Will also deliver LPC and GDL

The University of Law (ULaw) is on the verge of striking a new partnership with the University of Sheffield to deliver a range of postgraduate legal courses.

If given the go ahead, the deal will see the law school giant take control of the Russell Group Uni’s vocational legal courses, namely the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and Legal Practice Course (LPC), as well as the delivery of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) — due to come into force 1 September 2021.

ULaw says the tie up, which is currently an agreement in principle, will allow it to deliver specialist legal education to the uni’s aspiring solicitors, while enabling Sheffield to focus on its research-led teaching in criminology and law.

The deal would also see Sheffield’s Centre for Professional Legal Education (the department responsible for postgraduate legal courses) move under the control of ULaw and its Leeds campus dean Matthew Tomlinson from September.

“The University of Sheffield has run very successful and well established GDL and LPC programmes for more than 20 years, so it will be a privilege for us to work with the team in Sheffield to really drive the University’s offering forwards,” Tomlinson said. “The Yorkshire legal scene is full of incredible talent and growing at a fantastic rate, so we’re excited to see what the future has in store.”

Professor Graham Gee, head of the University of Sheffield’s School of Law, said: “We’re pleased to be consulting our students and staff about a potential future collaboration with The University of Law, which could offer us an exciting new way to adapt to changing qualification routes for solicitors.”

He added: “Any collaboration will have to work in the interest of our students, respect their rights and our duties under our Student Protection Plan, to ensure our students get the very best in legal training.”

ULaw has struck a number of similar training deals with universities in the past, including Reading, Liverpool and East Anglia.

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Good news for rookies

Squire Patton Boggs‘ (SPB) future trainees will join the firm this autumn as planned, Legal Cheek can reveal, just weeks after the firm warned it may have to push back their start dates in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

In an email seen by this website, SPB informed TC holders on Friday that there would be no delay to their September start date.

The good news follows a warning by the firm in April that deferrals remain a possibility and that future rookies should “hold off making financial decisions, such as entering into rental agreements for accommodation”, until the situation became clearer.

The positive update comes amid a flurry of TC suspensions by City players in light of the financial uncertainty brought about by COVID-19.

Herbert Smith Freehills has offered future trainees £8,000 to push back their start dates by six months, while soon-to-be rookies at DLA Piper are being handed up to £10,000 to do the same but for a year.

Elsewhere, DWF and Irwin Mitchell have both delayed the start dates of their next trainee cohorts by six months.

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Antony Dines also said to have recorded colleagues at work

A former law firm office worker who installed a hidden camera in the ceiling grate of a Starbucks toilet has been banned from working in the legal profession.

Antony Dines, a facilities assistant with national law firm Lyons Davidson, plead guilty in December 2017 to what the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) described as four “serious criminal offences”.

It was previously reported that Dines — who was employed by a support services company and not the firm — installed a covert camera in the disabled toilet of the Starbucks in Vauxhall, South London. He is also said to have placed another camera in the ladies toilet at the Lyons Davidson’s office in New Malden.

Dines was eventually apprehended by police after an appeal was put out showing his image when he inadvertently recorded himself installing the device in the coffee shop.

He was convicted of voyeurism and sentenced to a community order with 200 hours unpaid work.

The SRA said it was “undesirable” for Dines to be involved in a legal practice due to the seriousness of his criminal conduct and that it would undermine public trust in the provision of legal services.

Dines has now been made the subject of a section 43 order, which prevents him from working in a law firm without prior permission from the regulator. He must also pay the SRA’s costs of £300.

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Follows moves made by Slaughters and A&O

Clifford Chance is the latest magic circle firm to cut the salaries of its newly-qualified (NQ) solicitors as the unravelling of last summer’s City pay war continues.

Solicitors qualifying in September 2020 will receive a total pay package of £94,500, comprised of salary and bonus, £5,500 less than last year. CC previously bumped NQ pay from £91,000 to £100,000 (bonus included) following the 2019 summer City pay war. The firm does not report its NQ base salary.

CC also confirmed that trainee solicitor pay remains unaffected — £48,000 in year one, rising to £54,000 in year two.

Today’s news comes less than 24 hours after we reported that fellow magic circle player Allen & Overy has reduced NQ pay from a minimum of £100,000, comprised of salary and sign-on bonus, to £90,000. Meanwhile, Slaughter and May confirmed a month ago that its NQs will earn £87,000, a reduction on the £92,000 base salary.

Freshfields, however, has decided against an NQ salary cut and will continue to pay its rookie talent £100,000. Linklaters is understood to be still considering its NQ pay position.

Last summer saw all five elite firms boost annual NQ salaries to at least £100,000 in competition with the London offices of US law firms.

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‘Turn positive intentions into positive action and create a level playing field for all,’ group writes

The primary voice of black solicitors across the UK has urged law firm leaders to “walk the talk” on diversity.

The Black Solicitors Network (BSN) put out its call to action for racial inequalities in the workplace in an open letter published yesterday.

“The tragedy of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of those who are meant to protect and to serve and the ensuing outpouring across the world has led to a surge of ‘courageous conversations’ in the workplace,” the letter begins. The BSN encourages these conversations, it adds, but importantly, “challenge[s] firms and organisations to ‘walk the talk’, to turn positive intentions into positive action and create a level playing field for all.”

The network, chaired by Linklaters counsel Paulette Mastin, states that racial inequalities that pervade the legal profession can only be redressed if firms build “accountability” into their diversity initiatives, with “recruitment, retention and promotion” strategies at their core.

“Such positive actions require a change in organisational culture and that change can only occur if senior management is willing to take the tangible steps needed to create a truly inclusive and diverse legal workforce,” the letter continues.

It goes on to outline five “action points” law firms and other legal services providers (including in-house legal teams) should anchor their diversity efforts around. These include metrics, targets and accountability; retention; promotion; organisational culture — inclusive leadership; and external diversity engagement/social impact.

Read the BSN’s letter in-full

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31 to 33 in response to firm growth

Macfarlanes has slightly upped the number of training contacts it will be dishing out this year to accommodate future growth at the firm.

Despite the financial uncertainty the coronavirus pandemic has brought upon City law, the single-office-outfit will now offer 33 TC spots a year — up from a previous figure of 31.

“We have taken the decision to increase our trainee numbers modestly because of the growth of the firm,” a spokesperson for Macfarlanes said. “We need to increase the trainee numbers because we anticipate needing more qualified staff in the years to come.”

Macfarlanes also confirmed it has no plans to defer the qualification dates for its newly-qualified (NQ) solicitors or the start dates for future trainees. “We recruit our trainees to be partners of the future, we regard them as the lifeblood of our firm and look forward to welcoming our new cohorts,” the spokesperson added.

Legal Cheek‘s Firms Most List shows Macfarlanes pays its trainees £44,000 in year one and £49,000 in year two. NQs receive a base rate of £85,000.

The recruitment bump comes as many of the firm’s City counterparts look to mitigate the financial impact of COVID-19 by deferring the start dates of their future rookies.

Both DLA Piper and Herbert Smith Freehills are offering TC holders as much as £10,000 to delay their joining dates, while DWF and Irwin Mitchell are taking similar action.

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Baker McKenzie beyond the graduate recruitment brochure

You probably would have never thought Instagram — the popular photo-sharing app that is commonly associated with users sharing selfies, holiday throwbacks and matcha chai latte pics (#nofilter) — could help you land a training contract, right?

Well, it can aid your research when writing application forms. Social media savvy firms such as Baker McKenzie are on Instagram and regularly share insights into the lives of their lawyers.

Follow ‘@bakermckenzie_londongraduates’ to keep up to date with the goings-on at the international law firm. This way you’ll get a feel for the firm’s culture and what matters most to them. We find out that Baker McKenzie ranks highly for social mobility in one post, and that it encourages staff to volunteer for charitable causes, in another. You’ll gather interesting titbits such as how the firm celebrated Christmas one year (a festive dinner and its lawyers carol singing), Shrove Tuesday (with its very own in-office pancake station, of course), and how the trainee summer party went down (inflatables and Hawaiian leis galore). You’ll also pick up training contract and vacation scheme tips along the way — invaluable information for prospective applicants.

To save you the time scrolling, we have compiled the top three things that applicants can learn about Baker McKenzie from its Instagram page.

1. The global nature of the firm

In a recent Instagram Live-Chat we sat down with Jacob Turner, a trainee solicitor at Baker McKenzie who was in his third seat at the time of filming. Turner explained how the firm draws on its huge global network of offices to handle multijurisdictional matters for big-name clients, and how this translates into the day-to-day life of a trainee.

View this post on Instagram

Current Trainee Solicitor Jacob Turner answers questions from Adam at Legal Cheek. Listen to hear about the application process, international and client secondments, the global nature of Baker McKenzie, and the firms Diversity & Inclusion initiatives #law #bakermckenzie #london #lawlife #graduaterecruitment #commercialawareness

A post shared by Baker McKenzie Grads London (@bakermckenzie_londongraduates) on Jun 8, 2020 at 9:40am PDT

The first-ever deal he worked on involved six countries across Asia and Africa. This meant he had to get to grips with the different laws and regulations at play as well as think about the commercial implications between cultures. “Most trainees at Baker McKenzie rarely do anything that has ‘one dimension’, i.e. involving just one jurisdiction such as the UK. Everything we work on is multijurisdictional,” said Turner. “My days are filled with calls with clients across the globe.”

Further, the vast majority (around 90% according to our 2020 Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey) of Baker McKenzie trainees complete an international secondment during their training contract. The process is fairly transparent and the firm operates a rolling list of secondments abroad. The global nature of the firm means there are opportunities to be seconded anywhere so long as the office has an English qualified lawyer that is able to supervise your work. Last year, according to one post, destinations ranged from Brussels and Dubai to New York and Tokyo, with the addition of Sydney and Hong Kong this year.

In one post (below), trainee solicitor Jerrold Yam details his experience of being seconded to the firm’s Singapore office. “It’s been a fantastic adventure both in and out of the office,” he says.

View this post on Instagram

Hear from our Trainee Jerrold Yam, who is on secondment in Singapore; “I've just crossed the halfway mark in my three month secondment to the Singapore office with the M&A practice group, and it's been a fantastic adventure both in and out of the office. We've acted for a bidder in a multi-jurisdictional share sale by way of auction, where my chief tasks involved coordinating the Q&A work stream and consolidating local counsel responses into a due diligence report. I also assisted with amending a shareholders' agreement and a share subscription agreement based on negotiation meetings for a cross-jurisdictional joint venture with private equity investment. Outside the office, the tropical Singaporean weather enhances that first sip of ice cold beer with colleagues on a Friday evening. Food options are diverse, eclectic and refined, showing off the country's multiracial heritage (from grilled satay and steamed crabs, to caramelised pork and saffron rice). Singapore's a great hub for travel around Asia Pacific, so it would almost be irresponsible of me not to have already booked trips to Seoul, Bali and Melbourne! #trainees #trainingcontract #bakermckenzie #lawcareers #graduates #singapore #secondment #travel

A post shared by Baker McKenzie Grads London (@bakermckenzie_londongraduates) on Aug 6, 2018 at 4:10am PDT

2. An authentic commitment to diversity and inclusion

A commitment to diversity and inclusion is at the core of the firm’s culture. We learn from Turner in the two-way chat that the very first question on the firm’s application form focuses on diversity: what it means to the applicant and how they are able to demonstrate their commitment. “We’re a really friendly and sociable firm — our people truly care about one another and naturally that translates into diversity,” he added.

Baker McKenzie’s diversity and inclusion initiatives include BakerWellbeing, BakerWomen, BakerLGBT, BakerEthnicity and BakerOpportunity. Every lawyer at any level of seniority is actively encouraged to get involved and make a difference.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Baker McKenzie Grads London (@bakermckenzie_londongraduates) on Oct 3, 2017 at 3:15pm PDT

Baker McKenzie prioritises lawyer wellbeing which “boosts morale and positivity”, explains trainee solicitor Kristin Gottschalk in one post. Another post shows a recent BakerOpportunity panel event, ‘Addressing the Class Ceiling’, which explored ways of improving social mobility. Turner is part of ‘Future Aim’, a trainee-led initiative at Baker McKenzie which sees its rookies partner with schools outside London to deliver sessions on commercial awareness.

Upholding justice is another key strand of the firm’s culture and there are opportunities for its people — including its vac schemers — to undertake pro bono work. Unlike some firms the hours spent working pro bono at Baker McKenzie count towards lawyers’ billable hour targets, and trainees (who don’t have annual targets) can work pro bono at the Legal Advice Centre in Bethnal Green, Turner explained.

During the training contract, trainees complete a ‘Volunteer Day’. In one post (below) we learn that one intake spent a long weekend volunteering with Help Refugees and Refugee Community Kitchen in Calais.

View this post on Instagram

“19 trainees used their volunteer day to spend a long weekend volunteering with Help Refugees and Refugee Community Kitchen in Calais. We spent our time chopping veg, sorting through donations and cutting wood to help the charities feed, clothe and keep warm the 1,500 refugees living in appalling conditions in Calais and Dunkirk. It was an eye opening experience to witness the terrible conditions that the refugees are being forced to live in, having fled the conflict torn countries which they come from in the hope of achieving a better life for themselves and their families. Despite all of this it was heart warming to witness the continued hope, energy and enthusiasm of the volunteers, many of whom have given up careers to ensure that the refugees are not forgotten” Polly Mainds – Trainee #bakermckenzie #law #volunteering #getmorefromlaw #law2018 #graduates #trainees

A post shared by Baker McKenzie Grads London (@bakermckenzie_londongraduates) on Dec 20, 2018 at 8:44am PST

3. How to ace the application process

The application process for a training contract at Baker McKenzie consists of a written application form which includes a cover letter (beware of misspelling ‘Baker Mckenzie’ and “not signing off correctly”!), an online psychometric test, video interview and assessment centre.

Research is an integral part of the application process. Sixty-five percent of Baker McKenzie’s 3,340 followers felt insufficiently prepared to submit a strong vacation scheme application in a recent poll conducted by the firm. It helps to have a solid understanding of the firm and what they’re hoping to gauge from you at each stage of the process, explained Turner. In the cover letter, for example, it’s worth explaining your motivations for applying to the firm and for the work experience section of the form, it’s worth keeping a record of your work history dates and to include all (law and non-law) work experience.

Prospective applicants can find out more about the firm by attending campus events, workshops and open days. Students currently studying at a UK university should also consider becoming a Baker McKenzie brand ambassador as a way to learn more about the firm and expand their professional network. Baker McKenzie also hosts networking dinners for university students to meet with the firm’s lawyers and graduate recruitment team in a relaxed setting.

View this post on Instagram

Over the last few weeks we’ve held Networking Dinners in Bristol, Warwick and London Here are a few pictures of the beautiful venues we’ve been to! Thank you to everyone who has attended so far. Applications are still open for our dinners in Oxford, Durham and Exeter. Apply now through our website! #law #careers #bakermckenzie #graduatejobs #graduatecareers #legal #graduaterecruitment #dinner #vacationschemes #trainingcontract #dinner #event #london #warwick #bristol

A post shared by Baker McKenzie Grads London (@bakermckenzie_londongraduates) on Nov 7, 2019 at 7:05am PST

In a recent ‘Ask me Anything’, the graduate recruitment team explained that there is no such thing as a “perfect candidate”. Baker McKenzie recruits a range of individuals with something different to offer. “What is incredibly important is to let your personality shine through and to be yourself. We like people who are interested and interesting!”

Thomas Hogan and Lizzie Arthey have also shared their top tips to making a good impression during the video interview. These include finding a quiet place free from interruptions, being aware of your background and muting notifications on your computer.

View this post on Instagram

This week Thomas and Lizzie filmed the video interview questions for our First Year Insight Scheme. During a video interview, you will receive a set of questions that you must record responses to in video format A few of our top tips include: Prepare as you would for a face-to-face interview Find a quiet place free from interruptions Be aware of your background Speak clearly Put your phone on silent and turn off notifications on your computer Make eye contact – try to look at the camera instead of yourself on the screen Wishing everyone the best of luck in your video interviews! #bakermckenzie #law #london #firstyear #scheme #lawcareers #experience #legal #careers #university #videointerview #recruitmentlife

A post shared by Baker McKenzie Grads London (@bakermckenzie_londongraduates) on Feb 6, 2020 at 1:51am PST

Arthey summed up what applicants can learn from Baker McKenzie’s Instagram page:

“Follow Baker McKenzie’s Instagram page for a peek into the world of commercial law. Learn about the workplace culture, current news in the legal industry, the life of a trainee solicitor, and opportunities available at the firm.”

Follow @bakermckenzie

About Legal Cheek Careers posts

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James Andrew Wilson reported himself to the SRA after malicious communications conviction

A junior lawyer has been fined £10,000 after a conviction for sending abusive messages to a woman he met through the Bumble dating app.

Legal Cheek reported last year that Victor Kruchinkin had received a community order for a string of hostile DMs to a woman known as Ms X, including one calling her a “gobby ethnic from Zone 8”, after she ended things after a couple of meet-ups.

Shortly after our story appeared, the young lawyer changed his name by deed poll from Victor Kruchinkin to James Andrew Wilson.

Wilson has now reached a settlement with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) after reporting his conviction to the regulator.

An agreed outcome records that Wilson had “persistently made use of a public electronic communications network for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience and needless anxiety to another”, contrary to section 127 of the Communications Act 2003.

In mitigation, Wilson pointed to redacted medical evidence and that he has since “attended various courses” to address his “inability to communicate in an appropriate social way”.

The SRA agreed that “a fine appears to be a sufficient sanction to mark the seriousness of the misconduct and to protect the public and reputation of the profession”. Wilson is to fork over £10,000 plus £2,600 in costs.

Signing off on the settlement, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found that “the seriousness of the respondent’s admitted misconduct was not such that any sanction should interfere with his right to practise”.

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17 out of 19

Travers Smith has posted a solid autumn trainee retention score of 89%.

Of the 19 rookies due to qualify next month, 17 accepted newly qualified (NQ) solicitor roles at the London-headquartered outfit. Travers, which offers around 25 training contracts each year, confirmed none are on fixed-term deals.

The two-office-outfit’s dispute resolution team will receive five newly-qualified (NQ) lawyers, two join funds, and a further two will start lawyer life in corporate M&A and equity capital markets. The remaining eight will be split equally between commercial; employment; finance; pensions; real estate; private equity & financial sponsors; derivatives & structured products; and financial services & markets.

In terms of cash, Travers’ latest recruits will start on a salary of £85,000 — although NQs have the “potential” to earn between £93,500-£110,500 with bonus. Legal Cheek‘s Firms Most List shows trainees receive £46,500 in year one, rising to £52,000 in year two.

This time last year, Travers retained 17 of its 21 London qualifying trainees — or 81%.

Last week CMS posted an autumn result of 72%, keeping hold of 44 of its 61 trainees due to qualify in August. This followed scores of 100% (11 out of 11) and 89% (16 out of 18) by Sidley Austin and Mills & Reeve, although both figures include an NQ on a fixed-term deal.

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Belt-tightening measures across the City continue

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) has cut its newly-qualified (NQ) solicitor salaries by 2.5%.

“In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic we have lowered our NQ salary by 2.5% to £78,000 as part of a set of measures developed to ensure that we approach a challenging period, pragmatically,” a spokesperson from the firm said in a statement. “Developing and retaining talent remains a key priority for BCLP and we will move through 2020 with the same dedication to our current and future trainees.”

BCLP’s new associates were understood to be on a base salary of £75,000 but could receive a maximum bonus of £21,000 taking total earnings to £96,000. However, the spokesperson confirmed that BCLP increased NQ base rates last year to £80,000.

The firm previously deferred portions of partner distributions and cut employee salaries by 15% for a period of 13 weeks to weather the effects of the crisis.

Today’s news is a marked shift on last year’s narrative in which we saw City firms compete with their US rivals in London to top the NQ pay league.

It comes less than a week after Clifford Chance followed fellow magic circle firms Slaughter and May and Allen & Overy with reductions to NQ pay.

NQs over at Hogan Lovells, Reed Smith and Osborne Clarke have also become privy to firm-wide belt-tightening measures with cuts to pay. Legal Cheek reported last month that solicitors at Osborne Clarke will see their salaries drop by about 7% for a period of 11 months.

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Prominent room will bear Carrie Morrison’s name

The Law Society of England and Wales is to honour the first female solicitor by renaming one of its “most prominent” rooms after her.

Carrie Morrison was the first woman to be admitted to the solicitors’ roll in December 1922, following the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919. Now almost a century on she is to have a room, currently known as the Old Bookshop, renamed in her honour at The Law Society’s historic HQ in Chancery Lane.

Morrison was admitted to the roll aged 34 and with a varied career behind her. She had graduated in 1910 with a first class honours in mediaeval and modern languages from the University of Cambridge and went on to teach languages at various schools. It was only after the 1919 Act came into force, dismantling barriers for women to practise law, that Morrison, along with Mary Pickup, Mary Sykes and Maud Crofts, were able to complete their Law Society exams, or articles as they were known then, and qualify as solicitors. Morrison was the first of the four women to be admitted since she was the first to finish her articles.

In the years immediately after qualifying she spent much of her time working as a ‘Poor Man’s Lawyer’ in the East End of London.

Law Society president Simon Davis said in a statement today: “I am delighted that our governing council have given Carrie Morrison’s name to one of the most prominent rooms at 113 Chancery Lane as a way to celebrate her achievements.”

He continued:

“In 1922, following the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919, Carrie Morrison, along with Mary Pickup, Mary Sykes and Maud Crofts, were finally able to qualify and while the journey to gender equality is still a significant challenge, particularly in leadership positions, the talent and persistence of these remarkable women paved the way for the many talented solicitors that have followed.”

The position has changed dramatically since 1922. In the year to 31 July 2019, 63.1% of new admissions were women.

In another legal ‘first’, Legal Cheek reported this month that the barrister profession received its first female outfitters with the launch of ‘Ivy and Normanton’. Founded by Karlia Lykourgou, a criminal barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, the online boutique aims to “encourage all women who attend court to do so with confidence, looking bloody great”.

Keeping with the barrister profession and in 2018, a London chambers purportedly made history after renaming itself after a woman. 218 Strand Chambers rebranded as Normanton Chambers in January 2019 — a century after its namesake, Helena Normanton, became the first woman to join an Inn of Court and practise at the bar of England and Wales.

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Chancery Lane lays out coronavirus recovery plan

Law firms should be allowed to use government cash to help fund training contracts as part of a wider effort to get the economy back on its feet in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Law Society has said.

In a new recovery plan published today, Chancery Lane’s top brass called on the government to “empower law firms” to create new jobs by giving them the flexibility to spend the apprenticeship levy on a range of support.

The Law Society said the levy, a UK tax on law firms which can be used to fund paralegal and solicitor apprenticeships, could be put towards training contracts to “maintain the jobs pipeline for students about to complete the LPC [Legal Practice Course]”.

The cash could also help create specialist lawtech seats and training in lawtech skills, as well as training in secondary specialisations which will enable solicitors to move into other practice areas that have been less affected by the pandemic.

The proposals are part of a new Law Society campaign which aims to promote the role of the solicitors’ profession in the national move to re-open the country.

The initiative, ‘Return, Restart and Recovery’, will be in three stages: helping solicitors and firms return to their offices safely; helping solicitors and firms to restart the economy; and empowering solicitors and firms to drive the recovery after coronavirus.

Simon Davis, president of the Law Society, said:

“Solicitors are ready, willing and able to play their role in helping Britain’s economy and society to recover from this pandemic. All across the country solicitors have worked tirelessly for their clients to ensure the highest standard of service. I am proud of the role solicitors have played to keep the wheels of justice turning through this extraordinarily challenging time.”

He continued: “As we enter this new phase of the response to coronavirus, with government beginning to lift some restrictions, it is clear that technology will play a vital role in driving the post-coronavirus recovery across all sectors of the economy, including legal services.”

The Law Society’s bold plans follow the news that a number of major law firms have deferred the start dates of their future trainees in light of the financial uncertainty brought about by COVID-19.

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You couldn’t make it up

You would think a thank you card, maybe even a box of chocolates, bouquet of flowers or bottle of champers would be the usual way of thanking your barrister or solicitor for their advice. But a new Twitter thread has shone light on some of the weird and wonderful things offered to them by their clients.

From a puppy to flavoured condoms, marriage proposals and being the subject of paintings — we’ve selected some of the very best below.

The thread began with Simon Ross, a personal injury barrister at Exchange Chambers, sharing that he was offered a fried egg by a client instead of a drink and/or biscuit.

What’s the weirdest thing you have ever been offered or given by a client? I was just recalling visiting a client to take a statement back when I was a solicitor. On arrival, instead of a drink and/or biscuit… I was offered an egg (fried). @CivilLitTweet

— Simon Ross (@shrossy) June 29, 2020

Others recalled being offered sweets, sandwiches, cartons of soup, crates of mangoes, homemade dim sum, a three-course Indian meal and a case of “Egyptian champagne”.

Criminal solicitor Kevin Hennessy came under saying he was once offered “various flavoured condoms” by a client charged with running a brothel, while family barrister Lucy Reed told tweeters she was offered, but declined, a painting and vaguely recalls being offered a garage door. What?

I was offered various flavoured condoms by a client charged with running a brothel. I explained that my life is such I have no use for such things.

— Kevin Hennessy (@KevinHennessy12) June 29, 2020

Offered (declined) a painting by chinese dissident artist client…vaguely recall being offered a garage door, too! other than that its just flowers I’m afraid. Also have a client who makes the most amazing samosas & I am gutted the next hearing wont b in person for that reason!

— Lucy Reed (@Familoo) June 30, 2020

CMS partner Charles Howarth said he once received a cuppa made for him by none other than Ryanair chief exec Michael O’Leary.

It’s a toss-up between a cup of tea made by Michael O’Leary (surprising, rather than odd, but told me a lot about him) and a book of Japanese woodcuts handed out at a celebratory lunch for a deal, which the whole room quickly discovered to contain some seriously explicit stuff.

— Charles Howarth (@HowarthCharles) June 29, 2020

One lawyer said he was involved in a “hedge fund mediation” and gifted two pairs of “genuine” Jimmy Choos totalling “five grands worth”. “I’ve been doing this kind of work for ten years and that gift was something of a one off… the client is a VERY nice man,” he writes.

I had a client give me (or my wife) two pairs of Jimmy Choos

— Sweary Expat Esq. (@swearyexpat) June 29, 2020

Genuine. Five grands worth pic.twitter.com/ktV7Mv6Izv

— Sweary Expat Esq. (@swearyexpat) June 29, 2020

Blackstone Chambers silk and sports law specialist Nick de Marco QC revealed he was once offered a pair of designer shoes by a grateful football player and a culinary trip to Venice by an Italian client.

A pair of Brown Grenson shoes by a grateful football player & a culinary trip to Venice by an Italian client the weirdest for me as I was only doing my job and such kindness totally was unexpected, but a pleasant change.

— Nick De Marco QC (@nickdemarco_) June 30, 2020

Another lawyer was similarly offered designer gear.

Silk pyjamas, Hugo Boss tie and a bottle of Jura! And I didn't get to keep them. Something about it going against some policy or another.

— Paul (@JudgeDavo) June 29, 2020

Others hadn’t been gifted items quite so glamorous. One solicitor was offered holy water from Lourdes, while another listed the various objects offered to her from the same client over the years, including soap, toothpaste and bleach cream.

Holy water. From Lourdes. pic.twitter.com/LJy7c5TlZs

— Mairead (@m417ead) June 29, 2020

Same client over the years;
– 10kg Tilda Basmati rice
– Facial hair bleaching cream
– A BBQ set from Tesco’s
– A deep fat fryer
-A M&S trouser suit; trousers size 6 & jacket 16
– A bar of Palmolive soap, imperial leather body wash & some toothpaste.

— Razia Jogi (@RaziaJogi) June 29, 2020

Former lawyer Caroline Docherty OBE shared a story about a Scottish souvenir she received from clients she represented for over 30 years.

Not weird in a “weird” way – but lovely clients I represented for over 30 years (their business is Scottish souvenirs) sent me one of these, and then 20 years later forgot, and sent me another. This is the second one – about to be boxed up when I retired a few weeks ago. pic.twitter.com/WYY3HTuvyP

— Caroline Docherty OBE (@CarDocherty) June 29, 2020

There were tweets from some lawyers who said they had been offered dogs. Zoey White, a family barrister at Normanton Chambers, added to her tweet (below) stating her chamber mate was once offered “free fish & chips for life” from a client who owned a seaside chippy.

My top two are a Pekingese dog and an open bottle of port, but not at the same time

— Angela Allon (@AngelaAllon) June 30, 2020

I was offered a puppy from client’s spaniels imminent litter.
During my pupillage @TempleBrief was told he could have free fish & chips for life from a grateful client who owned a seaside chippy.

— Zoey White (@WhiteZoey) June 30, 2020

In other examples of the weird and wonderful items offered to them from their clients, we learn that Slater and Gordan personal injury solicitor Darren Hughes was offered “a freshly slaughtered lamb from a farmer’s wife who had just come back from the abbatoir”, while Irwin Mitchell senior associate Matthew Garson was offered “a leg of lamb whilst taking a witness statement in a pub in Wigan.” In another example, a former solicitor revealed she was once offered “a handful of Pepperami from a conveyancing client that had come straight from their job at the Bowyers meat factory”.

There were some tweets from lawyers who had been offered items with slightly questionable back-stories. One was gifted a jar of plum jam “from a client whose estranged husband had accused her of attempting to poison him with her jam”. Another was given “a bottle of fake perfume by a client which [they] declined to accept after a hearing to prosecute him for selling fake goods”, while another refused “a cake from a chef who was very fairly dismissed for having less than a rigorous attitude towards hygiene”.

What’s the weirdest thing you have ever been offered or given by a client? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Both firms anticipate salary reviews in due course

DLA Piper and Baker McKenzie are the latest law firms to chip away at their newly-qualified (NQ) solicitor pay packets amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Associates qualifying this autumn in DLA’s London office will receive a salary of £76,000, down £2,000 from the previous rate of £78,000. Those qualifying in the firm’s regional offices will be remunerated £44,000, also down £2,000 from £46,000.

The firm is currently deferring pay reviews and confirmed that both its 2019 and 2020 NQ intakes will be part of firm-wide salary reviews in due course.

Meanwhile, Bakers’ September qualifiers will receive a base salary of £87,500, down £2,500 from the previous rate of £90,000. They will not receive a sign-on bonus this year.

The firm introduced a £5,000 sign-on bonus for its new associates last year, taking total compensation to £95,000 at the time. However, potential earnings could have exceeded £100,000 with a performance-related bonus. This year’s qualifiers will still be eligible for a performance-related bonus.

“Each year, we undertake a review to ensure that our NQ package is competitive and aligned with the wider office reward strategy,” a spokesperson from Baker McKenzie said. “Having completed this review we will be adjusting our NQ package in line with the market. These adjustments have no bearing on the salary of other London employees, which as previously disclosed, have been deferred and will take place later in the year once we have a better understanding of the economic environment and its impact on our business.”

The firm anticipates reviewing salaries, including those of its NQs, at the end of the year.

This week we reported that Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner had trimmed NQ pay by £2,000 to £78,000. Magic circle firms Clifford Chance, Allen & Overy and Slaughter and May have also reduced the remuneration of their junior ranks in response to COVID-19, as well as Hogan Lovells, Reed Smith and Osborne Clarke.

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We put one reader’s question to the regulator

A Legal Cheek reader came to us with the following query in relation to training contracts:

“I am wondering if your readers have any insight into training from abroad. I work in-house and although I am British and have completed the GDL and LPC, I moved to the US due to family reasons. I want to complete my qualifications and become fully qualified, and my company is currently registering to be able to do so for our London-based paralegal. As such, we want to see if I can also start my training but do so while being based out of our Chicago office. I do a lot of work for the London team already, but wondered if I am still eligible even if I don’t sit in the same office as the solicitor.”

The question is particularly topical given that many trainees now find themselves working from home and away from the watchful gaze of their supervisors. But could a rookie solicitor really undertake their training while based in another country?

We put our reader’s question to the experts — the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Here is its response:

We require trainees to be ‘appropriately supervised’. This means that we would accept firms putting sensible arrangements in place for supervisors to review trainees’ work remotely during their period of recognised training.

To be eligible for admission as a solicitor, your period of recognised training must meet the requirements set out in our standards and regulations, these include:

• The period of recognised training should usually be for a duration of a total of at least two years full-time, or equivalent.

• Your training principal must ensure that you have applied and developed the skills as set out in the practice skills standards.

• You must be appropriately supervised by solicitors and other individuals who have adequate legal knowledge and experience in the practice area they are supervising and the necessary skills to provide effective supervision.

• You should maintain a record of training which will meet the requirements set out at regulation 3E.1 of the SRA authorisation of individuals regulations.

• You should have regular appraisals of your performance and development, and reviews of your record of training, with your supervisor.

• Before you start a period of recognised training, you and your employer need to complete our notification form.

Do you have a qualification query? Send it in to tips@legalcheek.com and let us help you get it answered.

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Magic circle player moves into thriving San Fran tech hub

Freshfields is to open a new office in Silicon Valley, an area in Northern California perhaps best known for being home to some of the world’s largest tech companies.

The magic circle player — which already has two offices in the US, in New York and Washington — has assembled what it describes as a “dream team” of seven founding partners through five external hires and two internal moves.

Sarah Solum joins from US firm Davis Polk and will head up the Silicon Valley outpost as managing partner. John Fisher and Maj Vaseghi join from Sidley Austin and Latham & Watkins, while Boris Feldman and Doru Gavril join from California outfit Wilson Sonsini. They will team-up with existing Freshfields duo, Pamela Marcogliese and Alan Ryan.

“Silicon Valley is one of the most dynamic regions in the world and it continues to lead innovation across the globe,” Freshfields’ chair Edward Braham said. “The impact and strategic importance of technology and life sciences businesses will only continue to grow and advisers who can provide strategic counsel on key domestic issues within a global context will be highly prized. We are thrilled to have five of the country’s top corporate and litigation lawyers from the Bay Area join us to deliver the firm and its expertise seamlessly in Northern California.”

Silicon Valley is widely considered to be the global centre for tech, innovation and social media, with the likes of Apple, Facebook, Google and Netflix (to name just a few) all operating in the area — potential rich pickings for corporate lawyers.

Ethan Klingsberg, partner and head of US corporate and M&A at Freshfields, added:

“Combining this dream team of talent with our global platform and our high-powered teams in New York and DC enables us to respond to the needs of Bay Area clients. These needs are global, complex and demanding of constant focus and creativity.”

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Exclusive: Firm also pushes back autumn TC start dates

Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has extended its training contracts by six months in response to the “current circumstances and surrounding uncertainty” presented by the coronavirus pandemic.

The measure applies to its current cohort of second year trainees that would have been qualifying this September but will now do so in March 2021, at the latest.

Sam Lee, head of recruitment at WBD, said in a statement: “Like other firms, we are reacting to the unique situation the COVID-19 pandemic has presented. In response to the current circumstances and surrounding uncertainty, we have given very careful consideration to our resourcing requirements — and our newly qualified solicitors and trainees have been an integral part of that review.”

She continued:

“As a result, we have taken the difficult decision to defer qualification for our current cohort of second year trainees by six months, until March 2021, at the latest. With some of our trainees on furlough leave, we felt this was the fairest approach to create a level playing field for all of those applying for NQ roles.”

Second year trainees will be able to take up a role externally providing they have met the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s requirements, according to an email seen by this website.

WBD has also pushed back the training contract start dates of its autumn trainee cohort by six months. The September 2020 intake of trainees has been deferred to March 2021. The statement continued:

“Given the cyclical nature of our graduate scheme, any decision that we make about one year group has a knock on effect with future intakes. Therefore, in order to protect the integrity of our training and development programme, we also had to defer the start of training contracts by six months to March 2021 and the firm will be compensating everyone impacted.”

“We remain committed, as we always have been, to training and developing our future junior lawyers to the highest standards. We are monitoring the situation carefully and our position remains under review.”

“We recognise this is an unsettling time for everyone, particularly for our junior lawyers and trainee solicitors.”

WBD joins a growing number of firms that have suspended their TC start dates.

Herbert Smith Freehills has offered future trainees £8,000 to push back their start dates by six months, while incoming rookies at DLA Piper are being offered up to £10,000 to do the same but for a year.

Elsewhere, DWF and Irwin Mitchell have both delayed the start dates of their next trainee cohorts by six months.

Squire Patton Boggs, however, is pushing ahead with its autumn trainee intake, as we exclusively reported last month.

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Ali Obeid has since secured a TC with a top US law firm

A vlogging future City lawyer has opened up about how he dealt with rejection after “crumbling” during a magic circle vac scheme interview.

In his latest video (embedded below), incoming White & Case trainee Ali Obeid speaks candidly about his early struggles with securing vac schemes in hope that aspiring lawyers can learn from his experiences and change how “you perceive your L’s and rejections”.

In particular, Obeid explains that his “worst” rejection was for a magic circle vacation scheme. Despite spending his entire Christmas break preparing for the assessment centre, while balancing the demands of his political science and government degree at London School of Economics (LSE), Obeid reveals he “flopped” the case study interview with a senior associate and partner.

“You know when you’re asked a question by someone senior and you crumble. Your face gets red, it gets a bit hot. Your suit gets a bit tighter,” says Obeid. “That’s what I was pretty much experiencing whilst a partner was sitting right across from me, staring into my eyes, expecting a sufficient, above average answer. And I just wasn’t able to provide it.”

He continues:

“And the senior associate was a very sweet guy. He was trying to throw some rope my way to pull me towards him and he was trying to give me some guidance. But that partner, man, she was harsh. And fair enough, it’s a top firm, they expect competent, intelligent students.”

According to Obeid, he then spent the hour-long commute home feeling emotional, battling with the “negative noise” in his head telling him to give up on his legal dreams. But later that night, Obeid chose to carry on. He say:

“I told myself, if I stop now, there’s no point in me continuing LSE. I’m just going to stop university. Because if I become the person who runs away when push comes to shove, what is the point in continuing anything?”

In the following months, with the help of his mentor, who is BAME and from a similar low socio-economic background, Obeid successfully secured vac schemes at Freshfields and White & Case. He later accepted a training contract with the US law firm.

Obeid’s advice follows a string of vlogs aimed at helping aspiring lawyers. In a recent video, for example, the trainee-to-be explained how he received £50,000 in financial support from his university. As reported by Legal Cheek, Obeid has also offered tips to secure vac schemes the “easy way”.

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Cancelled due to ‘low engagement’

Lawyers at Irwin Mitchell (IM) have reportedly been encouraged to get their twerk on in the name of gender diversity.

In an email recently circulated around the PI powerhouse, lawyers and staff were invited to partake in an hour-long Zoom class “designed to teach you the basis of Twerking”.

RollOnFriday reports that the bum shaking session was organised by the firm’s gender diversity group.

The email apparently went on to explain that the class, limited to 20 participants to enable the instructor to provide “individual input”, included “routines as well as a Twerk choreography teaching you how to werQ to the beat”.

IM’s twerk’ers were also encouraged to wear “a loose pair of shorts”, the report adds.

But those hoping to get their shake-on under lockdown where left disappointed after the class was abandoned due to “low engagement”.

A spokesperson for the firm said:

“A professional dance workshop was arranged by our gender diversity group aimed at encouraging confidence, improving fitness and to raise money for a women’s domestic violence charity. Based on low engagement and feedback from colleagues we’ve taken the decision to cancel the class while still making a donation to the charity.”

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11 out of 12 stay on

RPC has posted an autumn 2020 retention result of 92%.

From a qualifying cohort of 12, the City-headquartered law firm confirmed 11 newly-qualified (NQ) solicitors had put pen to paper on permanent deals. The remaining rookie opted out of the qualification process to pursue a career away from law.

Five newbies join the firm’s insurance practice, two qualify into commercial & banking litigation, while a further two join the IP & technology team. RPC’s commercial, technology & outsourcing (one group) and media teams gain one NQ each.

Nine will start lawyer life in RPC’s London office, while two are Bristol-bound.

RPC partner and training principal Simon Hart said:

“We have always tried to make our qualification decisions based on the longer-term view of the needs of the business. That was very much the case this year. We have a very strong group of trainees qualifying in September and it is testament to their quality and commitment over the last two years that every single one of the eleven trainees who applied was offered and accepted a permanent role with the firm.”

Legal Cheek‘s Firms Most List shows NQs in London will start on a salary of £66,500. Their counterparts in Bristol earn £48,000.

Today marks a vast improvement on the firm’s 2019 result, which saw it retain just five of its 12 final seat trainees — or 42%. At the time, RPC said this was due to a number of trainees vying to qualify in “significantly oversubscribed” practice areas.

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