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

What went down at LegalEdCon 2024

Legal Cheek's annual conference gathered together key figures from across the profession to discuss skills gaps, innovations, apprenticeships, SQE and more

3 days ago

Best of the blogs

Weekly round-up of the top legal blogosphere posts

3 days ago
careers SQE Hub

How the SQE is forging new pathways into the profession

BPP’s Head of Client Development, Liz Ritter, talks apprenticeships, exam performance and ‘teething problems' with the new route

6 days ago

Osborne Clarke becomes first firm referred to tribunal over alleged ‘SLAPP’

Concerns firm's representation of ex-Tory Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi

6 days ago
1

Generational clash: Differing workplace attitudes pose biggest challenge for junior lawyers

Exclusive research: Managing mental health and workloads among key challenges for Gen-Zers, along with addressing knowledge gaps

6 days ago
19

Chester, Bristol, Hertfordshire and King’s law students triumph at latest Pro Bono Awards

Projects include domestic abuse support, environmental law toolkit and a 'Justice Bus'

7 days ago

Monday morning round-up

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

7 days ago

Quinn Emanuel hikes NQ lawyer pay to market topping £180k 

Serious money for 20-somethings

May 10 2024 11:07am
32

Best of the blogs

Weekly round-up of the top legal blogosphere posts

May 10 2024 8:48am
1

‘Is law firm culture really a thing?’

Budding City lawyer seeks advice

May 9 2024 8:39am
12
careers SQE Hub

Full video: A deep dive into SQE1 

BPP’s Head of Outreach joins SQE Award Leaders and future trainees to discuss part one of the solicitors’ assessment

May 8 2024 2:22pm

What went down at LegalEdCon 2024

Legal Cheek's annual conference gathered together key figures from across the profession to discuss skills gaps, innovations, apprenticeships, SQE and more

3 days ago

Best of the blogs

Weekly round-up of the top legal blogosphere posts

3 days ago
careers SQE Hub

How the SQE is forging new pathways into the profession

BPP’s Head of Client Development, Liz Ritter, talks apprenticeships, exam performance and ‘teething problems' with the new route

6 days ago

Osborne Clarke becomes first firm referred to tribunal over alleged ‘SLAPP’

Concerns firm's representation of ex-Tory Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi

6 days ago
1

Generational clash: Differing workplace attitudes pose biggest challenge for junior lawyers

Exclusive research: Managing mental health and workloads among key challenges for Gen-Zers, along with addressing knowledge gaps

6 days ago
19

Chester, Bristol, Hertfordshire and King’s law students triumph at latest Pro Bono Awards

Projects include domestic abuse support, environmental law toolkit and a 'Justice Bus'

7 days ago

Monday morning round-up

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

7 days ago

Quinn Emanuel hikes NQ lawyer pay to market topping £180k 

Serious money for 20-somethings

May 10 2024 11:07am
32

Best of the blogs

Weekly round-up of the top legal blogosphere posts

May 10 2024 8:48am
1

‘Is law firm culture really a thing?’

Budding City lawyer seeks advice

May 9 2024 8:39am
12
careers SQE Hub

Full video: A deep dive into SQE1 

BPP’s Head of Outreach joins SQE Award Leaders and future trainees to discuss part one of the solicitors’ assessment

May 8 2024 2:22pm

What went down at LegalEdCon 2024

Legal Cheek's annual conference gathered together key figures from across the profession to discuss skills gaps, innovations, apprenticeships, SQE and more

3 days ago

Best of the blogs

Weekly round-up of the top legal blogosphere posts

3 days ago
careers SQE Hub

How the SQE is forging new pathways into the profession

BPP’s Head of Client Development, Liz Ritter, talks apprenticeships, exam performance and ‘teething problems' with the new route

6 days ago

Osborne Clarke becomes first firm referred to tribunal over alleged ‘SLAPP’

Concerns firm's representation of ex-Tory Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi

6 days ago
1

Generational clash: Differing workplace attitudes pose biggest challenge for junior lawyers

Exclusive research: Managing mental health and workloads among key challenges for Gen-Zers, along with addressing knowledge gaps

6 days ago
19

Chester, Bristol, Hertfordshire and King’s law students triumph at latest Pro Bono Awards

Projects include domestic abuse support, environmental law toolkit and a 'Justice Bus'

7 days ago

Monday morning round-up

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

7 days ago

Quinn Emanuel hikes NQ lawyer pay to market topping £180k 

Serious money for 20-somethings

May 10 2024 11:07am
32

Best of the blogs

Weekly round-up of the top legal blogosphere posts

May 10 2024 8:48am
1

‘Is law firm culture really a thing?’

Budding City lawyer seeks advice

May 9 2024 8:39am
12
careers SQE Hub

Full video: A deep dive into SQE1 

BPP’s Head of Outreach joins SQE Award Leaders and future trainees to discuss part one of the solicitors’ assessment

May 8 2024 2:22pm