Pulse UK

  • April 13, 2026

    Partners Vote To Approve Perkins Coie–Ashurst Merger

    Perkins Coie and Ashurst said on Monday that the partners at both their firms had voted "overwhelmingly" in favor of a merger, paving the way for a new transatlantic firm with revenue of around $2.8 billion.

  • April 13, 2026

    Simmons Takes On First Roster For AI Law Internship

    Simmons & Simmons LLP said Monday that it has taken on its first round of eight students for a new artificial intelligence law internship that is aimed at blending legal and technical training to help better equip future lawyers on the emerging technology.

  • April 13, 2026

    Irwin Mitchell Names 6 New Equity Partners

    Irwin Mitchell named its head of commercial dispute resolution on Monday as one of six lawyers that it has promoted to become full equity partners at the firm.

  • April 10, 2026

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

    The past week in London has seen the owner of an oil tanker stuck in the Strait of Hormuz sued by an energy company and an insurer, law firm Boodle Hatfield LLP and two Serle Court barristers sued by a group of Winston Churchill's great-grandchildren, and Welsh Water hit with a fresh class action over polluted rivers.

  • April 10, 2026

    Female Pupils Less Positive Than Men About Bar Prospects

    Female aspiring barristers are significantly less optimistic about their career prospects than their male counterparts, with concerns about work-life balance driving much of that negative outlook, according to a survey released by the Bar Council on Friday.

  • April 10, 2026

    Legal AI Biz Orbital Launches Its Own Conveyancing Firm

    Legal technology business Orbital has announced the launch of a residential conveyancing firm that will deploy its own artificial intelligence software at the coalface after several years providing the tech to other firms.

  • April 10, 2026

    Law Firm Can't Cut Fine Over Client Account AML Failures

    A disciplinary tribunal has upheld a fine of £68,000 ($91,400) for anti-money laundering failures against a law firm that used its client bank account to move $23 million for a Russian customer, concluding that the penalty fell within the range of possible sanctions.

  • April 10, 2026

    London Firm Gets £35K Costs Bill Over Accounting Breaches

    A London law firm that improperly retained a client's funds has been slapped with a bill of £35,000 (£47,000) for the Solicitor Regulation Authority's costs after a tribunal fined it just £2,500.

  • April 10, 2026

    The Revolving Door: Taylor Wessing Pro Moves Before Merger

    Over the past week, White & Case lost a senior private equity partner to Ashurst, Eversheds Sutherland strengthened its global finance practice with a Reed Smith addition, and Shoosmiths recruited an IP partner from Taylor Wessing a month before its merger with Winston & Strawn.

  • April 09, 2026

    HFW Launches Paris Restructuring Practice With New Partner

    Holman Fenwick Willan LLP said Friday it has launched a bankruptcy, insolvency and restructuring practice in Paris, adding a new partner from French firm Franklin to kickstart the new unit.

  • April 09, 2026

    Akin Tech Head Departs To Launch Business Advice Co.

    Akin's head of international technology has left the firm less than two years after joining to launch his own consultancy to offer businesses commercial and transactional advice.

  • April 09, 2026

    BSB Predicts £3M Spending Rise As AI Spurs Complaints

    The Bar Standards Board has said that it expects its annual expenditure for the coming financial year to increase by nearly £3 million ($4 million) as its interim director general warned that artificial intelligence is driving up reports about barristers.

  • April 09, 2026

    Ex-Partner Struck Off For Backdating File, Misleading Client

    A former partner at a law firm has been banned from practicing as a solicitor after he deliberately backdated a signed document and misled a client about a draft will sent to an old address.

  • April 09, 2026

    English Law Firm Fined £11,500 For AML Breaches

    The Solicitors Regulation Authority has fined a law firm £11,500 ($15,000) for breaching its anti-money laundering rules, criticizing it for historical failures dating back as far as 2011.

  • April 08, 2026

    Patlytics Secures $40M Series B, Appoints EMEA Head

    The artificial-intelligence-powered patent platform Patlytics raised a $40 million Series B round on Wednesday, bringing its total funding to date to about $65 million.

  • April 08, 2026

    Fieldfisher Targets 2 AI Legal Product Launches Annually

    Fieldfisher is aiming to launch at least two new AI-powered legal products "with substantial revenue potential" each year as the technology increasingly drives how law firms operate and sell services to clients.

  • April 08, 2026

    Winston & Strawn To Quit Bishopsgate For Merger Move

    Winston & Strawn LLP is moving to the City of London office of the U.K. branch of Taylor Wessing, bringing their teams together under one roof when the two firms complete their merger.

  • April 08, 2026

    Law Firm Must Pay Worker For Racial Harassment

    A Cardiff law firm has been ordered to pay a former employee compensation for harassment related to race, according to a newly public judgment.

  • April 08, 2026

    Ex-Olswang Pro Fined For Not Reporting Driving Convictions

    A disciplinary tribunal fined a former Olswang LLP solicitor £15,000 ($20,000) on Wednesday for failing to promptly report a series of drink-driving convictions to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

  • April 08, 2026

    Charles Russell Speechlys Promotes 9 New Partners

    Charles Russell Speechlys said Wednesday that it is promoting nine lawyers to its partnership in 2026, fewer than the number who moved up to partner posts a year earlier.

  • April 07, 2026

    Fladgate Breaks £100M Revenue Barrier Amid Partner Push 

    Fladgate said Tuesday that its revenue has surpassed £100 million ($133 million) for the first time, as the firm combined double-digit growth with the hire of a new partner from another firm and the promotion of four lawyers to its partnership. 

  • April 07, 2026

    Ex-Law Firm Administrator Barred Over Drugs Offenses

    A former administrator has been barred from working in law firms after she was convicted by a criminal court of offenses related to the supply of Class A drugs, money laundering and possession of a weapon.

  • April 07, 2026

    Bar Watchdog Delays Naming In Faster Charge Disclosures

    The Bar Standards Board has said it will bring forward the publication of charges in disciplinary proceedings, but stopped short of naming barristers at that early stage.

  • April 07, 2026

    Debevoise's Revenue In London Surges Record 40% To $268M

    The London office of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP delivered a record increase in revenue of more than 40% as it helped to power the firm's global figure to almost $1.8 billion in 2025.

  • April 07, 2026

    DWF Joins FCA And PRA Supervision Panels

    The Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority have added DWF to their panels that provide oversight of the financial sector, the law firm said Tuesday.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    UK Gov't Needs To Take Action To Support Whistleblowing Bill

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    With a proposed Office of the Whistleblower Bill making its way through the U.K. Parliament, whistleblowing is starting to receive the attention it deserves, but the key to unlocking real change is for the government to take ownership of reform proposals and appoint an overarching whistleblowing champion, says Baroness Susan Kramer at the House of Lords.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Broadfield's Sajjad Khan

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    Sajjad Khan, head of Broadfield's intellectual property practice, discusses how trademark matters that appear to be simple can end up being complex, why the regulatory framework for artificial intelligence and copyright is in clear need of reform, and how junior lawyers should persevere if interested in this competitive area of law.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Cleary's Gareth Kristensen

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    Gareth Kristensen, head of the Europe, Middle East and Africa intellectual property practice group at Cleary, discusses the challenges when data laws are not adapted to frontier artificial intelligence, why IP rights can have such significant value, and how nothing beats a deep understanding of what you enjoy within the realm of tech, IP and data.

  • Series

    PR Perspectives: 3 Misconceptions Around Law Firm Brands

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    Despite an implicit understanding of the value of brand, misconceptions around logo and financial value have resulted in law firms being slow to manage and build this valuable asset, without which it becomes difficult to attract the same caliber of client or recruit the best lawyers, says Daniela Conte at Gibson Dunn.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Covington's Sonia Campbell

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    Sonia Campbell, head of the U.K. insurance recovery practice at Covington, discusses the challenges of working during the COVID-19 pandemic, why cyber underwriting risk will be critical for sector reform, and how junior lawyers need to be resilient and tenacious.

  • Roundup

    Practice Leader Insights

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    This year, 42 leaders of employment, intellectual property, insurance and transactions practice groups shared thoughts on keeping the pulse on legal trends, tackling difficult cases and what it takes to make a mark in their area.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights: Bird & Bird's Rebecca O'Kelly-Gillard

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    Rebecca O'Kelly-Gillard, who co-heads Bird & Bird's international copyright group, discusses the challenges of working on long cases with complex issues, whether current copyright law is fit for purpose in light of artificial intelligence, ​​​​​​​and why understanding technology makes it easier to argue the nuances of the law.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Birketts' Maria Peyman

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    Maria Peyman, who heads Birketts' intellectual property team, discusses the challenges of cases involving multiple patents, the need to reform legislative provisions in light of artificial intelligence, and why junior lawyers should take opportunities to get a broad range of experience before specializing.

  • Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises

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    “No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights: Mishcon de Reya's Daniel Naftalin

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    Daniel Naftalin, who chairs the employment practice at Mishcon de Reya, discusses the challenges of working on multijurisdictional litigation, the need to show consideration for lawyers' well-being, and why employment law offers unique opportunities to specialize in a commercial field with a high degree of human interest.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From Baker McKenzie's David Scott

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    David Scott, head of the London mergers and acquisitions practice at Baker McKenzie, discusses the excitement of working on a highly complex transaction, the need for a harmonized approach to deal regulatory scrutiny, and why deal work can become addictive.

  • Transatlantic Law Firm Mergers Are Transforming UK Market

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    With the current prevalence for high-profile U.K.-U.S. law firm mergers likely to continue, a new type of firm could emerge that strikes a balance between U.K. culture and working style, but with the global ambition that U.S. firms offer, says Ria Karnik at Major Lindsey.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights: Taylor Wessing's Paul Callaghan

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    Paul Callaghan, who leads Taylor Wessing's employment, pensions and mobility group, discusses the challenges of clients who take matters personally, why discrimination based on socioeconomic background needs to be addressed by the law, and how being contracted as an independent investigator is becoming a new trend for senior employment lawyers.

  • Series

    Practice Leader Insights From BCLP's Benjamin Lee

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    Benjamin Lee, who co-leads BCLP's global corporate transactions practice, discusses the value of face-to-face meetings, how aspects of English company law could align with a more global approach, and what junior lawyers can learn by observing their senior colleagues.

  • Opinion

    Defunding Lawyer Apprenticeships Could Have Hidden Costs

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    In proposing to reform the U.K. apprenticeship system, it is crucial that the government gives sufficient consideration to how funding changes could reduce opportunities for underrepresented groups and negatively affect firms' ability to deliver effective training, says Carrie Laws at The Family Law Co.

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