Women now make up the majority of new entrants to the solicitors’ profession, yet remain underrepresented in its most senior and influential roles. In this episode of the Law Society Gazette podcast, Ed Reyes is joined by Professor Rosemary Auchmuty and Alison Eddy of Irwin Mitchell, to examine whether law firms are still failing women, and what meaningful change would require.

From the profession’s male-designed structures and the persistence of long-hours culture, to flexible working, caring responsibilities, leadership, targets and accountability, the discussion asks whether progress on representation is enough if the route to power remains uneven.

Private equity has poured more than a whopping £1bn into UK legal services, but has it really transformed the profession? Paul Rogerson is joined by Jeff Zindani and Michael Cross to discuss where the money is going, why some firms attract investment while others do not, and what consolidation, AI and changing regulation has meant and could mean for the future of law firms.

Corporate counsel used to be the profession's poor relation. Not anymore. Ed Reyes sits down with Winona Chan (legal counsel, Moneybox) and Jonathan Pearl (arbitrator, ex-EVP at Sony) for a no-filter conversation on what it takes to thrive in-house.

They get into the ethics of staying in the room when a business starts to veer off course, why privilege is still the profession's sharpest tool, and the AI shift that's raising the bar for smaller legal teams. 

Plus: the eye-watering NQ salary gap, and what law firms still don't really get about their in-house clients.

England and Wales has one of the lowest ages of criminal responsibility in Europe. In this episode of The Law Society Gazette, Paul Rogerson speaks to Bar Council chair Kirsty Brimelow KC and Dr Laura Janes KC about calls to raise the threshold from 10 to 14, the evidence on children’s development and offending, and whether alternatives to prosecution could better protect both children and the public.

AI is already finding its way into court papers, and sometimes, notoriously, it is making things up.

In this episode of the Law Society Gazette podcast, John Hyde is joined by courts editor Bianca Castro and news editor Michael Cross to unpack Cork v Smith, the latest warning sign for lawyers using generative AI. From fictitious authorities and fabricated quotations to supervision, professional judgment and regulatory risk, the panel asks what happens when the technology gets it wrong, and what happens when lawyers fail to check. They also look at the bigger picture: whether AI can cut costs and improve access to justice, or whether the profession is heading for more painful lessons first.

In this episode of the Law Society Gazette podcast, Paul Rogerson is joined by Michael Cross and Moni Fouzder to examine what an Andy Burnham premiership could mean for lawyers in England and Wales. From the future of the lord chancellor and the Ministry of Justice budget to jury trials, legal aid, SLAPPs, Welsh justice devolution and the possibility of a levy on corporate law firms, the panel explores where Burnham might seek quick wins, and where economic reality could limit reform.

In this first episode of the Law Society Gazette podcast, editor-in-chief Paul Rogerson is joined by deputy news editor John Hyde and reporter Moni Fouzder to assess the challenges facing the Solicitors Regulation Authority under new management.

Sarah Rapson inherited a beleaguered watchdog facing intense scrutiny over spectacular law firm collapses, missing client money, regulatory overreach and strained relations with solicitors. Now more than six months into the job, is the new CEO beginning to rebuild trust?

Paul, John and Moni discuss the regulator’s shifting priorities, and assess whether the ‘reset’ which Rapson promised is beginning to materialise.

The journal of record for 200,000 solicitors in England and Wales is now in conversation.

For 123 years, the Gazette has reported on the decisions, disputes and developments that have shaped the law and legal practice. From reform of regulation to market liberalisation - from legal aid to human rights. From profits to ethics.  All legal life is here, and now it's here in a fortnightly podcast.