The Law Society Gazette, 13 May 2010

Nineteen new solicitor MPs enter the Commons

Last week’s general election saw 19 solicitors newly elected as MPs – 14 for the Conservative Party and five for Labour. Conservative wins included Helen Grant, senior partner at Croydon firm Grants and Eversheds consultant Jonathan Evans. Solicitors who won seats for Labour included Catherine McKinnell of Newcastle firm Dickinson Dees and Chuka Umunna, employment lawyer at Rochman Landau. There are now more than 50 MPs who are qualified solicitors.

12 May 2005

Falconer to put civil legal aid at top of agenda

Correcting the imbalance between criminal and civil legal aid spending will be the government’s main legal priority in the next parliament, the lord chancellor announced.

Lawyers triumph in election

Seven more solicitors won seats in parliament at last week’s general election. David Burrowes, an assistant at Enfield firm Sepher Harris & Co, took Enfield Southgate from former schools minister Stephen Twigg. As expected, David Gauke, until recently an assistant at City firm Macfarlanes, and former City solicitor Shailesh Vara took over the safe Tory seats of Hertfordshire South West and Cambridgeshire North. Human rights solicitor Sadiq Khan saw a 10,000 majority halved, but was still returned to Tooting for Labour.

14 May 1975

Education and training

It has been announced that the Council intend that from 1980 the normal mode of entry into the profession shall be by way of a degree – not necessarily, but probably, a law degree. There will, however, still be a way into the profession for mature students, that is to say, broadly speaking, those who under the present regulations are treated on the same basis as graduates, but with some variations.

May 1945

Post-war aid

An important part of the council’s plans for re-establishing in the profession solicitors and articled clerks returning from service with the Forces is the setting up in connection with the Society’s National Service and Post War Aid liaison Department of two registers. One register contains questionnaires completed by those now on active service who wish for the Society’s help in finding partnerships or employment on their return; the other contains questionnaires completed by solicitors still in practice who will have partnerships or employment to offer to serving solicitors after hostilities.

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