Unions to set out plans to resist anti-strike law at TUC conference December 9, 2023 The Government’s controversial new law to provide minimum levels of service during strikes will be attacked on Saturday at a special conference attended by leaders of the country’s biggest trade unions. The TUC has called its first special national conference in more than 40 years as it steps up opposition to new regulations announced by [...]
Should Britain legalise cannabis? Virgin boss Richard Branson thinks so February 12, 2024 Virgin boss Richard Branson has appealed to the UK government to legalise and regulate cannabis, claiming it would save lives and bring in more tax. The entrepreneur and tycoon penned a heartfelt blog saying the move “makes sense”, and that the efforts to legalise it are ones he has “long supported”. Branson said he backed [...]
Lack of social mobility in UK’s professional services sector threatens country’s growth August 11, 2022 The lack of social mobility in the UK’s financial and professional services sector poses a major threat to Britain’s “competitiveness and productivity,” the head of the Law Society has warned. The Law Society president’s warning comes after a new report from the City of London Socio-Economic Diversity Taskforce showed those from working class backgrounds are [...]
The Lord Mayor’s Appeal Impact Reception Welcomes Over 270 Guests to Mansion House November 24, 2023 This week The Lord Mayor’s Appeal hosted its annual Impact Reception, welcoming over 270 guests to Mansion House hosted by Alderman Alistair King, Lord Mayor Representative. Highlighting the work of The Appeal across 12 months, it allowed participants to tell their stories of how its ground-breaking initiatives and partnerships with three charities: National Numeracy, MQ [...]
To lead the artificial intelligence revolution, London must first win over the sceptics February 5, 2024 AI could be London's next big industry, but only if it builds the needed trust to develop the technology, writes Michael Mainelli.
Five mayors preparing legal action against 1,000 rail ticket office closures – but Sadiq Khan not asked July 18, 2023 Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and four other mayors are preparing to take legal action against train operators in an effort to stop the closure of just under 1,000 ticket offices. Industry body Rail Delivery Group drew up plans to close the offices across the country and will move onto station concourses to assist passengers [...]
City Exclusive: How rising legal star Natasha Harrison is taking on London’s Magic Circle firms January 12, 2023 As 2022 has come to a close, City lawyers undoubtedly remember last year as the time the pay war among London’s biggest firms heated up in earnest, as the war for talent reached new highs. But away from the Square Mile’s biggest legal teams, 2022 will also go down as an incredibly exciting year for [...]
London’s elite Magic Circle law firms promote record number of partners as talent war rages on May 9, 2022 London’s prestigious Magic Circle law firms have promoted a record number of partners this year, in a sign the battle for talent is raging on at the most senior levels of the UK’s top firms. London’s five Magic Circle law firms – Clifford Chance, Freshfields, Slaughter and May, Linklaters, and Allen & Overy – promoted [...]
Law firms face moral dilemma over Russia exit as Ukraine crisis reveals widening split May 9, 2022 Following Vladimir Putin’s decision to send Russian troops into Ukraine on 24 February 2022, major companies from across the globe began cutting their links to Russia. As multinationals from across Western world, including McDonald’s and Coca Cola, piled out of Russia, a number of high-profile law firms also sought to distance themselves from the country, [...]
Square Mile and Me: Allica Bank’s Kate Valdar on start-ups, long lunches and Costa Rica June 29, 2023 Each week we ask the City's movers and shakers to take us through their Square Mile journey. This week it's Kate Valdar - general counsel at SME-focussed Allica Bank - on her musical past, her time at PwC and why Costa Rica is on her bucket list