A year in the world of Legal Cheek: The top 15 stories of 2019

Avatar photo

By Legal Cheek on

Magic circle salaries, lavish lawyer Insta lifestyles and, of course, Lady Hale on the Tube — but can you guess which story clocked up the most views over the past 12 months?

It’s been quite the year for the legal profession.

Plans to overhaul legal education with a new solicitor super-exam continued to gather pace, while the magic circle quintet splashed the cash and bumped junior lawyer pay to reach sweltering six-figure sums.

It’s also a year that has seen one lawyer turn to sex work as a side-hustle, another claim that her career was hampered by her good looks, and a third offer fans a glimpse into her glam lifestyle through her well-followed Instagram account.

And who can forget the Supreme Court saying goodbye to Lady Hale? Although not officially retiring from the top bench until next month, the Beyoncé of the law — who was recently snapped riding the Tube — said a fond farewell to her fellow bench mates at a valedictory ceremony last week.

But which stories have Legal Cheek readers enjoyed most? Here are our 15 most-read stories this year.

15. ‘Sex is fun, and I can get paid for it’, says criminal lawyer who side hustles as prostitute

[Read the story in full]

14. Junior solicitor struck off for fare dodging just two years after qualifying

[Read the story in full]

13. Eve Cornwell bumps into Lady Hale on the Tube

[Read the story in full]

12. Sainsbury’s shelf-stacker turned Doughty Street barrister becomes one of Inner Temple’s youngest benchers

Tunde Okewale (credit: Instagram @tundeokewale)

[Read the story in full]

11. Instagramming junior lawyer living super-glam lifestyle racks up over 330,000 followers

Credit: xlindalux

[Read the story in full]

10. Freshfields raises newly qualified solicitor pay to £100,000

[Read the story in full]

9. This Question Time audience member thinks all solicitors earn over £80,000 a year

Audience member and Labour’s Richard Burgon MP (Credit: BBC)

[Read the story in full]

8. Ferrari-toting barrister sparks LinkedIn beef

[Read the story in full]

7. Law school sweethearts land training contracts at same national firm where they both work as paralegals

[Read the story in full]

6. Children of lawyers 17 TIMES more likely to become lawyers themselves

[Read the story in full]

5. Drug suspension barrister goes viral after pro-Brexit rant on BBC Question Time

[Read the story in full]

4. ‘Don’t wear brown shoes with a blue suit’, City law firm partner tells trainees

Wikicommons: sweeticecreamphotography

[Read the story in full]

3. Law graduate claims good looks ruined her career

[Read the story in full]

2. Criminal defence solicitor expecting child with Celebrity Big Brother reality star

[Read the story in full]

1. Revealed: Law firms’ average arrive and leave the office times 2019-20

[Read the story in full]

Thank you to all our readers who have visited the site in 2019. Here’s to another year of Legal Cheek.

Related Stories

Shoosmiths drops £1 million into bonus pot after staff hit AI prompt target

Cash rewards for reaching one million inputs on Microsoft Copilot

2 days ago
4

‘I walked away from City law to start a band-booking business’

Legal Cheek speaks to Ed Southall about his decision to leave law and launch his own business

3 days ago
4

From natural disasters to digital crises: Force majeure in the cyber age

Exeter MA grad Arianna Alonso Petracchi investigates if a centuries-old doctrine can protect businesses from modern cyber crises

4 days ago

How many laws does Santa break in one night?

The jolly old man's yearly visit raises some interesting questions about trespass, privacy and tax evasion 🎅👮

4 days ago
6

Monday morning round-up

The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend

4 days ago
news SQE Hub

A brief beginner’s guide to the SQE

Nine key things to know when exploring the solicitor qualification route

Dec 12 2025 8:47am

8 things law school doesn’t teach you (but every junior lawyer learns fast)

From wrestling with rogue printers to decoding what the partner really means, the true lessons of legal life begin after graduation

Dec 11 2025 8:48am
7

Examining human rights gaps in biomedical research

Glasgow LLM student Arjan Singh looks at capacity, safeguards and abuses

Dec 10 2025 8:51am

A future trainee’s experience of tackling the SQE

The University of Law student Chloe Autran discusses her pathway into law, leveraging work experience and tips for navigating the SQE

Dec 9 2025 10:15am

Shoosmiths drops £1 million into bonus pot after staff hit AI prompt target

Cash rewards for reaching one million inputs on Microsoft Copilot

2 days ago
4

‘I walked away from City law to start a band-booking business’

Legal Cheek speaks to Ed Southall about his decision to leave law and launch his own business

3 days ago
4

From natural disasters to digital crises: Force majeure in the cyber age

Exeter MA grad Arianna Alonso Petracchi investigates if a centuries-old doctrine can protect businesses from modern cyber crises

4 days ago

How many laws does Santa break in one night?

The jolly old man's yearly visit raises some interesting questions about trespass, privacy and tax evasion 🎅👮

4 days ago
6

Monday morning round-up

The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend

4 days ago
news SQE Hub

A brief beginner’s guide to the SQE

Nine key things to know when exploring the solicitor qualification route

Dec 12 2025 8:47am

8 things law school doesn’t teach you (but every junior lawyer learns fast)

From wrestling with rogue printers to decoding what the partner really means, the true lessons of legal life begin after graduation

Dec 11 2025 8:48am
7

Examining human rights gaps in biomedical research

Glasgow LLM student Arjan Singh looks at capacity, safeguards and abuses

Dec 10 2025 8:51am

A future trainee’s experience of tackling the SQE

The University of Law student Chloe Autran discusses her pathway into law, leveraging work experience and tips for navigating the SQE

Dec 9 2025 10:15am

Shoosmiths drops £1 million into bonus pot after staff hit AI prompt target

Cash rewards for reaching one million inputs on Microsoft Copilot

2 days ago
4

‘I walked away from City law to start a band-booking business’

Legal Cheek speaks to Ed Southall about his decision to leave law and launch his own business

3 days ago
4

From natural disasters to digital crises: Force majeure in the cyber age

Exeter MA grad Arianna Alonso Petracchi investigates if a centuries-old doctrine can protect businesses from modern cyber crises

4 days ago

How many laws does Santa break in one night?

The jolly old man's yearly visit raises some interesting questions about trespass, privacy and tax evasion 🎅👮

4 days ago
6

Monday morning round-up

The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend

4 days ago
news SQE Hub

A brief beginner’s guide to the SQE

Nine key things to know when exploring the solicitor qualification route

Dec 12 2025 8:47am

8 things law school doesn’t teach you (but every junior lawyer learns fast)

From wrestling with rogue printers to decoding what the partner really means, the true lessons of legal life begin after graduation

Dec 11 2025 8:48am
7

Examining human rights gaps in biomedical research

Glasgow LLM student Arjan Singh looks at capacity, safeguards and abuses

Dec 10 2025 8:51am

A future trainee’s experience of tackling the SQE

The University of Law student Chloe Autran discusses her pathway into law, leveraging work experience and tips for navigating the SQE

Dec 9 2025 10:15am