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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 Goddard marked a remarkable, decade-long turnaround as it was crowned Law Firm of the Year at The Lawyer Awards.

And Addleshaws is not the only mid-market firm to have proven its credentials, with commended and highly commended being awarded to Freeths and Shoosmiths.

What have they done, how have they done it, and what are the numbers to back it up?

All is revealed on the new episode of The Lawyer Podcast. Plus, find out what Mishcon de Reya, Baker McKenzie, Tottenham Hotspur and Jason Beer KC all have in common. Listen now.

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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 much improved on five years ago, when it was 2.83 male partners to every female. The number of female senior and managing partners is also increasing, with the likes of Freshfields, Linklaters and Slaughter and May having appointed women to senior or managing partner positions in the past few years.

So on the new episode of The Lawyer Podcast, using research conducted by The Lawyer, Catrin and Christian chat with Horizon editor Katy Dowell and director of insight Matt Byrne about whether the tide is turning for women in leadership.

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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 to the problem.

So on this episode of The Lawyer Podcast, editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith are joined by reporters Lucy Floydd and Charlotte Lear to discuss what new trends in lawyering mean for romance.

We examine the law firm’s role in fostering social bonds, the impact of post-COVID society and remote working, dating apps, MeToo and much, much more.

Check out these stories below to read more:

• All work and no play: how law kills your love life
• Linklaters responds to #MeToo concerns with whistleblowing hotline
• Love at first swipe: the legal issues around dating apps

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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 behalf of Harbour Litigation Funding last year found that half of UK firm partners had ambitions to set up their own firm – up 10 per percent on 2021.

So as The Lawyer Awards draws nearer, with the prestigious awards litigation boutique and specialist firm of the year up for grabs, The Lawyer editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith are joined by senior reporter and boutiques-guru Annabel Tinson to discuss why so many lawyers are gagging to quit Big Law in the name of niche practice. And, more interestingly perhaps, why now?

For more on litigation boutiques, check out the stories below:

• The Lawyer Awards 2024: Shortlist revealed
• Pogust Goodhead: “We’ll make NQs millionaires”
• Seven chambers and 10 firms: Lawyers prepare for bumper $13.8bn Russia dispute

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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 The Lawyer Podcast, Catrin and Christian look at how the merger will play out in the next week, the next year and beyond?

They are joined by director of insight Matt Byrne and deputy editor (City) Rachel Moloney as they break down the five big challenges facing the new A&O Shearman – and its worst mistake.

If you want to read more, check out the stories below:

• Shearman trainees to miss out on extra £20k after A&O merger
• A&O Shearman: 40 partners made up ahead of merger
• A&O Shearman: New leaders announced 
• A&O Shearman will be a European kingmaker

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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: marking errors that led to 175 students being incorrectly told they had failed.

What went wrong, who's to blame, and what happens next?

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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 a Birmingham and Leeds outfit before it opened in London.

But in recent years, some of those firms’ regional offerings have started to look like the offices they are housed in: old, crumbling, unloved.

So on this episode of The Lawyer Podcast, we take a look at what Big Law is doing in England and Wales outside London, and why upstart regional firms are stealing their lunch.

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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 failing on their first attempt, to questions over whether the exams really equip candidates for life as a newly-qualified solicitor.

This week, The Lawyer asks – what the hell is going on? Catrin and Christian are joined by deputy editor Rich Simmons and reporters Lucy Floydd and Charlotte Lear to discuss the trials and tribulations of this new exam.

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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 deputy editor Rich Simmons are joined by head of insight Matt Byrne, Horizon editor Katy Dowell and international editor Alex Taylor to look at what law firms are doing to find good, profitable growth - and whether they need to grow at all costs.

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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 the highest paid in the country.

Yet although Pogust Goodhead is offering more money than anyone else, the move is also a sign of what is an exciting and diverse market.

So on this episode of the podcast, The Lawyer editor Catrin Griffiths and litigation editor Christian Smith are joined by senior litigation reporter Annabel Tinson, deputy editor (UK) Richard Simmons, and reporter Charlotte Lear, to look into Pogust Goodhead’s plan, what associates want out of their careers, what clients they want to act for, and why it’s never been a better time to be a litigation associate.

Click here to sign up to our associate-themed Partnerless email.

If you want to read more, check out the stories below:

• Pogust Goodhead: “We’ll make NQs millionaires”
• Pogust Goodhead to spend millions luring climate quitters from City firm