After more than a year of predominantly working from home, teams are now beginning to return to office premises in greater numbers. How are legal firms managing this transition and what might the “new normal” look like in the long term? The Brief finds out.
Insights
The Brief finds out, and hears about the impact of government policy on the financial wellbeing of criminal defence specialists.
Health focus: The Brief asks how lawyers have managed to keep in shape and finds out about the importance of good nutrition as we return to more normal ways of working.
A recent report painted a mixed picture of the sector’s performance during 2020. What do its findings mean for the profession, and how do they compare to the experience of individual firms?
Career progression: What does it take to rise to the top in the legal profession?
Productivity: How are lawyers really getting on with remote working?
The Brief in collaboration with Stribe - We want to know: How do you feel your firm understands its employees’ needs and priorities?
Zooming in: maintaining workplace values through the pandemic
Salaries for newly qualified solicitors up by 4% in 2019
Anti-lawyer rhetoric among politicians and the media seems to be at an all-time high. What impact is this having on practitioners, and on recruitment into practice areas that are the targets of public opprobrium?
As the nights draw in and the festive season looms on the horizon, the motivation to maintain healthy eating and exercise habits can slip. A selection of experts share their tips to help busy professionals keep in shape as winter approaches.
Public speaking is a key skill for career-minded professionals. The Brief speaks to a number of experts to find out their tips for getting started, overcoming nerves and identifying the best opportunities.
The legal profession has a money problem, with even highly paid solicitors struggling with budgeting and financial planning. The Brief hears from financial experts, who diagnose the problem and offer a range of tips.
Mark Levine, In-House managing director at BCL Legal, reflects on six months of conversations with General Counsels to distil the essence of a great GC.
The latest LexisNexis Bellwether report into the SME legal market, entitled “Marginal Gains”, paints a picture of targeted, strategic investment. The Brief explores the highlights and hears the reaction of a selection of law firm leaders.
What can firms do to inspire loyalty in their lawyers? The Brief speaks to a selection of law firm “lifers” to find out.
How are law firms implementing IT and AI to improve productivity and drive efficiency? The Brief finds out.
How can junior lawyers distinguish themselves in an era when pulling regular all-nighters at the office is increasingly frowned upon? The Brief seeks expert advice.
Can the "Right to Switch Off" work for lawyers?
Social media tips for 2025
2024 round-up - Salary survey summary
2024 round-up - USA
2024 round-up - West Midlands
2024 round-up - The North East
2024 round-up - East Midlands
2024 round-up - Bristol
2024 round-up - Scotland
2024 round-up - National private practice
2024 round-up - The North West
2024 round-up - London
2024 round-up - Ireland
2024 round-up - Insurance and Residential Conveyancing
2024 round-up - In-house
2024 round-up - The South
As law firms chew over their rankings in the latest editions of the two big legal directories, The Brief speaks to experts about how they can improve their performance next time
As we approach the fifth anniversary of the pandemic, The Brief looks at the ways flexible working has been adopted by law firms, and uncovers a range of very different attitudes to office life
What skills will the next generation of lawyers need to survive in the era of AI? The Brief hears from a range of legal leaders
Health and wellbeing are increasingly important both to employers and employees. The Brief looks into the latest developments.
Last month LexisNexis published its most recent report into the smaller end of the UK legal market. The Brief looks at its key findings.
There is no shortage of awards schemes aimed at the legal sector. The Brief finds out how to pick the most suitable ones to enter, and to give yourself the best chance of winning.
What skills do aspiring lawyers need for a successful career in the mid-21st Century? A selection of our previous “The Brief Talks To” contributors share their insights.
There can be overwhelming commercial arguments in favour of law firms merging, or of one acquiring another. However, as The Brief discovers, it is vital to communicate clearly with staff throughout the process.
Will AI prove to be good, bad or indifferent for the legal profession? One thing is for certain, it’s not going away. The Brief investigates.
BCL’s Southern private practice team discuss the market in the South of England in 2023
BCL’s Northern team discuss the private practice market around the North of England in 2023
Mary Nowell, Managing Director, discusses the national private practice market in 2023
Alex Carpenter, Associate Director, discusses the Scottish private practice market in 2023
Sean Cully, Associate Director, and Sarah Bailey, Senior Associate, discuss the Irish private practice market in 2023
Angharad Warren, Director, discusses the Midlands private practice market in 2023
BCL Legal's insurance and conveyancing teams discuss the market in 2023
Mark Levine, Managing Director, discusses the in-house market in 2023
Not every solicitor wants to follow the well-trodden partnership route, which has traditionally been a problem for many more experienced lawyers. Things are changing, though, and The Brief explores the options that are increasingly available.
LexisNexis Bellwether report 2023
Social media is an indispensable element of many lawyers’ professional as well as personal, lives. The Brief spoke to three senior lawyers to find out how they approach it, and how their practices have benefited as a result.
Which regions offer the best quality of life for lawyers? We trawled BCL's annual salary survey and examined average house prices in affluent neighbourhoods to discover which locations offer the best (and worst) affordability.
In the legal sector it can be difficult for firms to build genuinely distinctive identities. However, over the past decade or two firms have seriously begun addressing this, making considerable investments to develop what they hope will be distinctive firm-wide brands and coherent workplace cultures.
Mark Levine, Managing Director, discusses the In-house market in 2022 and market predictions for 2023...
Joanna Marklove, Director, discusses the Insurance & Residential Conveyancing private practice market in 2022 and market predictions for 2023...
The BCL team discuss the London private practice market in 2022 and market predictions for 2023...
Kelly-Anne Willis, Senior Associate, discusses the South West private practice market in 2022 and market predictions for 2023...
Angharad Warren, Director, discusses the West Midlands private practice market in 2022 and market predictions for 2023...
Sean Cully, Senior Associate, discusses the Belfast private practice market in 2022 and market predictions for 2023...
Sean Cully, Senior Associate, discusses the Dublin private practice market in 2022 and market predictions for 2023...
Alex Carpenter, Associate Director, discusses the Scotland private practice market in 2022 and market predictions for 2023...
Evelyn Partners in conjunction with The Lawyer publish their Annual Law Firm Survey...
The FIRE movement: is retiring early all it's cracked up to be? Insights from Compare Wealth Managers...
Technology played an indispensable role in the delivery of legal services during the pandemic. The Brief asks how law firms might capitalise on IT investments as they move on from Covid-19.
Evelyn Partners Top 50 Law Firms
Inheritance tax and estate planning explained by Compare Wealth Managers
Whether it be from disgruntled clients or extremists emboldened by intemperate politicians, lawyers in a number of practice areas can find themselves subjected to intimidatory behaviour. The Brief takes a look at the issue.
LexisNexis recently published its annual Bellwether survey UK SME law firms. The Brief has taken a look at its findings relating to legal talent, and discussed them with law firm leaders.
The pandemic thrust issues of employee mental health and wellbeing into the spotlight. The Brief has spoken to a selection of law firms to find out how they have responded.
The Brief interviews BCL Legal Associate Director, Charlotte Newton, as she reflects on her career in recruitment and her journey to Associate Director with BCL
BCL Legal's Alex Carpenter discusses the growth of our Scotland recruitment team and the growth within the Scottish legal market...
BCL Legal, in support of The Access To Justice Foundation: How your firm can give access to justice to those most in need
Building a positive profile in the media can be of benefit to lawyers’ businesses and their careers. Stuart Anderson, director of Alpha Public Relations, sets out a number of tips to help legal professionals engage with journalists effectively.
Workplace culture can be a powerful glue that holds teams together. It can also be fragile, and it needs to be nurtured. The Brief finds out how law firms can maintain their values and ensure consistency across their teams.
After more than a year of predominantly working from home, teams are now beginning to return to office premises in greater numbers. How are legal firms managing this transition and what might the “new normal” look like in the long term? The Brief finds out.
The Brief finds out, and hears about the impact of government policy on the financial wellbeing of criminal defence specialists.
Health focus: The Brief asks how lawyers have managed to keep in shape and finds out about the importance of good nutrition as we return to more normal ways of working.
A recent report painted a mixed picture of the sector’s performance during 2020. What do its findings mean for the profession, and how do they compare to the experience of individual firms?
Career progression: What does it take to rise to the top in the legal profession?
Productivity: How are lawyers really getting on with remote working?
The Brief in collaboration with Stribe - We want to know: How do you feel your firm understands its employees’ needs and priorities?
Zooming in: maintaining workplace values through the pandemic
Salaries for newly qualified solicitors up by 4% in 2019
Most popular in The Brief
The Brief talks to
Sara Barrett tells The Brief about her role as Talent Partner in the employment, pensions and immigration team at Mills & Reeve, her practice as an employment lawyer and what she looks for in new recruits to her team.
A day in the life of
Partner Manjit Virdee joined Schofield Sweeney in 2005 and now heads up one of the biggest Real Estate teams in Yorkshire. He shares a day in his life with The Brief.
20 Questions
The managing partner of the Leeds-headquartered firm Blacks Solicitors shares his passions and interests with The Brief.
Opinion
an Adams of Arbor Law argues that the freelance revolution in law is far bigger than the official figures would suggest.
Most Popular around The Brief
The Brief talks to
Sara Barrett tells The Brief about her role as Talent Partner in the employment, pensions and immigration team at Mills & Reeve, her practice as an employment lawyer and what she looks for in new recruits to her team.
A day in the life of
Partner Manjit Virdee joined Schofield Sweeney in 2005 and now heads up one of the biggest Real Estate teams in Yorkshire. He shares a day in his life with The Brief.
20 Questions
The managing partner of the Leeds-headquartered firm Blacks Solicitors shares his passions and interests with The Brief.
Opinion
an Adams of Arbor Law argues that the freelance revolution in law is far bigger than the official figures would suggest.
