Think you’re up to date with the biggest legal stories of the year? Take our quiz and put your knowledge to the test! đź“ť
As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to look back on what’s been another whirlwind year of legal news. From SQE marking mishaps that had everyone talking to yet more pay rises for junior lawyers in the City, it’s been a year to remember for some — and perhaps one to forget for others.
We’ve trawled through the headlines of the past 12 months to dig out some of the most talked-about stories, all to see just how closely you’ve been paying attention to the legal world.
So, set aside those turkey leftovers, sit up, and take on The Big Legal Cheek News Quiz 2024. How much do you really remember about this year in law? Let’s find out.
January
The year kicked off with the news that Slaughter and May was taking steps to what?
a) Stop people falling into its water fountain by installing a rail
b) Keep its lawyers fit by installing ‘Peloton bike desks’
c) Making sure lawyers are coming into the office by monitoring attendance and sharing information with HR
d) Reduce its carbon footprint by installing a wind turbine on its roof
February
In February, it was reported that Wayne Rooney had become so captivated by the lawyers working on his wife’s famous ‘Wagatha Christie’ case that he applied to study law at which university?
a) BPP
b) ULaw
c) Oxford Uni
d) Nottingham Uni
March
Earlier this year, former solicitor advocate Alan Blacker, also known as Lord Harley, was banned from running a charity for how many years after ignoring a previous disqualification imposed by the charity watchdog?
a) 1 year
b) 10 years
c) 15 years
d) Lifetime
April
In April, law students and the wider profession were outraged after it emerged that SQE assessment provider Kaplan had done what?
a) Rebranded the SQE to LPC
b) Lost a small number of exam papers
c) Incorrectly told students they had failed
d) Adopted strict business attire dress code for all exams
May
In May, we reported that a rookie solicitor at Herbert Smith Freehills had abandoned their training contract to pursue what?
a) Run the length of Europe for charity
b) Launch their own SQE prep provider
c) Sell guides on applying for vacation schemes and training contracts
d) A career as a full-time TikTok lawfluencer
June
This summer, a barrister faced criticism for suggesting that it was “significantly harder” to become a barrister than to become a what?
a) A solicitor
b) A doctor
c) A law lecturer
d) An architect
July
Which US law firm did Legal Cheek exclusively reveal in July to be launching a UK training contract programme?
a) Wachtell Lipton
b) Cravath
c) Kramer Levin
d) Paul Weiss
August
Towards the end of the summer, what did the SRA warn SQE students not to do, cautioning that it could risk their eligibility to qualify?
a) Criticise the SQE in the Legal Cheek comments section
b) Share information about the content of the exam questions online
c) Sit SQE2 before SQE1
d) Share revision notes
September
In September, Magic Circle law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer rebranded to what?
a) Freshfields Bruckhaus
b) Freshfields
c) FBD
d) Magic Circle titan Freshfields
October
In October, Legal Cheek reported that the pass rate for SQE1 dropped to a record low of…
a) 22%
b) 44%
c) 55%
d) 66%
November
Last month, what did a legal recruiter say he preferred on LinkedIn, prompting a backlash?
a) Solicitors over barristers
b) SQE over the LPC
c) Graduates from Russel Group universities over those who attend other universities
d) City law firms over regional law firms
December
Earlier this month the BSB approved what?
a) Barristers’ wigs in different hairstyles
b) Barrister apprenticeships
c) Barristers Qualification Exam (BQE) similar to the SQE
d) Barristers’ gowns with chambers branding
A very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the entire Legal Cheek team! Thanks for reading and commenting, and we’ll see you in 2025…