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International Edition

Top firms break ground with project to boost access to law, but challenge has only begun

Despite already being touted as a landmark for the industry, the law firms behind the initiative aimed at improving access to the profession are hoping to substantially expand the number of firms 
backing the scheme. The scheme launched with 23 major firms across the UK and Ireland but the backers of the project to hand work experience to under-privileged children believe it will be essential to secure the active support of more law firms before addressing the considerable challenge of building links and co-operation with a broad base of schools nationally.
6 minute read

International Edition

Is the College of Law really up for sale?

The news this week, first reported in RollOnFriday.com and then covered by Legal Week, that the College of Law may be up for sale is not entirely unexpected. With a reported turnover of £75m - and I am assuming a good net profit - it is a valuable property, even in a difficult legal education market. The recent re-accreditation of the College of Law's degree-awarding power enhances the value. BPP University College, another new authorised degree-awarding institution, has yet to face re-accreditation and while that may well be a formality, the directors of BPP and their American owners are unlikely to take that for granted.
7 minute read

International Edition

College of Law launches strategic review and eyes potential sale

The College of Law has launched a strategic review which could ultimately lead to the sale of one of the UK's top law schools. The College, which was incorporated as a charity by Royal Charter in 1975 and is overseen by a board of governors, is in the process of reviewing its strategic options, it has been confirmed. News of the College's review was first revealed by legal website RollOnFriday. A sale would mean that the College, which has a turnover of around £75m, which would lose its status as a charity.
3 minute read

International Edition

College of Law avoids compulsory redundancies after staffing review

The College of Law has completed the redundancy consultation it launched earlier this summer, which saw 20 full-time roles placed under review. The College said it had finalised a "rebalancing" exercise of its tutor staff numbers without having resort to any compulsory redundancies.
2 minute read

International Edition

Debevoise pilots mini-MBA scheme for London and New York associates

Debevoise & Plimpton is set to roll out a mini-MBA scheme for first-year associates in its London and New York offices. From this September, all first-year associates in Debevoise's two main offices will receive four weeks of intensive training in how to solve legal problems in a business context, as well as receiving an insight into the perspective of the US firm's client base.
2 minute read

International Edition

Career Clinic: Will unconventional A-levels see me shut out of a career in law?

"I understand there have already been some posts published concerning the importance of A-level grades, but my situation is rather unique, so do hear me out. "I am a mature student set to start an LLB at a good Russell Group uni. I have already achieved a 1st class degree at the same uni in another subject, before which I spent two years working for military intelligence.
2 minute read

International Edition

BPP expands undergrad law degrees to Leeds, Birmingham & Bristol

BPP Law School is rolling out its undergraduate law degree courses to three more of its regional branches in a bid to increase access to the programme for students. The education provider will expand its law and business law degrees - currently only available in London and Manchester - to its Leeds, Birmingham and Bristol schools this September.
2 minute read

International Edition

Slaughters adds third New Zealand firm to secondment network

Slaughter and May has agreed a new secondment arrangement with New Zealand firm Chapman Tripp. The pair have been in discussions over the last few months and have decided to enter into a non-exclusive programme that will see junior lawyers from each firm seconded to the other for a year.
2 minute read

International Edition

Five ways to stay sane throughout the pupillage hunt

This has to be the nastiest time of the year for budding barristers. It is hunting season and the prize is one of those coveted pupillages. At the end of April a swarm of hopefuls sent their carefully crafted pupillage applications whizzing off into the unknown. Some may even have knocked out extra applications to sets of chambers not subscribing to the Bar's version of UCAS, the dreaded Pupillage Portal.
6 minute read

International Edition

Freshfields announces 96% retention rate for autumn intake as RPC keeps on 100%

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is set to retain almost all of its qualifying trainees this autumn, with 96% of its September intake set to stay on at the firm. Forty-eight of 50 newly-qualified lawyers (NQs) have accepted a job with the firm starting in September after 49 were asked to stay on, with one declining.
2 minute read

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