Pulse UK

  • June 22, 2026

    Lawyers To Face 'Fit & Proper' Tests Under FCA's AML Regime

    Lawyers will face fresh "fit and proper" tests when the Financial Conduct Authority takes over control of anti-money laundering regulation from the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the government has confirmed.

  • June 22, 2026

    Employment Judge Warned Over Delays In 46 Cases

    The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said Monday that an employment judge has been formally warned over delays in completing judicial work, at a time when wider systemic pressures are driving record backlogs at the tribunal.

  • June 22, 2026

    Starmer's Resignation Opens Way For Burnham's PM Bid

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans on Monday to step down after losing the support of the Labour Party for him to stay on, clearing the way for former Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to launch his bid for the top job.

  • June 19, 2026

    Law Firm Revives Bid To Ax Negligence Suit Over SOCA Case

    A London judge has dismissed an order requiring a law firm to pay £27,500 ($36,355), ruling that a new court should consider the firm's bid to put an end to a couple's claims of professional negligence in a wider case over drug trafficking allegations. 

  • June 19, 2026

    IP Firm Mathys & Squire Promotes 3 To Partner

    Intellectual property law firm Mathys & Squire LLP said Friday that three people in its Birmingham and London offices have been elevated to the role of partner as part of a wider promotions round that also includes six new managing associates.

  • June 19, 2026

    The Latest Status Symbol For Firms In London? NQ Pay Rates

    As top U.S. law firms push newly qualified lawyer salaries in London toward £200,000 ($268,000), recruiters and consultants say the latest pay hikes are driven as much by market positioning as by competition for talent.

  • June 19, 2026

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    The past week in London has seen Royal Mail Pension Plan companies sue Wates Construction after investing in a Cambridge development project, law firm Ronald Fletcher Baker launch proceedings against several former partners and the rival firm they moved to, Lansdowne Law, and energy group VAROPreem bring an intellectual property claim against North Sea producer Viaro Energy and its chief executive. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • June 19, 2026

    ​​​​​​​The Revolving Door: Steptoe Lands Arbitration Pro From Clyde

    Over the past week, a data security lawyer joined K&L Gates from Hunton Andrews Kurth, Steptoe hired an international arbitration specialist and professor from Clyde & Co. and Orrick recruited a structured finance pro from McDermott.

  • June 19, 2026

    SRA Calls For Merger Notifications After Series Of Scandals

    The Solicitors Regulation Authority set out proposed rules on Friday that would require law firms to notify it of mergers and acquisitions, and when they begin holding client money, as it seeks to avoid another scandal such as the collapse of Axiom Ince.

  • June 18, 2026

    Boies Schiller Adds London Partner To Executive Committee

    U.S. law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP has elected a senior arbitration partner in its London office to a place on its executive committee, which has expanded from nine seats to 10.

  • June 18, 2026

    Ex-Partner Partly Recovers Pruned Claims Against Firm

    A former head of family law at Hampshire firm Dutton Gregory LLP succeeded Thursday at a London appellate tribunal in reviving her claim that she was expelled for whistleblowing.

  • June 18, 2026

    JMW Ordered To Hand Over Docs In Negligence Claim

    A London judge has given two property owners extra time to file a negligence claim against their former lawyers at JMW Solicitors LLP, ruling that key documents were missing from a client file the firm had provided them with regarding their breach claims over building defects.

  • June 18, 2026

    AI Uncertainty Cools PE Appetite For UK Law Firms

    Investors are increasingly cautious about U.K. law firms because of billing uncertainty driven by artificial intelligence and unpredictable revenue, legal industry figures have said.

  • June 18, 2026

    Solicitor Can Sue Council For Bias In Cuts To Working Hours

    A solicitor can sue his local authority employer for discrimination over cuts it made to its staff's working hours in 2025, after a judge said it was fair to allow the worker's late claim to proceed.

  • June 18, 2026

    Solicitor Reprimanded For Not Disclosing SRA Probe

    A lawyer has been reprimanded by a tribunal for failing to disclose in a bar application that he was being investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority over a potential breach of his anti-money laundering obligations.

  • June 18, 2026

    Kennedys Hires New Global GC From Trowers

    Kennedys said Thursday that it has appointed a new global general counsel from Trowers & Hamlins LLP to a position that will see her lead the firm's risk and compliance function.

  • June 17, 2026

    Ex-Syke Founder Joins AI Co. Flank As Senior Executive

    Flank, which offers an artificial intelligence-driven legal assistant that automatically addresses requests from business users, announced Wednesday that it hired Alistair Maiden, founder of legal engineering consultancy group Syke, as a senior executive.

  • June 17, 2026

    AI-Driven Spike In Complaints May Not Mean More Sanctions

    Complaints against lawyers in England and Wales have soared over the past year as artificial intelligence equips clients to sound the alarm over potential misconduct that might have previously gone unreported — but as regulators struggle to keep up, experts say the flood doesn't necessarily herald more penalties.

  • June 17, 2026

    Barrister Disbarred For Sexual Comments To Juniors

    A legal watchdog said Wednesday that it has disbarred a barrister over sexual comments he made while on a work-related trip and a series of inappropriate messages he sent to a junior colleague via WhatsApp.

  • June 17, 2026

    Lawmakers Table Twin Anti-SLAPP Bills After Reform Delays

    A Conservative lawmaker was set to introduce a private member's bill in the House of Commons on Wednesday aimed at expanding protection against strategic lawsuits against public participation, known as SLAPPs, a day after similar measures were proposed in the House of Lords.

  • June 17, 2026

    Ex-Novartis, Gilead Atty Joins Danish Biotech Group As GC

    Danish biotech firm Gubra has appointed a former Novartis and Gilead lawyer as its new group general counsel, adding experience leading teams in areas like intellectual property and corporate governance strategy.

  • June 17, 2026

    Pinsent Masons Boosts Tribunal Service With Generative AI

    Pinsent Masons LLP said Wednesday that it has enhanced its employment tribunal service with artificial intelligence and lawyers from its employment and alternative legal services teams to help clients tackle a rise in claims.

  • June 17, 2026

    Barrister Disbarred After Failing To Report DUI Convictions

    A barrister has been disbarred after he failed to disclose to the Bar Standards Board that he had been convicted of driving while disqualified and driving over the legal alcohol limit, the regulator said Wednesday.

  • June 16, 2026

    Working Patterns 'Unsustainable' For Half Of Women In Law

    Half of women in law say their working pattern is unsustainable, and two-thirds have considered quitting amid concerns over their health and wellbeing, according to survey results published on Wednesday by an organization that champions women in the profession.

  • June 16, 2026

    Orrick Adds 4 Structured-Finance Partners In US And UK

    Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP has expanded its structured-finance team on both sides of the Atlantic by hiring four attorneys from Morrison & Foerster LLP, Mayer Brown LLP and McDermott Will & Schulte as partners, Orrick announced Tuesday.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Addleshaw's Paul Medlicott

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    Paul Medlicott, head of private equity at Addleshaw Goddard, discusses the challenges of working on a deal involving five separate acquisitions in one day, why foreign direct investment legislation would benefit from refinement, and how the evolution of private equity has been positive for the industry.

  • Judicial AI Guidance Update Shows Caution Still Prevails

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    The judiciary’s recently updated guidance on the use of artificial intelligence warns judges and tribunal members about misinformation and white text manipulation, providing a reminder that AI tools cannot replace direct engagement with evidence and reflecting a broader concern about their application when handling confidential material, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights: Stephensons' Philip Richardson

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    Philip Richardson, head of employment law at Stephensons Solicitors, discusses the challenges of an emotionally charged case that put his client management skills to the test, whether the Employment Rights Bill strikes the right balance for employees, and how there still needs to be greater focus on quality control for artificial intelligence.

  • Navigating Legal Privilege Issues When Using AI

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    The recent explosion in artificial intelligence has led to prompts and AI outputs that may be susceptible to disclosure in proceedings, and it is important to apply familiar principles to assess whether legal privilege may apply to these interactions, say lawyers at HSF.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Mayer Brown's Kate Ball-Dodd

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    Kate Ball-Dodd, Mayer Brown's head of corporate and securities in London, discusses the challenges of selling a majority stake in Celtic Football Club to its fans, how current dividend rules are a complicated trap for the unwary, and why generative artificial intelligence tools will provide clients with the ability to digest more information in a cost-effective manner.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights: Addleshaw's Michael Leftley

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    Michael Leftley, head of employment at Addleshaw Goddard, discusses the challenges of combining novel legal issues with lawyers' expectations, why he believes the system for workplace conflict resolution is broken, and the importance of possessing a broad skill set that includes good emotional intelligence.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Squire Patton's Ranajoy Basu

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    Ranajoy Basu, global head of structured finance at Squire Patton, discusses the challenges of working on a transaction recognized by the G20 as a "game-changing financial innovation," the benefits of streamlining pretransaction due diligence, and why increased market activity in alternative asset securitizations is likely.

  • Opinion

    Collective Action Reform Can Save UK Court System

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    The crumbling foundations of Britain’s legal system require innovative solutions, such as investment in institutional infrastructure to reduce court backlogs, a widening of the Competition Appeal Tribunal’s remit and legislative clarity over litigation funding underpinning collective actions, says Neil Purslow at the International Legal Finance Association.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights: Baker Botts' Mark Castillo-Bernaus

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    Mark Castillo-Bernaus, global chair of project finance at Baker Botts, discusses the challenges of working on a global project financing in multiple time zones, the need for consistency in regulatory frameworks across different jurisdictions, and why lawyers who work constructively with clients and colleagues tend to deliver better outcomes.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights: Shakespeare's Selina Hinchliffe

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    Selina Hinchliffe, head of commercial services at Shakespeare Martineau, discusses the challenges of advising a large U.S. corporation on complex licensing issues, how copyright law is struggling to keep pace with technology, and why mastering contract drafting and negotiation is so important for IP lawyers.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From RPC's Patrick Brodie

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    Patrick Brodie, head of employment at RPC, discusses the challenges of working with government departments and National Health Service trusts to find common ground between competing interests, the increasing use of AI in recruitment and performance management, and why finding an exceptional mentor is so important.

  • What To Know About Interim Licenses In Global FRAND Cases

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    Recent U.K. court decisions have shaped a framework for interim licenses in global standard-essential patent disputes, under which parties can benefit from operating on temporary terms while a court determines the final fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms — but the future of this developing remedy is in doubt, say attorneys at Fish & Richardson.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Baker Botts' Neil Coulson

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    Neil Coulson, chair of intellectual property at Baker Botts, discusses the challenges of tackling a patent litigation with a short timetable, the post-Brexit delineation between the European Union's and the U.K.'s approaches to trademark examination, and why it is important to be able to discourse with clients easily on technical topics.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Freshfields' Kathleen Healy

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    Kathleen Healy, partner in London and co-leader of Freshfields' people and reward practice in Asia, discusses the challenges of advising on employment and industrial relations during the financial crisis, why the employment tribunal system would benefit from additional funding, and how reforming noncompete clauses will create plenty of legal and practical issues.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From HSF Kramer's Sarah McNally

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    Sarah McNally, head of the global insurance disputes practice at HSF Kramer, discusses the challenges of orchestrating an expedited proceeding during the pandemic, how document disclosure in litigation is becoming a huge burden, and why insurance is all-pervasive, and accordingly interesting and varied.

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