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

‘You have to be a dog with a bone’: A barrister-turned-solicitor on resilience and rights work

Legal Cheek Careers sits down with Imogen Hamblin to discuss a career spanning the bar, employment discrimination and legal education

7 hours ago

What law firms really want to see in your TC application

The Legal Cheek Podcast discusses the tips and tricks to make a strong impression -- listen now 🎧

13 hours ago

Solicitor struck off after misleading judge about being abroad during hearing

Said he was in London, was actually in Munich

13 hours ago
2

Monday morning round-up

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

14 hours ago

Justice Sec Lammy unveils AI courts plan to tackle criminal case backlog

'Blitz' courts, AI transcription and prison vans in bus lanes among Deputy PM's sweeping reforms

4 days ago
10

The rise of the non-equity partner

As Freshfields reportedly adopts an approach favoured by leading US firms, Legal Cheek explores the key differences behind this model and the motivations driving firms to embrace it

6 days ago
2
news SQE Hub

Latest SQE2 pass rate hits 78%

1,342 candidates sat latest assessment

6 days ago

Hollywood showdown: The fight for Warner Bros

Trainee solicitor Billy Hart dissects the corporate battle between Netflix and Paramount for Warner Bros

7 days ago
news SQE Hub

SQE students must apply for reasonable adjustments earlier under new rules

Regulator tweaks support policy

Feb 23 2026 10:56am

Why Liverpool is one of law’s best-kept secrets

Nicola Walker shares her journey from a real estate lawyer to campus manager at The University of Law Liverpool

Feb 23 2026 10:08am

What does a corporate lawyer actually do?

The Legal Cheek Podcast takes a look at everything from deals to due diligence -- listen now 🎙️

Feb 23 2026 9:08am

Monday morning round-up

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

Feb 23 2026 8:02am

‘You have to be a dog with a bone’: A barrister-turned-solicitor on resilience and rights work

Legal Cheek Careers sits down with Imogen Hamblin to discuss a career spanning the bar, employment discrimination and legal education

7 hours ago

What law firms really want to see in your TC application

The Legal Cheek Podcast discusses the tips and tricks to make a strong impression -- listen now 🎧

13 hours ago

Solicitor struck off after misleading judge about being abroad during hearing

Said he was in London, was actually in Munich

13 hours ago
2

Monday morning round-up

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

14 hours ago

Justice Sec Lammy unveils AI courts plan to tackle criminal case backlog

'Blitz' courts, AI transcription and prison vans in bus lanes among Deputy PM's sweeping reforms

4 days ago
10

The rise of the non-equity partner

As Freshfields reportedly adopts an approach favoured by leading US firms, Legal Cheek explores the key differences behind this model and the motivations driving firms to embrace it

6 days ago
2
news SQE Hub

Latest SQE2 pass rate hits 78%

1,342 candidates sat latest assessment

6 days ago

Hollywood showdown: The fight for Warner Bros

Trainee solicitor Billy Hart dissects the corporate battle between Netflix and Paramount for Warner Bros

7 days ago
news SQE Hub

SQE students must apply for reasonable adjustments earlier under new rules

Regulator tweaks support policy

Feb 23 2026 10:56am

Why Liverpool is one of law’s best-kept secrets

Nicola Walker shares her journey from a real estate lawyer to campus manager at The University of Law Liverpool

Feb 23 2026 10:08am

What does a corporate lawyer actually do?

The Legal Cheek Podcast takes a look at everything from deals to due diligence -- listen now 🎙️

Feb 23 2026 9:08am

Monday morning round-up

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

Feb 23 2026 8:02am

‘You have to be a dog with a bone’: A barrister-turned-solicitor on resilience and rights work

Legal Cheek Careers sits down with Imogen Hamblin to discuss a career spanning the bar, employment discrimination and legal education

7 hours ago

What law firms really want to see in your TC application

The Legal Cheek Podcast discusses the tips and tricks to make a strong impression -- listen now 🎧

13 hours ago

Solicitor struck off after misleading judge about being abroad during hearing

Said he was in London, was actually in Munich

13 hours ago
2

Monday morning round-up

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

14 hours ago

Justice Sec Lammy unveils AI courts plan to tackle criminal case backlog

'Blitz' courts, AI transcription and prison vans in bus lanes among Deputy PM's sweeping reforms

4 days ago
10

The rise of the non-equity partner

As Freshfields reportedly adopts an approach favoured by leading US firms, Legal Cheek explores the key differences behind this model and the motivations driving firms to embrace it

6 days ago
2
news SQE Hub

Latest SQE2 pass rate hits 78%

1,342 candidates sat latest assessment

6 days ago

Hollywood showdown: The fight for Warner Bros

Trainee solicitor Billy Hart dissects the corporate battle between Netflix and Paramount for Warner Bros

7 days ago
news SQE Hub

SQE students must apply for reasonable adjustments earlier under new rules

Regulator tweaks support policy

Feb 23 2026 10:56am

Why Liverpool is one of law’s best-kept secrets

Nicola Walker shares her journey from a real estate lawyer to campus manager at The University of Law Liverpool

Feb 23 2026 10:08am

What does a corporate lawyer actually do?

The Legal Cheek Podcast takes a look at everything from deals to due diligence -- listen now 🎙️

Feb 23 2026 9:08am

Monday morning round-up

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

Feb 23 2026 8:02am