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12 January 2024 / Nigel Clark
Issue: 8054 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Out with the old… in with the new

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Nigel Clark looks forward to some radical change in 2024
  • Proposes lawyers adopt a different approach to client fees, billing targets, the partnership model and the long-hours culture.

Now 2024 has arrived, I have been reflecting on my 25-year career in the legal sector during which I’ve worked in ‘Big Law’ across four countries and three continents, and with alternative, consultancy platforms including my own which merged with Nexa back in 2017.

While I am passionate about the UK legal sector, it would be fair to say that, in my opinion, many aspects of it need to modernise or, at least, require a new approach, starting with….

The billable hour, machismo firm culture & the gender pay gap

From the moment we qualify as lawyers we know how much billable time we must do each day, week, month, year to prosper in our law firms and progress in our careers.

Philip Larkin asked, ‘Why should I let the toad work/ Squat on my life?’ as he railed

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

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Shakespeare Martineau strengthens Sheffield regulatory practice with new hires

NEWS
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A wide-ranging Civil Way column highlights developments from insolvency procedure to employment law, but one case stands out for its lessons on bankruptcy, family homes and digital communications
NLJ this week: Trade mark reality check for expanding brands
A sprawling Intellectual Property Office battle between House of Fraser and Frasers Property has delivered a masterclass in modern trade mark law
NLJ this week: Relocation battles demand more than good intentions
Courts in England and Wales and Singapore are increasingly confronting complex disputes over international child relocation as families become more globally mobile
NLJ this week: Domestic abuse reform faces its hardest test
The government’s long-awaited family law reform consultation could mark a turning point for domestic abuse victims navigating financial remedy proceedings, but significant challenges remain
NLJ this week: Open justice push brings experts into the spotlight
A new commercial court pilot giving the public access to documents used in hearings, including expert reports, is raising difficult questions about transparency and privacy
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