hrtraining

The Law Society has been forced to withdraw from an exclusive deal to endorse a training partner for the qualified lawyers transfer scheme (QLTS) after facing a judicial review from another provider, in the latest major stumble by the body that represents solicitors.

Students from white backgrounds are almost twice as likely as those from black backgrounds to pass the legal practice course (LPC), new figures have revealed. They also revealed a massive performance gap between LPC institutions, with one provider achieving a pass rate of 100%, compared to 30% for the worst performer.

The leading unregulated provider of employment law services unfairly dismissed a senior employee, an employment tribunal has found. Peninsula, which describes itself as the UK’s “largest and leading” employment law firm, breached the employer’s implied duty of trust and confidence in imposing new terms and conditions.

Lawyers have experienced a worrying level of bullying and intimidation, according to a massive international study, while diversity policies have failed to help women achieve equality in legal practice. It also found significant discrimination existed against women in the well-paid commercial law field, slowing their advancement.

Graduates from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds are half as likely to obtain pupillages as their white peers, research for the Bar Standards Board has found. A second report found that the Bar was still viewed as “an elite, white, male-dominated profession with long-established traditions”.

One in seven civil servants at the Ministry of Justice claim that they have faced discrimination in their job, and one in eight say they have been bullied or harassed. The figures from its annual “people survey” show that the department performs worse than the average across government on all measures.

Unconscious bias in legal businesses is hampering their success, inhibiting a diverse and inclusive sector, and damaging the experience of women and minorities in the workplace, according to a report. Law firms need to train senior personnel to recognise their prejudices and introduce ‘disruptors’ – such as transparent work allocation practices – to prevent it.

The more law firms find out about the planned Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), the less positive about it they become, expecting that they will have to top up the knowledge acquired under the new route to qualification, research has found. The poll also found widespread ignorance of the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s planned overhaul of training.

A senior barrister has explained why she took to Twitter to shatter a longstanding “taboo” by discussing the emotional impact on advocates of “rude” or “abrasive” judges. She said it was time “for someone to put their head over the parapet and talk about the things that upset us and acknowledge that these things hurt”.

Work is underway to create a charter that would signal to junior solicitors that a firm is a “great employer”, it emerged yesterday. The charter would include a commitment to pay the recommended minimum salary for trainees and a commitment to the wellbeing of staff.

The Bar Council has closed its flagship nursery scheme at Smithfield in the City of London, citing a lack of places and promising to find other, “more effective” ways of supporting barristers with childcare responsibilities. The Bar Nursery – five years in the making – was launched to some fanfare in April 2013.

Many LGBT+ barristers believe the Inns of Court are not doing enough to combat homophobia at the Bar, according to a ground-breaking study which suggested that “homophobia is stronger at the Bar than in the general population”.

A paralegal employed by a personal injury firm under an oral contract was entitled to a bonus payment worth almost £14,000, an employment tribunal has ruled. The judge said the firm could not unilaterally vary the contract that entitled the paralegal to up to 10% of profit costs above a target set at five times his gross salary.

The Law Society has condemned the Solicitors Regulation Authority over plans to allow workplace training for solicitors to take place in organisations without any solicitors. The society warned that the proposals could “seriously undermine” high standards.

City law firm Kennedys has launched what could become a new route to partnership for members of staff who can dream up ideas for tech products to help clients. Prototypes from the Ideas Lab will be developed in India, before returning home for completion.