to represent my constituency, the law student continued. “Other people standing who have long-term commitments, such as degrees or having children, are having to make those decisions and I’m confident I could make it work.”

Despite his young age, Nelson has already ventured into local politics alongside his legal studies, working as a town councillor in Bradley Stoke for a year. He has been involved in various local projects, including the installation of a cycle storage unit and conducting a successful consultation for a new park run at the local nature reserve.

Nelson’s LinkedIn shows he also has accumulated some legal experience, including completing a virtual work programme with Clifford Chance.

“I think I’d give a bit of a shock to some of the old Etonians,” Nelson said. “Many people coming in as MPs for the first time will be old enough to be my parents or my grandparents!”

He continued: “There is no necessary qualification to be an MP. If you look at the past prime ministers we’ve had, they have vast degrees and have still been absolutely stupid! I come with the experience of having grown up in my area and having already had the opportunity to represent my area. I have the track record that comes with that: an honest politician who will fight his corner.”

Since 2010, Filton and Bradley Stoke has been represented by Conservative MP Jack Lopresti, who is running for re-election. Claire Hazelgrove is running for Labour, Benet Allen is representing the Liberal Democrats, and Stephen James Burg is the candidate for Reform UK.

Boosts for trainees too

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has increased salaries for its newly qualified (NQ) associates from £120,000 to £135,000, joining the growing list of City firms making similar moves.

The firm also confirmed a £6,000 increase in rookie salaries, with first year trainees earning £56,000 and second year trainees earning £61,000. The increases are effective from 1 September.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List shows HSF recruits around 65 trainees each year. The salary increase means the firm now matches Hogan Lovells, which raised its NQ rates to £135k last month.

Commenting on the firm’s salaries, Alison Brown, executive partner at HSF, said:

“We are investing in our people — including our trainees and associates across all levels of experience — in a way that ensures a balanced and competitive reward structure in a dynamic market. This approach keeps us in the leading pack of international law firms and supports sustainable growth: good for our people, our clients and our business.”

New juniors to earn market topping £180k

Elite US law firm Paul Weiss is ramping up its recruitment in the City of London with the launch of a new UK training contract programme.

The New York-headquartered outfit plans to recruit what Legal Cheek understands to be between five and 10 trainees from this autumn as part of an ambitious expansion strategy this side of the pond, which has seen it poach top partner talent from a raft of its Magic Circle and US rivals.

The inaugural cohort will commence their TCs in 2026 and earn a market-topping £180,000 upon qualification. The Legal Cheek Firms Most List — where Paul Weiss will soon appear — shows that currently only one other law firm, fellow US player Gibson Dunn, offers this amount of cash to its NQs.

Trainee pay is yet to be finalised, but the firm will offer additional financial support including maintenance grants and covering law school fees.

Over the past year, Paul Weiss has been assembling a formidable team of lawyers in London as part of expansion plan lead in part by private equity rainmaker Neel Sachdev, who attracted significant press attention when he moved from rival US firm Kirkland & Ellis last summer.

Speaking to Legal Cheek about the creation of the new training contract programme, London co-head Sachdev said:

“The launch of our training programme is a key milestone for our growing London office. We are excited to have the opportunity to mentor and develop trainees to become our partners of the future. We have an elite bench of lawyers across private equity, public M&A, debt finance, tax and antitrust who act on the highest profile and most complex transactions in the global markets. Trainees will have the opportunity to become part of these stellar teams in a unique, diverse and client-facing culture.”

Overseeing the programme is the firm’s new senior recruitment manager, Paul Gascoyne, who led graduate recruitment at Shearman & Sterling prior to its merger with Allen & Overy.

“The training contract programme at Paul, Weiss is going to be something special,” Gascoyne told Legal Cheek. “We aim to offer the best training to junior lawyers, in an environment like no other. The London team is extraordinarily talented, creative and collaborative, and our office will be a fantastic training ground for those looking to be at the top of the legal profession.”

Paul Weiss has had a presence in London since 2001, but it has only recently begun pursuing significant growth. The firm now has 108 lawyers in the UK capital, more than triple the headcount in 2022, thanks to a bold hiring strategy that has attracted top partners from rivals such as Kirkland & Ellis, Linklaters, Clifford Chance, Macfarlanes and Ropes & Gray.

As part of this major recruitment drive, Paul Weiss also recently relocated to Twitter’s (now X) former London headquarters (pictured top), situated on the edge of Soho and just a stone’s throw from upmarket Mayfair, home to a large number of the firm’s private equity clients.

The new talent has in turn attracted big ticket work across the firm’s specialisms of M&A, finance, capital markets, tax, antitrust and IP. The London office recently advised on the financing and structuring of a potential cash offer for International Distributions Services, the parent company of Royal Mail, as well as on General Atlantic’s acquisition of a majority stake in Joe & the Juice.

Outside London, Paul Weiss is a major global legal player, with over 1,000 lawyers in more than 10 offices across the globe. Last year the firm turned over just over $2 billion in revenue, with profit per equity partner standing at a whopping $6.5 million (£5.1 million).

£100k and £98k

HFW and Bird & Bird have become the latest City law firms to increase the salaries of their most junior associates.

Rates from newly qualified (NQ) associates at HFW have moved from £95,000 to £100,000, an uplift of just over 5%. Bird & Bird, meanwhile, has upped pay by 3% from £95,000 to £98,000.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List shows HFW recruits around 18 trainee each year while Bird & Bird takes on roughly 21.

“Combined with our bonus, our compensation package is significantly more generous than our competitors for strong performers,” said Corrin Kaye, chief people officer at HFW.

“But compensation is just one factor in what makes people want to join and stay with a firm, and we always aim to take a broader view by offering the best possible combination of rewarding work for market-leading clients, a friendly and supportive environment, good work-life balance, and opportunities to develop,” she continued.

Meanwhile, a statement from Bird & Bird read: “Although pay is important, at Bird & Bird, our culture is also central. We rank highly in the City as one of the best law firms to work at and that’s a combination of our commitment to fostering an inclusive culture and the cutting-edge nature of a lot of the work our lawyers do.”

The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend

Keir Starmer the lawyer: rational, diligent, ruthless [Financial Times] (£)

How the young Keir Starmer made his name as a ‘radical’ barrister [The Times] (£)

Lawyers flock to crypto jobs: ‘They are even learning coding’ [Financial News]

The Conservative Party could mount a legal challenge over the General Election after it emerged thousands of postal ballots have not been delivered on time [Mail Online]

Asda and Tesco face legal action over E. coli cases [BBC News]

A third of non-doms could leave the UK if Labour wins election, says top wealth lawyer [City A.M.]

Rob Rinder: ‘There are more sociopaths working in TV than in HMP Belmarsh’ [iNews]

Citi was money launderers’ favourite bank, US law enforcement officials say [Financial Times] (£)

Meet the Bristol University student hoping to win a seat in the general election next month [Bristol Post]

“I didn’t think the matter was even open to debate. Becoming a Barrister is, objectively, more difficult (although, with the introduction of the SQE, that gap has narrowed). It’s not only more difficult academically and financially, but also in its comparative lack of openness…” [Legal Cheek comments]

Upcoming events

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NEXT THURSDAY: How to get Qualifying Work Experience — with BPP University Law School [Apply Now]

Sparks LinkedIn debate

A barrister has sparked a debate online after claiming it’s “significantly harder” to become a barrister than a solicitor.

Natalie Connor, who describes herself as a “recovering barrister” on LinkedIn, made the eye-catching claim in a post concerning the rules relating to qualifying work experience (QWE) and explained why, as a barrister, she is unable to sign off on trainees’ work.

Introduced alongside the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), the changes to on-the-job experience allow aspiring solicitors to bypass the traditional training contract process. They can now complete two years of QWE with up to four different employers, including law firms, in-house legal teams and law clinics.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) says that this work must be signed off by a solicitor or registered compliance officer.

This rule appears to be a source of frustration for Connor, who explains that she has been working as a general counsel in-house for tech companies for the past five years.

And while some agreed that the rule seems like a classic example of unnecessary red tape, it wasn’t the only talking point under Connor’s post.

This is because the barrister, who was previously a member of 7 King’s Bench and 11KBW before moving in-house, went on to say the following:

“It is significantly harder to become a barrister than a solicitor. It’s more competitive to train and qualify, and you’re then self-employed from day dot in a ‘learning by doing’ approach at the coalface of real-life legal disputes (hello courtrooms after 6 months, not photocopying client files…).”

Enter the solicitors.

“I have to disagree with this Natalie, and actually, it’s quite disappointing to see people still pushing this narrative to draw even bigger divides between solicitors and barristers in the legal industry,” wrote Pheobe Greenwood, senior legal counsel at tech company Xaar. “What’s significantly harder for one is not always the same for others — it’s all subjective and it depends entirely on your social mobility, your bank balance and your network as to which route is a) open to you and b) will be ‘harder’”.

Elsewhere, Keystone Law partner Andrea James commented: “maybe the fact that you’ve published a statement like ‘It is significantly harder to become a barrister than a solicitor,’ despite never having trained or qualified as a solicitor or worked in a solicitors’ practice, indicates that the SRA is right on this matter!”

Responding below the line herself, Connor appeared to double-down on her position, stating that it’s categorically harder being a pupil barrister in the first 6 months (and indeed the first 12 months which is the full duration of pupillage — we don’t get 2 years like trainee solicitors). And I stand by that.”

Even a fellow barrister struggled to agree with Connor’s viewpoint. “Having practised as both and for many years was a training principle, I can’t agree with you that training to be a solicitor is ‘easier’,” wrote Simon Heaney, a tenant at St John’s Buildings Barristers’​ Chambers. “I can’t see how a rigorous TC (as was) was/is a very tense and difficult experience not to do and to observe.”

In a further post this morning, the barrister sought to clarify her position, stating, ‘Many misunderstood my post and thought I was suggesting that it is harder to be a barrister than a solicitor. I don’t think that.”

“In many ways I think it’s actually harder to BE a solicitor — although realistically I think the jobs are so different it’s impossible to make an objective comparison,” Connor continued. “What I think we CAN objectively compare, however, is the relative difficulty of BECOMING a barrister versus BECOMING a solicitor.”

Connor then goes on to detail some of the difficulties of life as would-be barrister, including lack of financial assistance, challenges securing pupillage and “no structured training”.

Setting aside the question of who has it tougher, many students will likely share Connor’s frustrations around QWE. Legal Cheek reported on research earlier this month that found 17% of students described the sign-off process as “difficult” or “very difficult,” marking a four percentage point increase from the previous year.

A round-up of online musings, memes and more

SQE: who can call out the regulator? [Helen Pamely on LinkedIn]

“In general, business attire means smart dark office wear…” [Jason Gifford Head on X]

Quoth the Bar Council:

“In general, business attire means smart dark office wear. This will usually
mean a black, dark grey or dark blue suit with tie for men…”

On my train, I am the only person with a tie. Few have a jacket.

Is “business dress” as archaic as a wig & gown?

— Jacob Gifford Head (@gifford_head) June 26, 2024

‘I’ve always been very vocal about the fact that practicing the law from an early age has helped me immensely with my studies… that was until the SQE’ [Maia Crockford on LinkedIn]

My law firm starting XI [Luke Mitchinson on LinkedIn]

Employed barrister expresses frustration over inability to sign off QWE [
Natalie Connor on LinkedIn]

“You might’ve forgotten to attach a file…” [Aidan James on X]

the face Outlook is doing when it says “you might’ve forgotten to attach a file” pic.twitter.com/03lYwNu5Qf

— Aidan James (@mcandidate) June 26, 2024

“Just happy to be here guys” [ Legal Cheek on Instagram]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Legal Cheek (@legalcheek)

Also confirms 84% retention score

City law firm Macfarlanes has increased the salaries of its newly qualified (NQ) lawyers by 22%, raising them from £115,000 to £140,000.

The outfit has also upped trainee pay from £50,000 to £56,000 in year one and £55,000 to £61,000 in year two.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List shows that the NQ rise brings Macs in line with US firm Orrick and £5,000 ahead of Hogan Lovells, which increased its rates from £120,000 to £135,000 earlier this month.

Separately, Macfarlanes confirmed a retention rate of 84%, with 27 out of 32 final-seat trainees staying on. All of them are joining on permanent contracts.

Jat Bains, early legal careers partner, said: “We are excited to welcome our September qualifiers across a range of practice areas and congratulations to this talented cohort. We are proud to invest in our trainees so that their careers can thrive at Macfarlanes.”

Catherine Morgan-Guest, early legal careers senior manager, added: “We are committed to providing exceptional training and support to further the careers of the diverse group of talent we recruit. They are intrinsic to what we do and the future of our firm.”