Tag: United Kingdom

Oxford grad Rhys Duncan gives guidance to new would-be lawyers

With a new academic year now here, recent Oxford Uni law graduate Rhys Duncan offers up 10 tips for those embarking on their law school journeys. Hopefully these practical pointers will help you make the most of your uni experience whilst setting you up for a life in law.

1. Law fairs

Whilst thinking about your future career may be a little daunting on day one of your law degree, going to law fairs and careers events is a low commitment and easy way to either begin your careers perusal, or find out more about a specific firm, sector, or specialism. This will also give you an idea of the range of options open to a fresh law graduate, and remind you that slogging through your degree may well be worth it.

2. Keep these options open

Whether you’re a family law fanatic, infatuated with IP, captivated by commercial, bonkers about banking, or stuck on shipping, there are a host of options available to you at firms, the bar, or in-house. Putting the blinkers on after you find the first firm that looks right may not be the best option, and might mean you miss out on some other pretty good opportunities. So, even after you think you’ve got your golden goose and are fantasising about hitting billable hour targets, don’t forget to keep your eyes open for other, possibly greener, pastures.

3. Give mooting a chance

“I don’t want to be a barrister”, “I hate public speaking”, and “I don’t even want to do law anyway”; all excuses commonly given by freshers and seasoned finalists who don’t want to delve into the world of legal advocacy. Spoiler alert, whether you want to go to the bar, a Magic Circle firm, a regional solicitors, or in-house, the ability to speak persuasively to an audience, compress complex issues into an easily understandable written and oral form, and undertake research on specific issues will be key.

Please, all we are saying is give mooting a chance.

4. Your tutors and lecturers (probably) won’t bite

Although no law degree would be complete without at least one professor reminding you that it was “different in their day”, for the most part your tutors and lecturers are a pretty friendly bunch. Remember that they’ve chosen to teach and will almost certainly want to engage with their students, answer difficult questions, and be able to pass on their own enthusiasm for their fields to a new cohort. This also means that, contrary to popular belief, sitting near the front of a lecture hall does not come with any additional health risks, and in fact, should be encouraged for those who are keen to learn and engage in lectures.

5. Remember that it’s a skill that comes with time

The ability to read a case, textbook, or academic article is not something developed overnight, with few budding lawyers able to read and understand even the majority of their reading in the first year, let alone term, week, or day. These skills take a great deal of practice and repetition to perfect, although, if you put in the time and effort, you’ll see a noticeable improvement. The same is, unfortunately, true of researching and writing essays, essential skills, although only ones that can be forged through the cauldron of repeated “this is an interesting take on the question, however…” comments.

6. Throw yourself at opportunities

If you have time in your schedule, and it sounds like something that you may enjoy and/or may be useful when it comes to your career or studying, grab any opportunity that comes your way. If you’ve ever considered volunteering in a legal clinic, playing the bassoon, or taking up Quidditch, university is the time to give it a go. This is no less true just because you’re doing a law degree and therefore (at least in your own view) will spend far more time working than all of your non-lawyer peers.

7. Make the most of the teaching on offer

But 9am is so early to be in a lecture theatre? The reality is, now you’re signed up, paid up, and have done the necessary shop for pointless kitchen utensils that will sit in a drawer for the next three years, you might as well make the most of the teaching. Piggybacking on the comment above about (mostly) non-feral tutors, make the most of your tutorials, classes, lectures, research facilities, and libraries as well as the knowledge of your peers and professors. Whilst three years may seem like a long time, exams will come thick and fast, and the more you know, the better your notes, and the better your support from peers and professors, the easier it will be.

8. Don’t put the blinkers on — keep up with the news and the bigger picture

Whilst it can be easy to bury your head in the sand and think about nothing but easements, promissory estoppel, and whether we should have a codified constitution or not, remember to keep at least one eye on the real world. ‘Commercial Awareness’, an illusive term which simply means thinking about business needs and real-world impacts, can’t be built from an EU textbook. Try to keep up with recent news, goings on, and developments, particularly in the political, legal, and, if it’s your cup of tea, business fields.

9. Keep up with the work — don’t let it snowball

At the risk of sounding like a nagging parent, please don’t let your work snowball out of control. Getting a little bit behind is inevitable and happens to even the best students, people get ill, unexpected events happen, or it may just take you a bit longer to understand certain subjects than others. However, if this does happen (or if you’re just feeling a bit lazy one week), try to get back on track. There is nothing worse than having a mounting pile of work and deadlines, with no way of making a dent. It will also mean that, if you do have a heap of work left at the end of a term, you’re either going to start eating into your holiday time, or seriously struggle when it comes to exams.

10. But, it’s not all about law

Whilst getting involved in law societies, mooting, and other legal pursuits are all very valid ways to use your time, and often very beneficial, try to balance this with something not so legal. Whether it’s a choir, netball, chess, or Pokémon club, try to find a (or multiple) non-legal pursuits. Not only will this give you a much-needed break from the legal world and significantly help your mental and physical health, for those who are already fixating on assessment days and interviews, non-legal hobbies will make you appear more human, less one-dimensional, and give you something to relate to others over.

For those who still think that lawyers are simply machines who need reminding to smile occasionally, takes notes from Squire Patton Boggs partner, and Rugby World Cup referee, Wayne Barnes, and Freshfields managing partner/professional racing driver Mark Sansom.

Legal Cheek’s next UK Virtual Law Fair takes place on Tuesday 10 October 2023. APPLY NOW.

Rhys Duncan joined Legal Cheek as an editorial assistant in August 2023 after studying law at the University of Oxford.

Lady Chief Justice

History was made this morning as Dame Sue Carr became the first woman ever to head up the judiciary of England and Wales.

Carr was officially appointed the country’s first Lady Chief Justice at a special swearing in ceremony this morning at the Royal Courts of Justice. She is the 98th person to hold this historic office and the first woman.

The new LCJ was joined by her family who were invited to witness the historic ceremony, which was live-streamed on YouTube for the first time ever.

Dame Sue Carr today becomes, and will be known as, the LCJ of England and Wales.

She will be the President of the Courts of England and Wales and Head of the Judiciary of England and Wales.

She is the 98th person to hold this office and the first woman. pic.twitter.com/GhtrQf9xhK

— Judicial Office (@JudiciaryUK) October 2, 2023

Commenting on her appointment, Carr said:

“It is a great privilege to assume this role. I would like to pay tribute to Lord Burnett who has demonstrated extraordinary resilience and leadership during a time of great change, including keeping the courts running during the pandemic. He has personally given so much to the law and to the judiciary.”

She continued: “I do not underestimate the challenges that lie ahead, and I look forward to approaching the role with energy, enthusiasm, and positivity. The rule of law is a fundamental constitutional principle which underpins an open, fair and peaceful society, where citizens and businesses can prosper. Our judges and magistrates are its cornerstone.”

Carr was called to the bar in 1987 and undertook pupillage at Brick Court Chambers and 2 Crown Office Row, now 4 New Square, where she became a tenant in 1988. She developed a broad commercial practice, taking silk in 2003.

Her judicial career began in 2009, when she was appointed a recorder. She was appointed a High Court judge in 2013 and a Court of Appeal judge in 2020.

Carr’s appointment follows the retirement of Lord Burnett who has held the office since 2017.

‘First-of-its-kind’ project

Lawyers at Clifford Chance will help drill rappers navigate the complex world of contract law as part of new charity partnership.

The Magic Circle player says the “first-of-its-kind” project aims to equip young musicians with essential legal knowledge to navigate the “intricate landscape of music contracts” and raise awareness about the urgent need for legal education among young musicians and aspiring artists from often marginalised communities.

The programme — run in partnership with Urban Lawyers, a social mobility charity founded by Doughty Street barrister Dr Tunde Okewale — kicks-off this Autumn and will cover everything from contractual obligations to protecting intellectual property rights.

The project will also look developing participants’ vital soft skills such as negotiation, teamwork and communication, which it says are essential for success in today’s industry.

Applications close on 12 October and the project is particularly keen to hear from drill rappers — drill being a sub-genre of hip hop music that originated in Chicago in the early 2010s and has since spread to the UK.

David Boyd, UK head of pro bono at Clifford Chance, said:

“As a firm, we have a responsibility to increase access to justice, both globally and locally in the communities in which we operate. Commercial exploitation of young rappers is widespread, and a serious issue facing young rappers trying to turn their art into a career. We are really proud to partner with Urban Lawyers on this innovative project, particularly within a community of artists who are less likely to have immediate access to legal support.”

Urban Lawyers founder Okewale added: “Young musicians face significant challenges when entering into contracts with record labels. I hope this project will help shed light on the systemic challenges faced by talented individuals, especially the alarming discrepancy in royalty rates between black and white artists. We want to put an end to that gap and empower artists to achieve their full potential by equipping them with the right resources.”

Christianah Omobosola Babajide looks at the surprising similarities

Dear first year law students…

Welcome to the exciting world of law school, where your first year on the LLB might feel a lot like browsing your favourite social media apps. Imagine this: you’re leafing through pages of land law as leaves fall outside your dorm window and you just can’t get your head around what a restrictive covenant is. Don’t fret, I’m here to enhance your understanding of contracts, the UK constitution, equity & trusts, land law and criminal law by showing you they’re not so different from the icons on your phone.

Contract law = Facebook Marketplace

Think of contract law as the Facebook Marketplace — it’s all about deals and obligations between two parties. For example, when you ordered those Yeezy’s online, you entered into a contract when you clicked ‘buy’ and the seller gave the green light. You’ll soon become used to reading the fine print and you’ll be able to spot sneaky clauses in no time. Knowing how to approach and navigate complex legal cases will also prove helpful in your personal life by helping you to understand where you stand if things go south; like purchasing a “brand new” item that turns out to be used. If this ever happens to you, it’s time to put on your future-lawyer-hat, dig out that purchase protection policy and show them who they’re messing with!

Criminal law = WhatsApp

Criminal law, like WhatsApp, is all about setting boundaries and safeguarding your personal space. Imagine this: you open WhatsApp, and the guy from the club last night is bombarding you with messages. Now, think of the legal case Ferguson v British Gas Trading Ltd, where Ferguson received a barrage of bills and letters from British Gas for eight months despite switching suppliers. She accused British Gas of harassment; a criminal offense under the Harassment Act 1997, and sought damages for anxiety and financial loss. In both cases boundaries and privacy matter. Just as WhatsApp’s private messaging protects your personal space, criminal law ensures no one can harass or intimidate you without facing legal consequences.

Constitutional and administrative law = X (formerly Twitter)

Con & ad is how things are governed in the public domain. Just as the timeline on X buzzes with debates and arguments on the latest Netflix show, con & ad outlines the rules that shape our society. For example, the rule of law, a concept that you will be taught, means that everyone is equal under the law, regardless of their status, power, or wealth. Similarly, X is a free platform where you can find and interact with people from all walks of life, from politicians to university students. On X, nobody’s opinion is superior; everyone has 280 characters to express their views or engage in discussions.

Land law = YouTube

Land law and YouTube may appear unrelated, but they share hidden parallels when it comes to property rights. In land law, you’ll explore how land is used and provided, similar to how YouTube stores vlogs and tutorials. Land law looks at how landowners can use their property or moderate others’ usage and YouTube deals with the ownership of content uploaded by YouTubers. While land law deals with tangible land and property rights, YouTube mirrors these property rights concerns in the digital sphere. Next time your favourite Lawfluencer uploads a GRWM vlog, ask yourself: who truly owns that video, is it them or YouTube?

Equity & Trusts = Venmo

While they may seem worlds apart, equity and Venmo share a common thread — the bedrock of trust. Equity is all about fairness and trustworthiness – it’s like the guardian angel that ensures that individuals are treated justly. On the other hand, Venmo takes trust to a digital dimension; it focuses on financial transactions that enable users to seamlessly send and receive money electronically. It’s like having a virtual wallet in your back pocket; it’s there to help you split the bill with friends at Nando’s or make quick and secure money transfers. So next time when your lecturer is teaching you about fiduciary duties, remember that the underlying principle is the same with Venmo — trust is the glue that holds it all together.

Finally…

So, there you have it, your first-year modules on the LLB — hopefully now that they’ve been repackaged as the familiar social media platforms, the concepts will be easier to grasp.

Enjoy your first month of term; it will be over before you know it but will undoubtedly be an autumn full of legal adventures. In between working hard (or hardly working), don’t forget to participate in the banter on the Legal Cheek’s comments section and enjoy the legal arguments on X.

Remember, just like your favourite apps, the world of law can also be fun and full of surprises.

Legal Cheek’s next UK Virtual Law Fair takes place on Tuesday 10 October 2023. APPLY NOW.

Christianah Omobosola Babajide works in legal marketing at a leading barristers’ chambers in Central London. She has a degree in law and over five years of legal writing experience.

Calls in administrators

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has closed down Axiom Ince with immediate effect, it confirmed this morning. This, the regulator says, is to protect the interests of clients and former clients of the firm.

In a statement the SRA said:

“We will stop the firm from operating, take possession of all documents and papers held by the firm, and take possession of all money held by the firm (including clients’ money). We are not responsible towards employees or trade creditors of firms that we have intervened in.”

It added: “We have appointed agents — other solicitor firms — to deal with all matters currently held by Axiom Ince. The agents will assess all on-going matters and deal with those of greatest need first. Our archive team will take control of all documents relating to closed matters held by the firm, such as copies of deeds and wills.”

Axiom Ince, formerly Axiom DWFM, filed a notice of intention to appoint an administrator yesterday, according to multiple reports. This comes after the firm was forced to cease trading after its professional indemnity insurance elapsed over the weekend.

News of the firm’s closure comes after the Metropolitan Police confirmed last week confirmed that it was looking into allegations of financial misappropriation at the firm, following a referral from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

A Met spokesperson said: “We are aware of a report made by the Solicitor Regulation Authority. Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime have launched an investigation and enquiries are ongoing. No arrests have been made.”

Many of the firm’s lawyers have since found new homes at the likes of Irwin Mitchell, Birketts, Collyer Bristow and Horwich Farrelly, while Axiom Ince’s website appears to be down.

Top judges welcome new legal year

The Supreme Court has come under fire for its lack of diversity after an image of the top bench welcoming the new legal year was shared online.

The image, posted to the Criminal Bar Association’s X account, shows all eleven robed-up justices posing outside the Supreme Court building in Westminster, London. The group processed from the court to Westminster Abbey yesterday to mark the opening of the new legal year.

Supreme Court justices

Start of the Legal Year pic.twitter.com/Y1fPbxZH8o

— The CBA (@TheCriminalBar) October 2, 2023

But the image of 10 men and one woman, all of whom are white, drew criticism from some online.

“Wow, super diverse!!!!” one person responded, while another wrote: “Only 1 woman?”

“Good grief!” a further X user commented. “You really need to work on improving diversity.” Another quipped: “The diversity in the choice of neck-ties is most impressive.”

The top court has long-grappled with the issue of diversity across its ranks.

SC president Lord Reed has previously spoken out about the lack of diversity on the UK’s top bench, warning the issue risked becoming “shameful if it persists”. Reed, who succeeded the court’s first female president, Lady Hale, went onto say that he hoped to see a justice of black, asian or minority ethnic background, before he takes mandatory retirement in several years time.

Responding to the criticism, a Supreme Court spokesperson told Legal Cheek:

“We know that certain people, including women, black, asian and other ethnic minority groups, and disabled lawyers continue to be underrepresented in the judiciary and in more senior levels of the legal profession. We are building strong links and working with representative organisations to help us to understand and learn from the experience of underrepresented groups and to enable us to take action that will lead to meaningful change and progress.”

The continued: “Progress is being made but more needs to be done to increase the pace of change. The Court will continue to play its part in removing barriers that prevent equal access to opportunity.”

In more positive diversity news, Legal Cheek reported yesterday that Dame Sue Carr had made history when she became the first woman ever to head up the judiciary of England and Wales. She will be known as Lady Chief Justice.

Introduces ‘scaled scoring’ similar to New York Bar

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has tweaked the approach to marking assessments on part one of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).

In an updated published last week, the regulator confirmed it will be introducing a system of “scaled scoring” similar to that already used in a range of professional assessments across medicine and accountancy as well as the New York State Bar.

The SRA also announced it will be increasing the number of SQE1 testing dates within each assessment window, and that the change in approach to marking came in response to this increase.

“So that we can offer more choice to candidates about when they sit the assessment, but maintain the integrity of the assessment, there will be different papers in an assessment window,” the SRA said. “We will therefore be introducing a system of scaled scoring to enable us to still achieve accurate and fair comparisons between test takers.”

The SQE was formally introduced in September 2021 as the new route to solicitor qualification. SQE1 tests ‘Functioning Legal Knowledge’ (FLK) in two multiple-choice tests of 180 questions each, whilst SQE2 focuses on legal skills.

The regulator went on to explain how scaled scoring will work.

“The number of questions a candidate answers correctly out of the 180 questions on each FLK is called the ‘raw’ score. If two individuals with the same ability take different papers their raw scores might differ due to the varying difficulty of the papers. Converting the raw score to a scaled score allows scores to be directly compared to reflect the candidates’ relative performance, despite any differences between the assessments. Candidates will be given their raw score. They will also be given their mark expressed as a scaled score figure out of 500. The pass mark will always be 300.”

Dr Ioannis Glinavos, a senior lecturer at Westminster Law School, has also provided a helpful video explanation as to what the changes mean. You can view it here.

Last week Legal Cheek reported that of the 3,475 candidates who attempted SQE1 in July (the latest sitting), 53% successfully passed. This marked a slight improvement on the 51% success rate achieved by those who sat SQE1 in January.

18 out of 27

Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) is keeping hold of 18 of its 27 qualifying trainees.

Nineteen were offered permanent roles and 18 accepted positions, with one of these qualifying earlier in the year in March. This hands the firm a score of 67%.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2024 shows WBD recruits around 25 trainees each year on starting salary of £42,000 in London and between £28,000 and £36,000 elsewhere. NQ rates sit at £78,000 in London and between £50,000 and £60,000 in the firm’s other offices.

A WBD spokesperson said:

“This year’s cohort of qualifying lawyers is a dedicated group that we are encouraged to see continue their career development and growth with Womble Bond Dickinson. This will provide us a strong pipeline of talented people for the future needs of the firm.”

Over three hours for some

Students have expressed their frustration at having to sit in an online queue for hours in a bid to secure an assessment slot for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).

Aspiring lawyers are able to secure exam slots through an on-line booking system, with applications for some SQE sittings opening at 10am today.

But some students report still being unable to secure a space despite waiting over three hours.

One future trainee solicitor, who is still sitting in the online queue at the time of publication, said they logged into the system promptly at 10am. “It’s been very stressful, especially since there’s little progress being made on the queue, and it’s hard to focus on other things when this is in the background!” they told Legal Cheek.

Students on X, formerly Twitter, report facing similar issues. “Waiting in your queuing system, which seems to be crashing when people reach the front of the queue,” one student wrote. “Forcing them to then rejoin the queue. Seems extremely disorganised if you ask me.”

Another said: “Am in a WhatsApp group with around 30 people all trying to book the SQE exams. We’re all either still waiting — now 1hr40 mins — or ineligible to book for pre-booking steps issue. We all work full time in paralegal/casework roles. This is a nightmare.”

“ANYONE ELSE STRUGGLING BOOKING THE SQE1 EXAM? HELP!” another student posted. “I’ve completed all the pre booking steps but days i’m not eligible! Stuck on hold to customer support!”

A Kaplan spokesperson told Legal Cheek:

“We have experienced problems with the booking process for the SQE1 assessment which have now been resolved. We can reassure candidates that capacity is widely available and the booking window will remain open until 15 November. Throughout the booking process, seats will be added where extra capacity is available. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

This isn’t the first time SQE students have ran into problems when booking exam slots. In 2022 Legal Cheek reported that solicitor hopefuls had encountered delays of up to two hours after logging in and joining the virtual queue.

UPDATE: 14:20pm The SRA has now posted the following message to X:

We're aware some candidates had difficulties with the SQE1 booking system earlier today. We've worked with Kaplan, the SQE assessment provider, to understand the cause of the issues. You should now be able to book your place. We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused.

— SRA (@sra_solicitors) October 4, 2023

2024 Chambers Most List — now live!

Your comprehensive guide to life at the leading barristers’ chambers in England and Wales is now live with its 2024 edition. You can check it out here.

This year’s updated Chambers Most List and profiles features 50 leading sets, including elite Magic Circle and commercial players, common and public law specialists as well as regional giants.

And, by the way, you can meet the sets at our Virtual Pupillage Fair THIS SATURDAY.

Each chambers can be benchmarked on criteria ranging from size of pupillage award to number of pupillages on offer; from gender and BME diversity stats to number of Oxbridge-educated new tenants.

As with previous years, each profile begins with an updated Legal Cheek View which offers bar hopefuls a unique and detailed overview of life at the set. This includes the practice areas tenants work in, recent notable cases, the social life, and what it is like behind closed doors at the set.

Each profile also contains an extensive What the Junior Barristers Say section which details the journey from student to tenant and provides pupillage seekers with a snapshot of life within chambers.

If that wasn’t enough, each chambers is given a Junior Barrister Survey Scorecard which grades it from A*-C in the following areas: training, quality of work, colleagues, facilities, work/life balance, social life, and legal tech. These ratings feed into our annual Legal Cheek Awards.

We also have those all-important pupillage and mini-pupillage application deadlines, which sync with our iPhone and Android apps, so you don’t miss out on key dates. These are also available on our Key Deadline Calendar.

A recent law graduate and aspiring barrister explains why he uses the Chambers Most List:

“The Chambers Most List is an excellent resource to get a general overview of a set, their practice areas, and recent cases. The Legal Cheek Views and junior barrister interviews also allow you to get a better sense of the more human aspects of a chambers’ like their social life and culture. This has helped me to decide on the chambers I want to apply to, without having to do a mini-pupillage at every single set I was initially considering.”

Meet all the major chambers featured on the list at The Legal Cheek Virtual Pupillage Fair this Saturday (7 October 2023). APPLY NOW.