The backlog of crown court cases has increased by 3% on the previous quarter to 66,547, according to new figures published by the Ministry of Justice.

The Bar Council’s Race Working Group has launched a new report to address inequality at the Bar. The report provides statistics and personal testimony to highlight the prejudice that is rife within the profession. 

The Legal Aid Agency has been criticised for adding to funding problems which have created “advice deserts” around the UK by setting a maximum £35 case fee for immigration telephone advisers.

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has published the results of its first CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ) assessments, with 61% of students passing the first stage. 

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has published the results of its first CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ) assessments, with 61% of students passing the first stage. 

Despite the majority of UK law firms experiencing a rise in revenue this year, a new 2023 benchmarking report from national audit, tax, advisory and risk firm Crowe found that this failed to turn into higher profits amid continued rising costs over the past year. 

The Law Society of England and Wales believes that the adoption of hybrid and flexible working initiatives could provide a chance to improve social mobility within the legal profession. 

The president of the Law Society has called the lack of women at senior level in the legal profession “deplorable” and “a significant worry” in an interview with The Guardian yesterday.

The all-time high in the current backlog of crown court cases is likely to have a disproportionate impact on children and young people from ethnic minority backgrounds, the House of Lords constitution committee has found.

To what extent does Amazon’s Alexa, and interfaces like it, present a breakthrough opportunity for computer-driven assistances and home automation, and to what extent should any enthusiasm be tempered by privacy concerns?

International law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) is championing wellbeing efforts in the legal industry by offering its employees time-off bonuses.  

As UK lockdown restrictions were eased at the start of the week and several businesses reopened their doors to welcome the public back, aspiring lawyers might want to consider the impact that this might have on the UK economy, as well as the legal and business worlds. That said, remember that there is more to commercial awareness than just Brexit and covid-19 – think outside the box to find a story that interests you and is relevant to your chosen firm and its clients.

People from minority ethnic backgrounds still “face bias, including overt discrimination” in the UK criminal justice system, according to a highly critical report produced by Labour MP David Lammy at the request of the prime minister. 

Lawyers and litigants have been told to address judges in court or at hearings simply as ‘judge’, instead of ‘sir’ or ‘madam’ as part of new guidance.

Lawyer-client matching service Spoke – described as a ‘legal Airbnb’ has become one of the first UK organisations to use the ‘.law’ domain name.

'Buy now, pay later' services are a type of financial technology that allows consumers to purchase goods by spreading the payment over a few weeks or months (ie, paying in instalments). These schemes are appealing because they are interest-free short-term loans (unlike using credit cards) that are easily accessible without a need to undergo complex credit history checks.

What does the future hold for the British high street?

The government has announced its commitment to posthumously pardoning gay men historically convicted for having consensual same-sex relationships, in a move welcomed by family members and campaigners, as well as legal bodies such as the Law Society.

Can email negotiations be interpreted as written agreement and in what circumstances?