Legal Education

Not a lot of polyglots – cultural understanding lost through lack of linguists

By Charlotte Edmond | October 3, 2013

As recently as a decade ago it would have been pretty easy to count the number of countries where top UK law firms had set up international offices. Now, as their client base becomes ever-more global and competition for work at home intensifies, this is no longer the case. If school level French, Spanish or German could ever have got you through your dealings with international counterparts, they certainly can't now as clients look further afield to Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

1 minute read

International Edition

Not a lot of polyglots – cultural understanding lost through lack of linguists

By Charlotte Edmond | October 3, 2013

As recently as a decade ago it would have been pretty easy to count the number of countries where top UK law firms had set up international offices. Now, as their client base becomes ever-more global and competition for work at home intensifies, this is no longer the case. If school level French, Spanish or German could ever have got you through your dealings with international counterparts, they certainly can't now as clients look further afield to Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

1 minute read

The first step on the ladder – what this summer's batch of vacation scheme interns have learnt

By Legal Week | October 3, 2013

For aspiring lawyers, vacation schemes are an essential path to career progression. Grant Murgatroyd speaks to this summer's batch of interns and finds out that the chance to network and socialise with employers can be as vital as the actual work...

1 minute read

Field Fisher takes on first recruits for school leavers' legal career scheme

By Pui-Guan Man | October 2, 2013

Field Fisher Waterhouse has taken on the first five recruits for a programme aimed at giving non-university students the opportunity to pursue a career in law. The Step2Success scheme, launched in May in conjunction with CILEx Law School, allows post A-level students to qualify as chartered legal executives at the firm within five years of starting the programme, and without having to earn a degree.

1 minute read

CMS awards four social mobility bursaries in second annual round

By Pui-Guan Man | September 30, 2013

CMS Cameron McKenna (CMS) has awarded bursaries to four school-leavers in the second year of a competition designed to support aspiring lawyers from underprivileged backgrounds. The firm's annual bursary competition, which launched last year, provides bursaries worth £2,500 a year to Year 12 students to support their law degrees. Candidates are able to win bursaries if they in the first generation of their family to attend university, meet certain financial criteria and gain ABB grades or equivalent at A-level.

1 minute read

Dropping the jargon – why law firm training courses should focus less on the law and more on how to practise it

By Legal Week | September 26, 2013

Formal training courses aimed at developing the legal skills of lawyers are often not effective learning tools at all. In order to improve, law firms must invest more time and resources into designing training sessions that use case studies, simulation and experience sharing. It is also important that greater investment is made in the training of facilitators so that they are more effective in coaching participants during a session. Traditional training methods have too great a focus on the law itself, rather than how to practise it. To be good lawyers, fee earners must learn key skills such as how to apply and give legal advice that is relevant to the client and their business, as well as how to present to a client without bamboozling them with law jargon. Speaking in the language of the client is crucial. If a formal training framework is a pre-requisite, that alone is not sufficient. The most effective and beneficial method of learning professional practice – and lawyers are not so different from other professions such as auditors or consultants – comes from shadowing and being coached by more senior lawyers.

1 minute read

The school-leaver lawyers – how law firms are benefitting from taking on talented young apprentices

By Legal Week | September 26, 2013

Soaring university fees are proving to be a boon for some law firms, which are stepping in to offer apprentice jobs to talented youngsters barred from traditional degree-led routes into the profession...

1 minute read

CC looks to strengthen Africa ties by giving training to local lawyers

By Pui-Guan Man | September 26, 2013

Clifford Chance (CC) has kicked off a training scheme for African lawyers, allowing them to access magic circle-standards of legal training. The initiative, called the "Clifford Chance Africa Academy", aims to give junior and senior associates at CC's relationship firms access to a structured programme based on existing training courses developed by its global training arm, the Clifford Chance Academy, which provides technical and business skills training for its lawyers and business professionals.

1 minute read

Belt-tightening takes its toll as newly qualified recruits dip 6%

By Pui-Guan Man | September 19, 2013

The number of newly qualified (NQ) lawyers accepting roles at the UK's top 20 law firms has fallen 6% year-on-year as the effects of the uncertain market continue to be felt at the lower end of the profession. In total 672 NQs took up roles at the top 20 firms this year, a drop of 6.3% on the autumn 2012 qualifying round, in which 717 lawyers were recruited, according to research by Legal Week. The trend reflects a broader dip in the number of qualifying lawyers this year, with cutbacks in firms' graduate recruitment during the worst of the downturn now playing out further down the line. There was a total of 825 qualifying lawyers across the group this autumn, down 7% from last year's figure of 887, with firms including Eversheds, Herbert Smith Freehills and Simmons & Simmons all seeing a decrease in the number of NQs coming through the ranks this year.

1 minute read

Career Clinic: Should I switch from private practice to lecturing?

By Legal Week | August 8, 2013

"I made this change and it is a very rewarding career. However, you need to go into it with your eyes open. Not only will you take an enormous pay cut, but the hours are long..."

1 minute read

Daily Business Review

Virtual Work is Convenient and Omnipresent. Is it Stunting Young Lawyers' Development?

By Alexander Lugo | March 19, 2024

Some rising attorneys are struggling to adapt when work takes them beyond a computer screen and into an actual courtroom.

7 minute read

New York Law Journal

Florida Team Takes Top Honors at Queens DA's Mock Trial Competition

By ALM Staff | March 18, 2024

The team bested competitors from 17 other top-ranked schools from around the Eastern Seaboard.

2 minute read

Law.com

Washington Becomes Second State to Adopt Alternative Pathways to the Bar

By Christine Charnosky | March 15, 2024

"I am very pleased that the Supreme Court adopted the Task Force's recommendations, and am proud of our Task Force," said Anthony E. Varona, Seattle University School of Law dean and co-chair of the WBLTF.

4 minute read

New York Law Journal

New York's Top Law Schools Slide Down Go-To Law Schools Rankings

By Christine Charnosky | March 15, 2024

While changes in methodology and a reduction of participating schools pose challenges in directly comparing this year's rankings to prior years, the 2024 rankings saw only a few substantial changes compared to 2023. However, there were a couple of upsets in the top 10, including Columbia being dethroned after 10 years in the top spot.

5 minute read

The Legal Intelligencer

People in the News—March 15, 2024—Greenberg Traurig, Laffey Bucci

By Victoria Pfefferle-Gillot | March 15, 2024

Health care and FDA practice shareholder Brad M. Rostolsky, of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, was among the featured faculty at the 30th annual Health Law Institute, presented by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI).

3 minute read

The Legal Intelligencer

Three Big Law Firms Unite to Pitch Law Students on Practicing in Phila.

By Amanda O'Brien | March 14, 2024

Ballard Spahr, Blank Rome and Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath are hosting a webinar next week to make the case that Philadelphia is an "incredible place to practice law." They're motivated in part by a shift away from on-campus recruiting.

4 minute read

Law.com

Longtime Go-To Law Schools Leader Dethroned in 2024 Rankings

By Christine Charnosky | March 14, 2024

While changes in methodology and a reduction of participating schools pose challenges in directly comparing this year's rankings to prior years, the 2024 rankings saw only a few substantial changes compared to 2023. However, there were a couple of upsets in the top 10.

5 minute read

Law.com

GMU Law Back in Compliance With ABA

By Christine Charnosky | March 14, 2024

"The Scalia Law School continues to grow both in enrollment and budgets, with sustained support from philanthropy and increasing support the university," Stephanie Aaronson, deputy VP in the Office of University Branding at GMU, told Law.com in December.

2 minute read

Law.com

Internal Investigation Finds Colorado Law Dean Violated Anti-Discrimination Policies

By Christine Charnosky | March 13, 2024

The OIEC found that the preponderance of the evidence supports a prima facie case of retaliation, and that while Inniss "provided plausibly legitimate non-retaliatory reasons" for her decision to remove Campos from the committee, OIEC also found that her "proffered reasons were not the only factors involved."

4 minute read

Law.com

Sneak Peek at the 2024 Go-To Law Schools: Big Law Nos. 1-10

By ALM Staff | March 13, 2024

Here's a first look at the law schools that sent the highest percentage of 2023 graduates to associate jobs at the largest 100 law firms.

1 minute read