Law Student

International Edition

US duo take lead roles on $1.1bn private equity purchase of BPP's parent company

By Anna Ward | February 11, 2016

Apollo Education Group, owner of BPP University Law School, set to be acquired by investor consortium in $1.1bn deal

1 minute read

International Edition

Regulator brings in alternative to training contracts in bid to open up profession

By Frances Ivens | July 31, 2014

The Solicitor Regulation Authority (SRA) has introduced 'a period of recognised training' as an alternative to the traditional training contract route to legal qualification.

1 minute read

International Edition

Training and education: Moving on up

By Legal Week | December 21, 2009

It was inevitable that the recent report put together by former cabinet minister Alan Milburn would find professions such as law and medicine dominated by affluent, privately-educated individuals. While social mobility has been on the political agenda for years, the professions have seen little change, with the majority of the UK's lawyers still coming from a select group of independently-educated pupils who go on to attend Russell Group universities.

1 minute read

Training and education: Moving on up

By Legal Week | December 21, 2009

It was inevitable that the recent report put together by former cabinet minister Alan Milburn would find professions such as law and medicine dominated by affluent, privately-educated individuals. While social mobility has been on the political agenda for years, the professions have seen little change, with the majority of the UK's lawyers still coming from a select group of independently-educated pupils who go on to attend Russell Group universities.

1 minute read

Wish you were here?

By Charlotte Edmond | October 31, 2008

Secondments are the new black. With the buzzing London deals market a fading memory, and law firms increasingly deploying manpower to more active markets, overseas placements are more a la mode than ever. But how do you secure the placement you want? And more to the point, what can you do to avoid the one you don't want? In the not-too-distant past, taking up a post in-house or overseas was something those keen to avoid career suicide thought long and hard about. However, given the downturn in workload across the UK, placements outside the home territories are coming back on to the agenda.

1 minute read

International Edition

Wish you were here?

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | October 31, 2008

Secondments are the new black. With the buzzing London deals market a fading memory, and law firms increasingly deploying manpower to more active markets, overseas placements are more a la mode than ever. But how do you secure the placement you want? And more to the point, what can you do to avoid the one you don't want? In the not-too-distant past, taking up a post in-house or overseas was something those keen to avoid career suicide thought long and hard about. However, given the downturn in workload across the UK, placements outside the home territories are coming back on to the agenda.

1 minute read

Job-hunters cite career path as key driver

By Charlotte Edmond | October 20, 2008

Career progression is one of the major factors influencing lawyers on the hunt for a new job, topping quality of work and firm culture as key benefits, according to new research Aside from money, a desire to climb the career ladder came out as the most powerful factor in persuading lawyers to move jobs, according to research by recruiters Badenoch & Clark.Would-be recruits placed quality of work as the second most important factor attracting them to a particular firm, followed by flexible working and culture.

1 minute read

International Edition

Job-hunters cite career path as key driver

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | October 20, 2008

Career progression is one of the major factors influencing lawyers on the hunt for a new job, topping quality of work and firm culture as key benefits, according to new research Aside from money, a desire to climb the career ladder came out as the most powerful factor in persuading lawyers to move jobs, according to research by recruiters Badenoch & Clark.Would-be recruits placed quality of work as the second most important factor attracting them to a particular firm, followed by flexible working and culture.

1 minute read

Diversity guru tells law firms to focus on promoting inclusion

By Charlotte Edmond | October 2, 2008

Recruiting a diverse workforce is easy but top City law firms are falling down when it comes to creating an inclusive atmosphere where lawyers from all backgrounds want to stay and build their careers.Leading diversity consultant Linbert Spencer told delegates at a Shilton Sharpe Quarry (SSQ) forum last week, that inclusion is one of the hardest issues facing law firms today - rather than the initial recruitment of minority workers.Spencer applauded the efforts already being made to encourage diversity in the legal sector, but said that firms need to be clearer about what they are trying to achieve. Firms need to concentrate on how many people from diverse backgrounds they can retain rather than the number they can recruit. In particular, Spencer argued that distinct firm cultures - something many City leaders pride themselves on - can cause problems if they mean people from all backgrounds are forced to try and fit into the same mould. "Diversity is a given - everyone is different. The task is managing inclusion. If you start by looking to change your diversity you are conceptually starting in the wrong place," Spencer said.Delegates, including diversity officers and human resources managers from many of the City's largest firms, were also told to view Government diversity legislation as the base level below which no-one should sink. Current legislation deals with discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, age and sex, but there are other areas that can make people feel uncomfortable or isolated. To this end, Spencer argued firms need to be aware of the message they are sending to the market if they want to attract and retain the best talent. Spencer said: "The recruitment process starts before you actually decide to go out and look for people. It is all to do with your image and the market perception of you as an office, as a firm and as an industry." He also cautioned that recruiting from 'non-traditional backgrounds' should not mean lowering standards. He argued maintaining a 2:1 degree barrier was fine as long as, within that bracket, law firms ensure they are attracting the most diverse group of recruits. His words come against a backdrop of law firms looking at broadening recruitment criteria to include aptitude and psychometric testing rather than just academic qualifications. Norton Rose is considering axing the minimum requirement of a 2:1 degree from training contract applicants, while Herbert Smith is also in the process of reviewing its application process.Despite the additional costs involved in increasing diversity, firms were warned not to reduce efforts to recruit a mixed workforce as a result of the global economic crisis and cost-cutting.SSQ director Gavin Sharpe likewise told delegates at the event, which was supported by Legal Week, that law firms tackling diversity should avoid knee-jerk reactions. He said: "Diversity panics partners. They say 'let's have someone with a 2:2 from an ethnic minority. That is not what I think diversity is about."

1 minute read

International Edition

Diversity guru tells law firms to focus on promoting inclusion

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | October 2, 2008

Recruiting a diverse workforce is easy but top City law firms are falling down when it comes to creating an inclusive atmosphere where lawyers from all backgrounds want to stay and build their careers.Leading diversity consultant Linbert Spencer told delegates at a Shilton Sharpe Quarry (SSQ) forum last week, that inclusion is one of the hardest issues facing law firms today - rather than the initial recruitment of minority workers.Spencer applauded the efforts already being made to encourage diversity in the legal sector, but said that firms need to be clearer about what they are trying to achieve. Firms need to concentrate on how many people from diverse backgrounds they can retain rather than the number they can recruit. In particular, Spencer argued that distinct firm cultures - something many City leaders pride themselves on - can cause problems if they mean people from all backgrounds are forced to try and fit into the same mould. "Diversity is a given - everyone is different. The task is managing inclusion. If you start by looking to change your diversity you are conceptually starting in the wrong place," Spencer said.Delegates, including diversity officers and human resources managers from many of the City's largest firms, were also told to view Government diversity legislation as the base level below which no-one should sink. Current legislation deals with discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, age and sex, but there are other areas that can make people feel uncomfortable or isolated. To this end, Spencer argued firms need to be aware of the message they are sending to the market if they want to attract and retain the best talent. Spencer said: "The recruitment process starts before you actually decide to go out and look for people. It is all to do with your image and the market perception of you as an office, as a firm and as an industry." He also cautioned that recruiting from 'non-traditional backgrounds' should not mean lowering standards. He argued maintaining a 2:1 degree barrier was fine as long as, within that bracket, law firms ensure they are attracting the most diverse group of recruits. His words come against a backdrop of law firms looking at broadening recruitment criteria to include aptitude and psychometric testing rather than just academic qualifications. Norton Rose is considering axing the minimum requirement of a 2:1 degree from training contract applicants, while Herbert Smith is also in the process of reviewing its application process.Despite the additional costs involved in increasing diversity, firms were warned not to reduce efforts to recruit a mixed workforce as a result of the global economic crisis and cost-cutting.SSQ director Gavin Sharpe likewise told delegates at the event, which was supported by Legal Week, that law firms tackling diversity should avoid knee-jerk reactions. He said: "Diversity panics partners. They say 'let's have someone with a 2:2 from an ethnic minority. That is not what I think diversity is about."

1 minute read