The Lawyer Podcast

By The Lawyer

What's The Lawyer Podcast about?

Hosted by editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith, every second Thursday The Lawyer Podcast brings you our take on the top stories, trends and views moving the legal market.

For more news, analysis and data, go to www.thelawyer.com. The Lawyer Podcast can be contacted at [email protected].

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The Lawyer Podcast episodes:

06.20.2024
Addleshaws and the myths of the mid-market
The doom of the middle market has long been foretold. As global mergers grab attention and smaller, boutique firms blossom, many question whether there is any role for mid-market practices in law’s future. But, on Tuesday evening, Addleshaw...
06.06.2024
WANTED: A female leader
Law firms have long had a problem with gender equality. Partners and senior leaders are weighted heavily towards men, with an average of 2.35 male partner to every female partner in the UK's top 100 firms. However, that number is actually...
05.23.2024
Bumble and billables: the woes of dating as a lawyer (and why partners should care)
O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Last week, The Lawyer reported that time-poor lawyers are struggling to date in a profession where time is money. Longer hours for junior lawyers, compounded by a waning London dating market, is only adding...
05.09.2024
Why you should leave Big Law for a boutique (and why you shouldn't)
Last week, all eyes were on A&O; Shearman, a union hailing Big Law and its future. But in this week’s episode, we consider why so many solicitors are pursuing another future: opening their own firm. A survey from Censuswide on...
04.25.2024
A&O Shearman’s five biggest challenges - and worst mistake
The wait is finally over. In just under a week, the transformational merger between Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling will go live. But while the deal is done, the job is only just beginning. So on this episode of...
04.16.2024
Emergency Episode: The SQE shambles
The Lawyer's Christian Smith, Catrin Griffiths, Richard Simmons, Katy Dowell and Charlotte Lear are joined by College of Legal Practice CEO Giles Proctor for this emergency episode of The Lawyer Podcast as they discuss the latest Solicitors Qualification Exam debacle:...
04.11.2024
Big Law outside London: crumbling offices, crumbling strategies
Regional offices have long been critical to some of the UK’s biggest law firms. The essential components of today’s DLA Piper came from across the country, legacy Eversheds was formed of four firms from outside London, and Pinsent Masons was...
03.28.2024
The SQE: Students deserve better than this
Grabbing the attention of aspiring solicitors and spectators alike, criticism of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination has torn through the media over the weeks following the most recent set of results. From City firms dropping training contracts from offer holders after...
03.14.2024
Scream if you wanna grow faster
Law firms leaders love saying they don’t want growth for growth’s sake, but the truth is, without any growth at all they soon find themselves floundering. So as the financial year draws to a close, litigation editor Christian Smith and...
02.29.2024
Who wants to be a millionaire associate?
The new episode of The Lawyer Podcast is out now. Last week The Lawyer reported that claimant firm Pogust Goodhead could pay its newly qualified associates up to £2m (if it wins its cases), making them by far and away...
02.15.2024
Everyone wants to be Simpson Thacher’s friend
London has become the biggest referral market in the world - and the Brits are nowhere The rise and rise of American firms in London’s private equity market – and the challenge that has presented to UK firms - has...
02.01.2024
We need to talk about Linklaters
Linklaters seemingly started the year strongly with a six partner hire from Shearman & Sterling in New York. So why then has it come in for so much negative attention? From an absent US strategy to a stream of senior...
01.18.2024
Lawyers and the Post Office scandal: “Are we the baddies?”
The Lawyer Podcast is back for 2024 and we’re kicking things off by delving into the lessons the legal profession can glean from the Post Office scandal. The Post Office scandal has already become one of the biggest stories of...
12.07.2023
Law firms and climate change: That green office is a distraction
Every law firm and his dog seems to be moving into a green office at the moment, but how important is that really when it comes to a law firm's impact on the environment? Well with COP28 well underway in Dubai,...
11.23.2023
Forget dealmakers, litigators are law's true entrepreneurs
The new episode of The Lawyer Podcast is out now! Across the UK and Europe, new types of litigation are booming – and the money is pumping in. On this episode of The Lawyer Podcast, Catrin Griffiths, Christian Smith and...
11.09.2023
The City-regional salary gap: are associates being mugged off?
Salary wars are so 2022. Or are they? On Tuesday this week, The Lawyer’s deputy editor (UK) Rich Simmons revealed the largest firm pay gaps between London and the regions. Did you know that Hogan Lovells’ Birmingham newly qualifieds (NQs)...
10.26.2023
Horizon, not live
The Lawyer’s Horizon Live is due to kick off next month. We are launching a series of webinars, dinners and roundtables featuring some of the biggest names in law discussing the most prominent issues affecting the profession. To celebrate, on...
10.12.2023
Stop whinging about PEP - it matters
Profits are falling and costs are rising. On the latest episode of The Lawyer Podcast, the team chat about why profit isn't a dirty word:Love it or hate it, PEP is part of a firm's branding and the status of...
09.28.2023
The truth behind the CMS redundancies
Proposed redundancies at CMS and Taylor Rose have raised associate anxieties across the market, with many wondering whether they could be the start of wider trouble. Hosts Catrin Griffiths and Christian Smith are joined by director of insight Matt Byrne...
09.14.2023
Paul Weiss and the Goblet of Money
Why is everyone talking about Paul Weiss and Neel Sachdev? The Lawyer Podcast is BACK after the summer break and for the first episode of the new term, the team take on the hottest story of the summer: Paul Weiss and...
08.22.2023
FROM THE ARCHIVES: A&O and Shearman & Sterling emergency episode
Like many of its listeners, The Lawyer Podcast is on its summer holidays. But hanging over the summer for partners at A&O; and Shearman & Sterling is the question of whether they should vote through the two firms’ proposed merger....
06.29.2023
Buried treasure, AI, and are trophy offices a male thing?
The last episode of The Lawyer Podcast before the summer break is out now! Join hosts Catrin and Christian as they speak with Horizon editor Katy Dowell about why so many firms are moving or upgrading offices, and why they...
06.15.2023
Simpson Thacher boss on A&O-Shearman; super-senior associates; and Lawyer Awards preview
The new episode of The Lawyer Podcast is out now! On this episode, Catrin and Christian preview next week’s The Lawyer Awards and take a look at some of the categories exciting them this year. Rachel Moloney, deputy editor (City),...
06.01.2023
Special edition: Live from the GC Strategy Summit
The new episode of The Lawyer Podcast comes to you live from The Lawyer’s recent GC conference in Bedfordshire. Catrin and Christian are joined by a range of senior in-house leaders, along with journalists from The Lawyer to discuss what’s...
05.22.2023
Emergency Episode: We don’t buy the A&O line
It looks set to be one of the most extraordinary deals in legal market history, ushering in a new era of global law, and so The Lawyer Podcast is here with an emergency edition to tell you what the A&O;...
05.11.2023
Quinn and Pallas’s client tussle; new partners; and we sympathise with A&O and Linklaters
On the brand new episode of The Lawyer Podcast, the coronation may be over, but law firms are still crowning new leaders and partners across the City. Our deputy editor (City), Rachel Moloney, joins hosts Catrin Griffiths and Christian Smith...
04.27.2023
Ince; US firms have more lawyers but less work; and office dog days are over
The latest episode of The Lawyer Podcast is out now! Tune in as hosts Catrin Griffiths and Christian Smith speak to reporter Maria-Ward Brennan about the downfall of the Ince Group, while Horizon editor Katy Dowell joins the podcast to...
04.13.2023
Litigation funders are the new banks; Paul Hastings' memo is good for its brand; and small firms: the life you could have had
On the new episode of The Lawyer Podcast, editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith speak to director of insight Matt Byrne, who reveals how litigation funder Harbour is evolving into something of a bank to law firms. Keep...
03.30.2023
A night at the ballet; banned football teams; and why are we being nice about Eversheds?
In the latest episode of The Lawyer Podcast, we ask: Which law firm is involved with a ballet about a tech billionaire? Why is the challenger firm in Oslo banned from a football tournament? And why are we being so...
03.16.2023
Why recruiters are happier than ever; and do you like virgin piña coladas?
The latest episode of The Lawyer Podcast has just landed. If you think the last few years have been buoyant for recruiters, then check out what director of insight Matt Byrne has to say about just how busy the lateral market...
03.02.2023
Cravath's $4m man; NQs' litigation problem; and why Zuckerberg's win spells trouble for class actions
On this episode, editor Catrin Griffiths and deputy editor (City) Rachel Moloney bring you all the drama from Cravath’s raid on Shearman & Sterling’s leveraged finance team. Meanwhile litigation editor Christian Smith quizzes deputy editor (UK) Richard Simmons and in-house...
02.16.2023
Lord Pannick's fees are chickenfeed; Mishcon's big signing (not Matt Hancock); and Ukraine, a year on
On this episode, litigation editor Christian Smith and international editor Alex Taylor discuss Man City’s new signing: Lord Pannick KC, and how big money means lawyers are the new stars of football. The Lawyer’s editor Catrin Griffiths talks about an...
02.02.2023
BDB Pitmans needs a new merger partner; and the legal issues hanging over rugby before the Six Nations
Following the launch of the Hot 100 last week, The Lawyer’s editor Catrin Griffiths sits down with new Hot 100 member Banke Odunaike from CBRE to discuss her career, the nuances of being a role model, and what her son...
01.19.2023
Women partners are not "absent Mums"; and Hogan Lovells won’t merge with Shearman & Sterling
The Lawyer Podcast is back for 2023. In the first episode of the year, The Lawyer's editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith are joined by deputy editor (City) Rachel Moloney to discuss all the rumours surrounding Hogan Lovells’...
12.15.2022
The partners who stole Christmas
Tis the season to be jolly, so for the last episode of The Lawyer Podcast for 2022, editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith are getting into the Christmas spirit with the dulcet tones of the best law firm...
12.01.2022
Leveraged finance lawyers just aren't hot any more
This episode, has the music stopped for leveraged finance? Deputy editor Rachel Moloney joins Catrin Griffiths to assess what the recession is doing to all those expensive hires. Christian Smith talks about lawyers' obligations and the SRA’s new guidance on SLAPPs...
11.17.2022
Forget the World Cup, fossil fuels still pay for law firms
In the latest episode of the fortnightly The Lawyer Podcast, editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith are back with the stories driving the UK legal market. Football's World Cup could be the most controversial in recent history...
11.03.2022
US firms lack imagination; Big Tech picks its fighters
In the first episode of the new fortnightly The Lawyer Podcast, hosts Catrin Griffiths and Christian Smith dive into the top stories shaking the UK legal market. They discuss why Slaughter and May’s new work-life balance code has got people talking,...
11.01.2022
The Lawyer Podcast - Trailer
The Lawyer Podcast is launching this week. Listen to the trailer now.
03.02.2020
US firms in London - who's up and who's down?
In this episode Cat Griffiths and Matt Byrne discuss the latest US financials season, and whether law firms are actually listening to their clients on one of the biggest issues in the world today.
11.20.2019
The Wellness Podcast: Mental health in private practice and in-house
This episode of the Wellness Podcast is a recording of a panel discussion that took place at The Lawyer's in-house counsel as business partner summit, featuring both general counsel and private practice lawyers who have battled their own mental health...
10.24.2019
The Wellness Podcast: Mindfulness
Junior associate Eloise Skinner and The Lawyer's features editor Richard Simmons discuss mindfulness.
09.05.2019
The Wellness Podcast: Finding a Sense Of Purpose
Eloise Skinner, Sally Davies, Andrew Wells and Katie Power discuss the importance of having a sense of purpose as a lawyer.
04.05.2019
The Wellness Podcast: Mental health first-aiders
In the first episode of The Lawyer's Wellness Podcast, we talk about the role of mental health first-aiders within law firms.

What's The Lawyer Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Lawyer Podcast episodes:

Addleshaws and the myths of the mid-market

WANTED: A female leader

Bumble and billables: the woes of dating as a lawyer (and why partners should care)

Why you should leave Big Law for a boutique (and why you shouldn't)

A&O Shearman’s five biggest challenges - and worst mistake

Emergency Episode: The SQE shambles

Big Law outside London: crumbling offices, crumbling strategies

The SQE: Students deserve better than this

Scream if you wanna grow faster

Who wants to be a millionaire associate?

Everyone wants to be Simpson Thacher’s friend

We need to talk about Linklaters

Lawyers and the Post Office scandal: “Are we the baddies?”

Law firms and climate change: That green office is a distraction

Forget dealmakers, litigators are law's true entrepreneurs

The City-regional salary gap: are associates being mugged off?

Horizon, not live

Stop whinging about PEP - it matters

The truth behind the CMS redundancies

Paul Weiss and the Goblet of Money

FROM THE ARCHIVES: A&O and Shearman & Sterling emergency episode

Buried treasure, AI, and are trophy offices a male thing?

Simpson Thacher boss on A&O-Shearman; super-senior associates; and Lawyer Awards preview

Special edition: Live from the GC Strategy Summit

Emergency Episode: We don’t buy the A&O line

Quinn and Pallas’s client tussle; new partners; and we sympathise with A&O and Linklaters

Ince; US firms have more lawyers but less work; and office dog days are over

Litigation funders are the new banks; Paul Hastings' memo is good for its brand; and small firms: the life you could have had

A night at the ballet; banned football teams; and why are we being nice about Eversheds?

Why recruiters are happier than ever; and do you like virgin piña coladas?

Cravath's $4m man; NQs' litigation problem; and why Zuckerberg's win spells trouble for class actions

Lord Pannick's fees are chickenfeed; Mishcon's big signing (not Matt Hancock); and Ukraine, a year on

BDB Pitmans needs a new merger partner; and the legal issues hanging over rugby before the Six Nations

Women partners are not "absent Mums"; and Hogan Lovells won’t merge with Shearman & Sterling

The partners who stole Christmas

Leveraged finance lawyers just aren't hot any more

Forget the World Cup, fossil fuels still pay for law firms

US firms lack imagination; Big Tech picks its fighters

The Lawyer Podcast - Trailer

US firms in London - who's up and who's down?

The Wellness Podcast: Mental health in private practice and in-house

The Wellness Podcast: Mindfulness

The Wellness Podcast: Finding a Sense Of Purpose

The Wellness Podcast: Mental health first-aiders

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