The Legal Cheek Podcast

Legal Cheek

Legal news, law firm insights and events.

Weekly podcast about the big issues affecting the legal sector and beyond, featuring Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge, editor Tom Connelly and writers Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott, as well as special guests.

The Legal Cheek Podcast is proudly independent. Thanks to our sponsor Simpson Thacher, home of the private equity training contract, for making that possible.

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20 episodes
Updated Tuesday

Episodes20

Newest first

Tuesday · 42 min
How to secure a training contract this application cycle
The Legal Cheek Podcast is proudly independent. Thanks to our sponsor Simpson Thacher, home of the private equity training contract, for making that possible: https://ukearlycareers.stblaw.com/ As the autumn approaches, so does the 2026-27 training contract application cycle. Legal Cheek publisher, Alex Aldridge, and writer, Lydia Fontes, share the tips and tricks that will give you the best chance at securing an elusive training contract this year. How many firms should you apply to? When should you start applying? What does commercial awareness actually mean and how do you acquire it? We have the answer to all these questions and more! We talk playing the graduate recruitment game, standing out in applications, understanding how law firms work to give you the edge in your applications this year. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 📣 Meet 50+ leading law firms at our September Virtual Law Fair on Wednesday 2 September (2-5pm)!! Sign up now: https://www.legalcheek.com/fair/the-legal-cheek-uk-virtual-law-fair-series/
July 30 · 30 min
Is the CPS a good place to start your career as a trainee lawyer?
The Legal Cheek Podcast is proudly independent. Thanks to our sponsor Simpson Thacher, home of the private equity training contract, for making that possible: https://ukearlycareers.stblaw.com/ The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have just expanded their trainee solicitor numbers by 50% from 80 places to 120. The pay is some way off global law firm levels, and the office will no doubt be less slick than the City’s glass and steel palaces, but many future lawyers may find the opportunity enticing – particularly at a time when AI is threatening to eat into graduate jobs. Legal Cheek’s Alex Aldridge and Julia Szaniszlo weigh the pros and cons of starting your career with the CPS vs a conventional law firm training contract. In particular, they consider how the CPS would be perceived on rookie lawyers' CVs and whether the experience could be used as a launchpad to a City firm.
July 22 · 36 min
What the lawyer picks in Andy Burnham's Cabinet tell us about the way he will govern
The Legal Cheek Podcast is proudly independent. Thanks to our sponsor Simpson Thacher, home of the private equity training contract, for making that possible: https://ukearlycareers.stblaw.com/ Andy Burnham’s newly announced Cabinet features three lawyers, a former trainee solicitor who didn’t finish his training contract and a non-lawyer who’s been given the role of Lord Chancellor (aka Secretary of State for Justice). What do their backgrounds tell us about the way the new Prime Minister will govern? Legal Cheek editor Tom Connelly and publisher Alex Aldridge draw upon their experiences covering the legal market in depth over the last decade and beyond to answer this question. They consider how Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and new Attorney General Ellie Reeves both started out at the same chambers as rookie barristers. And they delve into the controversy around new Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, who previously claimed to be a solicitor despite never actually qualifying. The pair also explore why the Lord Chancellor job – traditionally the preserve of legal professionals – has gone to a non-lawyer.
July 17 · 33 min
From lawyer to plasterer?! Why do so many quit law?
The Legal Cheek Podcast is proudly independent. Thanks to our sponsor Simpson Thacher, home of the private equity training contract, for making that possible: https://ukearlycareers.stblaw.com/ Over the years, Legal Cheek has reported on dozens of ex-lawyers who have left the profession for something completely different -- heading into the arts, opening restaurants, moving into content creation and, in one case, becoming a clown?! But this week, a story in The Times about former legal director Richard Wetherell leaving his career as a personal injury lawyer to become a lime plasterer got us thinking about why lawyers walk away from a profession that is so often associated with prestige, security and high salaries. Legal Cheek’s Ryan Scott and Tom Connelly are back to discuss Wetherell’s unusual career change, alongside other examples of lawyers who have quit law to run an independent publishing house, set up their own bakeries, become classical painters and pivot into lawtech. They also explore the bigger questions behind these career changes: why do some lawyers leave law after spending years trying to get in? Is it burnout, work-life balance, a lack of fulfilment, or the pull of doing something more creative and meaningful? And, on the flip side, the pair consider why ex-lawyers are often well placed to succeed in other fields — from their work ethic and dedication to their ability to perform under pressure and win over clients. Ultimately, this week’s episode asks whether leaving law should really be seen as walking away from success, or simply redefining what success looks like.
July 10 · 38 min
Why Prince Harry’s lawfare was a BIG MISTAKE
The Legal Cheek Podcast is proudly independent. Thanks to our sponsor Simpson Thacher, home of the private equity training contract, for making that possible: https://ukearlycareers.stblaw.com/ It's been well reported in the UK media that Prince Harry has been waging war on Britain's press establishment in a series of protracted legal battles fought out in the High Court and beyond. Whilst he's had a few victories along the way, namely a settlement in 2025 against the Sun's publishers, News Group Newspapers, and a win against Mirror Group Newspapers in 2023, his latest action against the press (or as he puts it “slay the dragon”!) has been unsuccessful. In 2022, Harry, alongside seven fellow claimants, accused the Associated Newspapers Ltd, publishers of the Daily Mail, the Mail Online, and Mail on Sunday, of “clear, systematic and sustained use of unlawful information-gathering”. Four years and an eleven-week High Court trial later, all 97 allegations were dismissed by Mr Justice Nicklins, who found that the claimants failed to prove any unlawful conduct on the part of ANL. What's more, this ordeal has reportedly racked up legal costs of £50 million! Given everything at stake, is litigation really effective enough at holding the press - or anyone- accountable to outweigh the costs of such a lengthy, expensive process? Alex Aldridge and Julia Szaniszlo are back to discuss the nuances of this story, what the true cost of litigation can be, who really wins and loses in the process, and why, ultimately, it can be a very costly mistake.
July 7 · 50 min
Better together? The hidden headaches of mega mergers
The Legal Cheek Podcast is proudly independent. Thanks to our sponsor Simpson Thacher, home of the private equity training contract, for making that possible: https://ukearlycareers.stblaw.com/ Law firm mergers are often presented as a neat equation: bigger platform, bigger clients, bigger profits. But behind the slick press releases and carefully worded announcements, the reality of combining two major firms is usually far more complicated. And with Winston Taylor going live on 1 June, Ashurst Perkins Coie launching on 29 June, and Hogan Lovells Cadwalader following on 1 July, mega mergers are again dominating the legal headlines. These are some of the biggest law firm tie-ups in history — but what actually happens when (as the Spice Girls would say) two become one? Legal Cheek’s Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott are back to unpack the hidden challenges behind the merger hype. From partner politics and pay structures to client conflicts, office overlaps, tech headaches, rebrands, redundancies and culture clashes, this week’s episode asks whether law firm mergers really create stronger firms — or whether “better together” is sometimes easier said than done.
June 30 · 21 min
How did Keir Starmer become a top barrister when he was so bad as Prime Minister?
The Legal Cheek Podcast is proudly independent. Thanks to our sponsor Simpson Thacher, home of the private equity training contract, for making that possible: https://ukearlycareers.stblaw.com/ Stereotypes are rarely fair or accurate. However, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the stereotype of a barrister (charismatic, well-spoken, intelligent beyond compare) is an accurate one. For professionals who spend their lives advocating before judges and juries in high-stakes public fora, you'd think that would make them some of the most capable leaders imaginable. However, Keir Starmer (in the eyes of the British public, at the very least) seems to have dodged that particular reputation. In fact, given his high-profile legal roles, why is it that his tenure as prime minister has been marred by ridicule over his communication style and public presentation? Whilst not here to comment on the particularities of his politics, Alex Aldridge and Julia Szaniszlo are back to discuss what it really means to be a barrister, whether the above stereotypes ring true, and why it is that so many barristers seem to end up in politics.
June 23 · 24 min
White collar jobpocalypse? Is AI really going to cut trainee lawyer numbers or might it end up boosting them?
The Legal Cheek Podcast is proudly independent. Thanks to our sponsor Simpson Thacher, home of the private equity training contract, for making that possible: https://ukearlycareers.stblaw.com/ Currently, the legal press and beyond is full of doom-mongering of a staggering scale — the advent of AI means one thing for sure: your shiny legal career is no longer a dead cert. And as law firms and other professional services companies scramble to respond to an alleged jobpocalypse, the graduate class are the ones appearing to suffer the most, with most responding by cutting graduate scheme classes and entry-level positions. Unsurprisingly, law firms across the globe are reacting in kind — recently, Aussie firm MinterEllison axed its 2025-26 graduate intake by a third, from 100 places to just 72. However, Legal Cheek‘s Julia Szaniszlo and Alex Aldridge are here to tell you that this might not be the whole story. Some of the world’s largest law firms are actually boosting their numbers. Latham & Watkins recently expanded their summer associate programme across the pond in the US, from 122 to around 170 in 2027. The picture in the UK doesn’t seem too different, with exclusive research at Legal Cheek revealing that, despite talks of a grad job apocalypse, City TC numbers have in fact remained stable for the past half a decade. So what’s with all this mixed messaging?
June 16 · 34 min
What students get wrong about commercial awareness
The Legal Cheek Podcast is proudly independent. Thanks to our sponsor Simpson Thacher, home of the private equity training contract, for making that possible: https://ukearlycareers.stblaw.com/ Commercial awareness. Two words likely to send any self-respecting law student into either psychosis or an interview-induced breakdown. But what if we told you it's really not as complicated as it looks? Legal Cheek's Alex Aldridge and Julia Szaniszlo are back this week to talk through what commercial awareness really means and why so many students tend to overcomplicate it. Whether it's going back to basics, understanding what role lawyers play in the broader financial ecosystem, or recognising that law is ultimately a service industry, Aldridge and Szaniszlo give their tips on how to approach this daunting task. Szaniszlo started at Legal Cheek with little to no legal, let alone commercial, understanding, but within nine short months she's managed to secure a TC at a top US firm. Building on that experience, she talks through what worked for her, what insights she's gained from hosting events with law firms across the City and beyond, and why sometimes it's actually better to "ignore the law".
May 29 · 44 min
S6EP22: How to stand out on a vac scheme for all the right reasons
With summer vac scheme season fast approaching and thousands of solicitor hopefuls gearing up to storm law firm offices across the City and beyond, how can you make the most of the opportunity and secure that coveted TC offer? Legal Cheek brings you the answers… When candidates are so evenly matched on paper, it's often the smallest things that determine whether you walk away with a training contract offer. This week on the Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Tom Connelly share their insights on how to succeed and stand out on your vac scheme this summer (for all the right reasons) and what to steer clear of to avoid missing out on that TC. Whilst the work you do for your supervisor is often the most important part, a big chunk of succeeding on a vac scheme has very little to do with the law. Tom and Julia cover all the main bases, from punctuality and understanding confusing dress codes to navigating small talk with senior lawyers and alcohol at firm socials. Having recently completed a vacation scheme at a US firm, Julia talks through the real practicalities of tackling the legal work you're set from a non-law perspective, whether that’s about asking the right questions or the best ways to prepare for final assessments and tasks. Follow these tips and you will be in an excellent position to succeed on your upcoming scheme!
May 22 · 30 min
S6EP21: How best to prepare for law school and the conversion course
Whether you’re a sixth-former aiming for a top university or a graduate considering a career change into law, this episode offers a clear and realistic guide to navigating the path into the profession. This week on The Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott break down how aspiring lawyers can best prepare for — and stand out in — the law school admissions process. From supercurriculars and smart extra reading to crafting a compelling personal statement, the pair share practical advice on how to demonstrate genuine intellectual curiosity and develop the analytical skills that top universities are really looking for. They also take listeners through each stage of the admissions journey, including personal statements, the LNAT, and interviews, offering tips on how to approach each with confidence. Finally, the episode turns to non-law students preparing for the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL), with Julia sharing her advice on how future law converts can hit the ground running and make the most of the intensive course from day one.
May 12 · 32 min
S6EP20: Magic Circle, white shoe firms & the “global elite” — What does it all mean today?
What exactly is the difference between the Magic Circle, the Silver Circle, White Shoe firms and today’s so-called “Global Elite” — and do any of these labels still mean anything in the modern legal market? In this episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott explore the history and evolution of elite law firm prestige, from the old Club of Nine and the emergence of the Magic Circle in the 1990s, to the origins of America’s White Shoe firms and the rise of globally dominant US players in the City of London. The pair also look at why certain firms made the cut while others did not, and how aggressive international expansion transformed the London legal scene into the global industry it is today. We also examine whether these distinctions still hold weight in an era of transatlantic mergers, lateral hiring and increasingly specialised firms, and ask whether the old hierarchy still reflects reality. Finally, they turn their attention to whether aspiring solicitors should still pay attention to labels like Magic Circle and Silver Circle when applying for training contracts, or whether factors such as culture, practice strengths, international opportunities and long-term career goals are now far more important than the prestige categorisations of the past.
May 8 · 36 min
S6EP19: BigLaw’s billion-dollar AI race
The legal AI arms race is well underway. Over the past year, elite law firms have rushed to announce partnerships with the biggest names in legal tech, as firms compete to integrate generative AI into everything from drafting and due diligence to knowledge management and workflow automation. Some firms are partnering with specialist legal AI platforms like Harvey and Legora, while others are pursuing different strategies — building bespoke in-house tools or leaning on enterprise systems like Microsoft Copilot. At the centre of this race are a handful of AI companies whose valuations have exploded into the billions. Harvey’s valuation jumped to $11 billion earlier this year, while rival Legora has rapidly emerged as one of Europe’s fastest-growing legal AI startups. And as competition intensifies, these companies are increasingly turning outward with flashy brand campaigns and celebrity partnerships — from Harvey teaming up with Suits actor Gabriel Macht to Legora hiring Jude Law. On this week’s episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott discuss the biggest players in legal AI, the partnerships reshaping the legal industry, and what firms are actually hoping to achieve through AI adoption. They also explore the increasingly aggressive marketing strategies emerging in legal tech, the risks surrounding rapid AI implementation, and whether the current frenzy reflects genuine transformation — or something closer to an AI bubble.
May 1 · 43 min
S6EP18: Career Conundrum — “Should I do a law degree, or should I just convert later?”
With the SQE ushering in alternate pathways to qualification, and the non-law graduate to solicitor pipeline becoming increasingly common, there is no longer a single standard route into the legal profession. On this week’s Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott share their perspectives on whether aspiring solicitors should study law at university or pursue another subject and convert later. Ryan took the more traditional path, studying law at Cambridge before securing a training contract, while Julia studied languages at Cambridge and is now preparing to take the law conversion route, sponsored by her future firm. Together, they explore whether a law degree really gives future lawyers an advantage, considering the increasingly competitive training contract market, the cost of postgraduate legal study, and the new qualification landscape under the SQE. From the value of STEM backgrounds in IP and tech-focused practices to the soft skills and international perspective that languages graduates can bring, the pair reflect on their own degree choices and ask whether passion, employability or “commitment to law” should matter most when choosing what to study.
April 23 · 43 min
S6EP17: How to nail Watson Glaser tests, assessment centres and the final interview
This week on the Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott break down how to succeed in the most demanding parts of the training contract application journey. Drawing on their firsthand experience navigating what can often be a gruelling five-, six-, or even seven-stage process, they share practical insights into what firms are really looking for beyond the written application. The pair discuss how to approach interviews with confidence and structure, the best ways to prepare for online tests, and how to stand out at assessment centres. They also lift the lid on the vacation scheme — often described as a two-week interview — offering tips on how to perform well, make a strong impression, and convert it into a training contract offer. Along the way, they reflect on the common pitfalls that trip candidates up at this stage, from underestimating the importance of commercial awareness to failing to engage fully with trainees and partners during the process. They also share practical strategies for maintaining energy and focus across multiple rounds, handling rejection, and building the resilience needed to see the process through to the end.
April 16 · 39 min
S6EP16: How to secure a training contract at a top law firm
Securing a training contract at a top firm can feel a bit like a lottery: countless applications, limited offers, and for many aspiring solicitors, the process can seem like luck of the draw. This week on the Legal Cheek Podcast, Tom Connelly puts future Magic Circle trainee Ryan Scott in the hot seat to unpack how he successfully navigated the application process and landed a role at his dream firm. They discuss the importance of planning your time effectively during the intense application season, as well as why a well-researched and carefully curated application is essential to standing out in a crowded field. The pair also explore the value of shortlisting firms strategically, going deeper than other candidates in your research, and clearly articulating your motivations. Drawing on practical insights and experience — including lessons learned from working closely with graduate recruiters — they break down what separates successful applications from unsuccessful ones, alongside tips on building commercial awareness and performing at the later stages of the process.
April 8 · 21 min
S6EP15: Revision strategies every law student should know
Exam season is looming and, for law students, that usually means one thing: stress levels are rising and notes are piling higher by the day. But as with most things in law, success often comes down to getting the basics right. This week on the Legal Cheek Podcast, Ryan Scott and Tom Connelly discuss seven practical revision tips to help you not just survive, but thrive this exam season. From planning your time effectively and avoiding burnout, to using knowledge trackers, refining your study methods, and getting to grips with what examiners are really looking for, they share tried-and-tested strategies drawn from their own experiences of law school. They also dive into the importance of past papers, mark schemes, and why practising under pressure can make all the difference on the day.
April 2 · 31 min
S6EP14: Why you should care about trainee retention rates
This week on The Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Tom Connelly dig into why aspiring lawyers should be paying close attention to this often overlooked stat at their target firms. Retention figures are one of the few hard data points that cut through polished recruitment marketing. High attrition can signal that the reality of working at a firm doesn’t match what was sold during the application process, and it has real consequences for both trainees and firms alike. But headline figures need probing. Were trainees kept on permanently, or on a fixed-term basis? Retained into their preferred practice area, or wherever a spot existed? Transparency varies enormously between firms, and so does what the numbers actually mean for your career.
March 27 · 31 min
S6EP13: Money talks: Inside City law's eye-watering partner pay
The numbers don't lie and when you're earning more in two days than most people make in a year, they don't need to. This week on The Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Tom Connelly dig into the headline-grabbing financial results of Kirkland & Ellis, the first law firm in history to break the $10 billion revenue barrier, with profit per equity partner hitting a staggering $11.1 million (£8.2 million). Julia and Tom break down what profit per equity partneractually means in practice, from the "eat what you kill" pressure that comes with it, to the eye-watering daily earnings that put even Premier League footballers to shame. They also explore the mechanics behind such extraordinary profitability: from the dominance of private capital to the growth of the non-equity partner tier that has turbocharged US firms’ margins across the City.
March 20 · 31 min
S6EP12: Do you have what it takes to be a solicitor apprentice?
The trailblazer apprenticeships have done exactly what it says on the tin – they've set a new standard for routes into the legal profession, and the numbers speak for themselves. This week on the Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott discuss the meteoric rise of the solicitor apprenticeship route, its merits and what kinds of students may thrive in this environment. Since its launch in 2016, the solicitor apprenticeship has grown from a niche alternative into a mainstream pathway now embraced by Magic Circle giants and US firms alike. Julia and Ryan break down how the scheme works, explore the financial and professional benefits, from competitive salaries to zero tuition fees, and weigh up who this route is really suited to, and who might be better off heading to university first.