Opinion

Political transition: what politics can learn from law firms

Reflecting on the time since the last general election it’s hard to imagine, at least in recent times, a more chaotic period in British politics. There are many government and parliamentary functions that are not serving us; we would not run a successful business this way, so why do we allow our country to be […]

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My Pride Story: Why Pride still matters

For me, Pride Month is not just a celebration; it’s a testament to the enduring fight for equality and human rights. Reflecting on my own journey, from coming out at the age of 17 during the early days of the AIDS epidemic and feeling extremely isolated in my hometown in New Jersey to today leading […]

My Pride Story: The importance of intra-community allyship in 2024

As a British, white, cisgender gay man in my 30s, I have grown up in an increasingly tolerant society where legal protections and rights have been afforded to me that were denied to people like me in the past. Significant victories over the past 20 years—legal (marriage equality, anti-discrimination legislation), health (better healthcare for HIV […]

My Pride Story: “Coming out is just the start of an extremely challenging journey”

While June is Pride Month, no single month can fully encompass the celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community’s achievements and contributions, nor raise sufficient awareness and advocate for the challenges the community continues to face. This is especially the case given the diverse tapestry of human experiences, which the concept of intersectionality—recognising how different aspects of […]

My Pride Story: Next-gen leaders

In my 24 years as a lawyer I have always been open about my sexual orientation at work. In the early days this wasn’t the easiest path to tread. There were very few out lawyers who one could look up to as role models. Things have definitely improved.  I now have a wide pool of […]

Election 2024: A manifesto to manifest more housing

The general election has been called and if, as anticipated, we have a new government what can we expect in terms of planning and housing delivery over the next five years? I have been a planning lawyer specialising in the delivery of residential led mixed use developments for 25 years and, throughout that time, there […]

Money group

Costs management: firms need to do better

Costs management has been in place for nearly 11 years now. Few commercial litigators have expressed much love for it but last year’s report of the Civil Justice Council’s costs working party made clear that it is not going anywhere. Headed by Lord Justice Birss, the deputy head of civil justice, it said costs budgeting […]

law school library

Unlocking opportunities: Why universities must embrace the SQE

The legal landscape in England and Wales is rapidly transforming with the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE). This shift in the qualification process for legal professionals is reshaping the traditional route to becoming a solicitor, and by 2032, all existing routes will be officially phased out, making it the sole option for aspiring […]

What Mr Bates and the Post Office can teach us about climate change

“You might think you’re thinking your own thoughts. You’re not. You’re thinking your culture’s thoughts.” Jiddu Krishnamurti We need to talk about our culture’s thoughts. These have been called different things: the dominant world view; our metanarrative; the hegemonic paradigm. Whatever the terminology, it comes down to the prevailing way of thinking, the story we […]