For all the glossy inclusion brochures, high-profile mentoring schemes, and dedicated diversity committees, the upper echelons of the UK’s largest law firms remain stubbornly homogeneous. According to recent diversity data released by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) , the profession’s heavyweights continue to lag significantly behind the rest of the market when it ...

For UK law firms, holding client money has long been a sacred trust, governed by strict fiduciary duties and rigorous regulatory frameworks. But a new government proposal threatens to turn this foundational duty into a legal minefield. As Westminster pushes forward with plans for an Interest on Lawyers' Client Accounts (ILCA) scheme, leading City solicitors are raising a ...

The integrity of the legal profession has once again been placed under the microscope following a decisive ruling by the Court of Appeal, which has refused a bid by a jailed barrister to introduce new evidence in an attempt to overturn his conviction. The case serves as a stark reminder of the high threshold required to disturb a jury’s verdict and the severe consequences of ...

The Limitation Clock Stops Ticking For the past two years, corporate solicitors have operated under a strict—and controversial—regime regarding unfair prejudice petitions. Following the Court of Appeal’s 2024 decision, practitioners were compelled to advise clients that section 994 petitions were subject to a twelve-year limitation period (as an action on a specialty), or ...

The landscape of law in the UK demands that solicitors remain at the forefront of legal knowledge and practice. Yet for many busy solicitors, the annual CPD cycle feels like a daunting compliance exercise rather than genuine professional growth.  The challenge often lies not in a lack of available courses, but in accurately identifying which knowledge and skills gaps need ...

96% of UK law firms now integrate AI into their operations , yet many legal professionals struggle with implementation.  In order to take full advantage of this technology, professionals must learn how to use it effectively for legal-specific tasks. This gap between availability and application leads to underutilized tools and missed opportunities for efficiency gains. ...

Ethical missteps can destroy a legal career overnight and undermine public trust in the justice system. With regulatory complaints against UK lawyers rising 15% year-on-year, every solicitor and barrister faces daily decisions that could make or break their professional standing.  This article examines the most common ethical challenges in UK legal practice and provides ...

CPD Requirements for UK Lawyers  The legal profession in the UK demands excellence, and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is your pathway to maintaining the highest standards throughout your career. With over 218,000 solicitors and 17,656 barristers currently practising across England and Wales, understanding and meeting your CPD obligations isn't just ...

The short answer is YES. Whether your contract is local, interprovincial, or international, it should contain a governing law clause.  If you don’t include it, a court will choose a governing law for you.  The court will do that by applying its jurisdiction’s conflict of laws rules to find the proper law of the contract.  In Canada, the well-established rule is to apply the ...

INCOTERMS® 2020 are 11 rules issued by the International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”).  If you’re thinking: How can they issue them?  They don’t make law.  You would be right. They are not laws.  They are terms that have been used historically in international sale of goods contracts, which are widely understood/interpreted by courts and people who deal with logistics issues. ...

Legal sovereignty is a political concept that gives States the power to govern themselves and the people within a state. It is the ultimate source of legal power and autonomy.  In a monarchy, a king or queen has sovereign power.  It is sovereignty that allows a State to create laws, like a constitution, and create/protect its border from other sovereign States.  That is, one ...

If the proper law of the contract has not been identified in the contract through a governing law clause, and it cannot be inferred from the express or implied intentions of the parties, the court will apply its jurisdiction’s conflict of laws rules to determine which legal system applies to the contract.  Where that analysis dictates that another jurisdiction’s legal system ...