It’s been a busy old year, but how much do you remember? 🤔
It’s been yet another busy year for legal news. From SQE and pay wars to career conundrums and lawyers behaving badly, we continue to cover the latest news impacting our student and junior lawyer readership.
But how much of this year’s content have you retained?
So take a break from the TC applications, grab yourself a drink, and put your Legal Cheek knowledge to the test in our big news quiz of the year…
January
A partner at Kirkland & Ellis and his wife purchased a mansion in California in January of this year. How much did they reportedly spend on their new digs?
a) $23 million
b) $38 million
c) 1,000 Bitcoin
d) £7.5 million
February
A university law professor was forced to apologise after doing what during a lecture?
a) Telling a student that will never get a training contract
b) Telling a student, ‘f*ck you!’
c) Falling asleep
d) Teaching tort instead of contract
March
An eco-campaigning barrister hit headlines in March for doing what?
a) Changed his first name to Greta
b) Canoed up the river Thames to highlight issues with water pollution
c) Climbed on the roof of his chambers to highlight global warming
d) Climbed a tree to prevent it from being cut down
April
An associate at US law firm went viral for sharing a list of “non-negotiable expectations” of junior colleagues, which include “you are ‘online’ 24/7” and “you’re in the big leagues” so “act like it”. Which firm did they work for?
a) Shearman & Sterling
b) Weil Gotshal
c) Paul Hastings
d) Sullivan & Cromwell
May
In May, the Bar Standards Board announced a worldwide ban on what?
a) Online exams
b) Barristers’ wigs
c) Mooting
d) Gavels
June
This summer saw Ayesha Smart became the country’s youngest ethnic minority crown court judge. What age was she?
a) 15
b) 34
c) 38
d) 40
July
A Magic Circle law firm confirmed it will no longer publish its financial results, explaining the “real sign of progress is the quality of business we’ve built and the client mandates we’re winning around the globe”. Which firm said this?
a) Clifford Chance
b) Slaughter and May
c) Freshfields
d) Linklaters
August
Legal Cheek reported in August that the London managing partner of Freshfields, Mark Sansom, enjoys doing what during his free time?
a) Racing cars
b) Cliff diving
c) Wrestling
d) Scuba diving
September
The father of a Czech law student reportedly paid what £17,500 to what?
a) The council to erect a statue in his son’s honour after passing his exams
b) A retired Supreme Court judge to teach his son contract law
c) A law firm to give his son a vac scheme
d) A football team to sign his son on a professional contract
October
Wayne Barnes refereed the Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and South Africa – his final match before he retired from officiating. What’s the legal connection?
a) Barnes is a partner at Squire Patton Boggs
b) Barnes is a partner at Womble Bond Dickinson
c) Barnes is studying law with the goal of qualifying as a solicitor
d) Barnes quit law school to focus on refereeing
November
US law firm Milbank hit headlines after upping the salaries of its newly qualified lawyers, including those in London, to unprecedented highs. What do NQ rates now sit at?
a) £133,000
b) £138,000
c) £140,000
d) £183,000
December
Allen & Overy made the news after it emerged it had what?
a) Left the Magic Circle
b) Switch its name to Overy & Allen
c) Suffered a cyber attack
d) Secretly moved office