The Flex Legal Blog

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Tony Hewitt, a lawyer, smiles warmly to the right of frame. Behind him, the Flex Legal branding abounds.
January 18

How we helped Tony to diversify his legal experience

Tony, a commercial solicitor with four and a half years' PQE, came to Flex Legal in June on the lookout for a new challenge. Keen to diversify and broaden his legal experience, he's adapted to an entirely new industry whilst on an interim placement at a global automotive company. Take a read to hear all about his experience of using Flex.
CV Tips Blog Banner - CV with a plant and coffee
June 27 2022

Top CV tips for aspiring lawyers

At Flex Legal, we truly understand how competitive the legal industry can be for aspiring lawyers, and how draining it is sending out hundreds of CV’s a week, only to receive piles of rejections in return. Take a read of this blog post for our top tips on how to ensure your CV stands out from the crowd, for all the right reasons!
Freshfields Logo
May 25 2022

Flex and Freshfields: Five years later

Freshfields is one of the world’s oldest law firms, with roots tracing back to the 18th century. So when their team approached Flex in 2017 with a need for Manchester-based doc review paralegals, we were delighted to help. And that was just the start - take a read to see how we've supported Freshfields over the years since.
Two black women are seen from the front and smile at a laptop screen, as they think about the pure joy of applying to the Flex Trainee scheme.
April 25 2022

How to apply to Flex Trainee

Flex Trainee is our SQE qualification programme, and we're getting a lot of interest in it! Read this blog post to learn how to apply to the scheme, and the diversity / social mobility criteria our STRIVE partners ask for in applications.
Midlands In-house Event Blog Banner
March 14 2022

Midlands In-house Event: Building the legal team of the future

The Midlands In-house Event will bring together an array of teams from across the thriving Midlands In-house legal community. Join us for our first session on the exciting topic of 'Building the legal team of the future', hosted by Sophie Gould, our very own Head of Learning and Development at Flex Legal!
A smiling woman works at her desk with a pen in hand. Her child hugs her from behind, as the Flex Legal branding envelopes them.
October 27 2021

The future of work: what hybrid means for the legal industry

The legal industry finds itself in the midst of a huge upheaval. The COVID-19 pandemic proved that remote working in law works, and the "Great Resignation" has seen legal professionals leaving their firms in search of better life / work conditions. As we rebuild, we must ask if this new hybrid model is here to stay? Read this longform article to find the answer to this burning question.
Jamie Bluff Paralegal of the Month
July 2 2021

June '21 Paralegal of the Month: Jamie Bluff

Our June 2021 Paralegal of the Month is the joculary Jamie Bluff! Jamie is a Future Trainee Solicitor, who has been working as a paralegal through Flex Legal to accrue some more legal experience. Read more about Jamie's career and Flex experiences here!
A pile of leather-bound books appear beside the blog title
February 5 2021

SQE FAQs

Got questions about the SQE? Look no further! There can be a lot to unpack about the SQE, how it fits into existing frameworks, and QWE, so we've covered the main points in this post.
Tags:SQE
October 28 2020

Flying Solo: Is your business prepared for Brexit?

A few weeks ago, Flex Legal was thrilled to conduct our monthly Virtual GC Session in collaboration with LexisNexis and Radius Law. Speakers at this event included Iain Larkins and Sandra Martins of Radius Law, who discussed business preparations for the rapidly approaching end of the UK’s Brexit transition period.
October 20 2020

How F-LEX Helped Carmen Secure a Training Contract

Securing a training contract is one of the hardest challenges aspiring lawyers face. However, we are pleased to share another success story to show you that it is possible! We recently caught up with Carmen Yong, a trainee solicitor at Laytons LLP, to find out more about her journey to a training contract and how F-LEX helped her along the way.
October 13 2020

What Can Businesses Expect From A Second Wave?

A few weeks ago, we were delighted to welcome Ehsan Haque and Daniel Morgan as guest speakers at our Virtual GC Session in collaboration with LexisNexis and Radius Law. Ehsan is the Global Head of Legal and Compliance at Hamilton Capital, and Daniel is Managing Partner at Haines Watts. The topic for the call surrounded the second wave of COVID-19 and its potential impacts on businesses.
August 27 2020

How Flex Legal Helped Jamie Secure a Training Contract

We are delighted to announce that our very own Jamie Roberts has secured a training contract in Osborne Clarke’s London Office, commencing September 2022! Jamie is an Associate in our Bookings Team, and was previously our Paralegal of the Month for December 2019 having completed several placements through F-LEX before joining the HQ team. Jamie is a prime example of hard work and a commitment to the legal industry paying off, and we wanted to share his journey to a training contract!
July 24 2020

A Job that Works Around You

Whether you wish to work from the French Alps (as I currently am), the sandy beaches of the Bahamas, or a busy city office, as long as you have an internet connection, F-LEX is able to offer you exactly that! As a freelance lawyer, F-LEX provides you with the flexibility to work when, where and upon what you please (as long as you meet the deadlines!)
July 13 2020

5 ways to empower junior lawyers

An accomplished leader of legal teams, Joanne has a wealth of experience spanning city firms, start-ups, charities and global companies, and a passion for inclusion and mental health. Sophie Gould, Head of Learning and Development at F-LEX, asks Joanne to share her wisdom and advice. In part one of this interview Joanne explains how she gives junior lawyers a voice to discuss risks and problems.
May 14 2020

How to network like a pro

This week in our series of virtual lunches in collaboration with Crafty Counsel and LexisNexis UK Katie Barker, Corporate Associate at Addleshaw Goddard and Advisory Board of Aspire in-house junior lawyers network, shared her top tips for networking!
April 27 2020

Using law graduates for non-legal work at Echo

When the UK Government ordered the Nation to stay home, Echo, an online Pharmacy that dispenses and delivers NHS prescriptions, experienced an unprecedented increase in customer demand. Although not our usual gig, we knew our law graduates would have no problem being able to empathise, respect regulations and confidentiality, work fast, show an eye for detail and deliver exceptional customer service.  
March 3 2020

This is me: Louie

Hello! I’m Louie and I’m part of the Commercial Development Scheme here at F-LEX. I am an LLB and LPC graduate working while I apply for training contracts in London.
January 30 2020

This is me: Ally

Hi! I’m Ally – an Associate on the Commercial Development Scheme here at FLEX. I started out as a paralegal through FLEX at Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF). I then moved to working for FLEX part-time while completing the LPC and currently work for FLEX full-time until I start my training contract with Mayer Brown in February!
August 23 2019

F-LEX News Bulletin

F-LEX turns 3! Yes guys, three years ago two intrepid entrepreneurs began the journey of a life time and a jump into the unknown. From Shoreditch to London Bridge and Manchester, F-LEX has gone from strength to strength.
May 23 2019

GDPR - One Year On

On 25th May 2019 it will be one year since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force. As consumers, we all saw an increase in emails about updates in privacy policy in the run up to the GDPR. But what other changes have been taking place over the past year?
April 29 2019

The SQE Follow-Up

A few months ago we sat down with Johanna and Caulyn to talk about the then upcoming SQE pilot. In this interview we find out a bit more about their experience on the pilot and what we can expect in the future.
Tags:SQE
February 27 2019

SQE - The Student's Perspective

The SQE is going to have a profound effect on law firms, for Flexers and, most importantly, law students. Two Flexers have been chosen to be part of the SRA’s Pilot Scheme. We sat down and asked Caulyn Bong (CB) and Johanna Lipponen (JL) a few questions about the SQE and the Pilot scheme.
Tags:SQE
January 21 2019

Becoming familiar with legal technology

Put simply, legal technology refers to the use of software to help provide legal services. Legal technology has been instrumental in the emergence of startups seeking to disrupt the traditional aspects of the profession.
July 30 2018

Cryptocurrencies: an overview of the risks and the regulations

“Cryptocurrency” describes the digital system (“crypto”) where transactions within a system of money (“currency”) are recorded on an open and distributed ledger, called the “blockchain”. Unlike fiat currencies[1], the ledger used is not backed up by banks, any physical asset, or credit of any government or business.
Professional hands write an SQE blog header that leaps from the page
February 4 2021

The SQE Explained

The SQE is here, and it means big changes to the solicitor qualification process. We've broken down the main points about the SQE, Qualifying Work Experience, and the Professional Development Record. Learn all about them here!
October 1 2020

How Flex Legal Helped Tyler Secure a Training Contract

We are thrilled to announce that Tyler Felix, a Flexer who onboarded with us in 2018, has accepted a training contract at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner commencing September 2021! Tyler has been a fantastic ambassador for Flex Legal over the years and is also September’s Paralegal of the Month. How timely! We are delighted to have played a small role in Tyler’s success and wanted to share her journey with you.
August 28 2020

Innovation and Legal Tech: Part 1

This is the first of a three part series examining legal technology and how junior lawyers are driving innovation. Harry spoke to three of The Legal Technologists’s top 10 most innovative junior lawyers to ask them about their journey, experiences and advice they would give.
August 27 2020

A transatlantic remote working adventure!

In 2016, the oil and gas industry crashed, and by the time we entered 2017, my employer advised that she was closing the office and needed me to work remotely. I was elated. No more 40 minute drives each way to complete work that could be done at home!
August 13 2020

Maximising Law Firm Relationships: A How-to Guide for In-house Counsel

On our latest GC call we were delighted to welcome Will Long, Client Partnership Director at Alacrity, who shared some valuable insights into how general counsel can get more value out of their external law firms. For Will, three key areas must be considered when trying to drive valuable relationships between the two: controlling costs; transparency; and evolving relationships through data.
July 24 2020

Why didn't I do this years ago?

My particular leap of faith to head off into the unknown may not be possible for everyone, but I can highly recommend taking a chance on flexible working as a lawyer. The benefits are many for the flexible worker, and for clients needing some extra help without having to take on an employee and all that this brings in terms of extra costs and legal responsibility, using the highly professional team at F-LEX brings many advantages too.
July 9 2020

How In-house Legal Teams are Innovating

We were pleased to welcome an excellent panel of speakers to join last week’s GC call in collaboration with LexisNexis and Crafty Counsel, including Dinesh Jadav, Director of Legal Operations at Royal Mail; Manu Kanwar, Co-founder of LexSolutions; and Madeleine Graham, Head of Product Design at LexisNexis. The discussion continued to build on the theme of legal innovation within the in-house community, with the panel sharing excellent insights from their own experiences.
May 28 2020

How one law firm are preparing for a return to the office

These unprecedented times have thrown up challenge after challenge. With the government starting to ease restrictions, for many law firms the next challenge is how to get the office prepped for the return of their staff. I was able to catch up with Nigel Coates, Deputy Senior Partner at Russell-Cooke to get his thoughts of life in lockdown and the steps that his firm are taking to prepare the office for life after lockdown.
April 30 2020

How to cope with COVID

These sessions connect paralegals, trainees and junior lawyers, and encourage top tips, resources and camaraderie to be shared in the legal community during these challenging times.
Gunnercooke Logo
March 20 2020

When remote working is business as usual

With most of the U.K. encouraged to work from home during this pandemic, teams have been separated and isolated like never before. While many of us get used to multiway video calls and our new home offices, some F-lexers and Clients have been practicing this way of working for a while. We catch up with Louise Wolfson, Legal Counsel at Gunnercooke and Kemi Feyisetan, F-lex Paralegal to learn more…
February 28 2020

Coronavirus and Force Majeure

With the outbreak of Coronavirus spreading at a rather alarming rate, the world’s economy is starting to feel the effects as governments take action, impacting on global supply chains and other commercial relationships. Stocks have fallen continuously, in what has been the worst week of trading since the 2008 crisis. However, from a legal perspective it has seen a rise in the use of an oft forgotten but at present vital boilerplate clause, the force majeure.
August 23 2019

Study and Work Abroad: My time in China

In this article one of our Manchester team Sam tell us all about her time in China. She discusses the merits of working abroad and the potential impact that an experience like that can have on your training contract applications and future career.
July 25 2019

Diversity in Law: The Quick-fire View

This month we were able to sit down with Chris White Founder of the UK’s leading legal diversity platform, Aspiring Solicitors to tackle the topic of Diversity. In a month where we have celebrated difference and inclusivity we wanted to explore a topic that is hot on the lips of every law firm in town! We asked Chris some quick fire questions on the topic.
May 23 2019

Reflections on the LPM

In London, Bristol and Leeds, Mary and Harry represented F-LEX at the LPM Conferences. We would firstly like to say a huge thank you to the team at LPM for inviting us on to the panel. Over the course of the three panel discussions we covered a variety of topics related to the future workforce. Below are our reflections on what we feel are the biggest takeaway points.
March 28 2019

The Flex Legal guide to Training Contract success

We sat down with Hashim, Marija and Naoise, three of our wonderful Bookings Team, to talk through their hints and tips for the application process! All three have secured training contracts and have been through the process from start to finish with many failed attempts between them. Here is what they’ve learnt and want to pass on to you.
January 9 2019

Optimising legal services delivery – Legal Operations and the business of law

As 2018 began to wind down and at F-LEX we looked ahead to the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC) London Institute in January 2019, F-LEX co-founder and CEO, Mary Bonsor, met Sarah Barrett-Vane, Legal Operations specialist and Consultant from SBV Consulting to discuss all things Legal Operations, how the legal market is changing and what lawyers of the future can do to ensure they move with the change.
October 24 2018

5 tips on transitioning to law from a non-legal background

I knew a friend who told his interviewers he “always wanted to be a lawyer.” His interviewers cut him off. “Always?” they asked. “But you weren’t always on this planet!” He stuttered. Got agitated. Went red. His palms got sweaty. It was as though every second lasted a hundred seconds longer. He just couldn’t wait for it all to be over.
June 5 2018

What do Ignition Law look for in a candidate?

We look for people who can demonstrate they are: fast learners, are interested in our clients and the legal industry, have managed some interesting projects (either at work or at uni) and have experience of an office environment - not necessarily in a law firm, though.
Flex Legal's 2021 Christmas Gif
December 21 2021

Flex Legal's 2021 Wrap-up

After overcoming the challenges of 2020, Flex Legal has come back with a bang in 2021. From winning prestigious awards, to launching a brand new social mobility training scheme, it’s been a big year for the team at Flex HQ, so we wanted to take a moment to look back on our fave highlights from the year.
Blog banner - Modern slavery hidden in plain sight
December 7 2021

Modern Slavery: hidden in plain sight

Modern Slavery - it's everywhere and probably closer than you think. Everyone in the legal community understands the importance of human rights - but do we know about human rights abuses happening right under our noses?
Rudolph Benade, Paralegal of the Month, smiles at the camera. Behind him, the edges of the Flex Legal branding lightly caress his shoulders.
July 30 2021

July '21 Paralegal of the Month: Rudolph Benade

July 2021's Paralegal of the Month is Rudolph Benade! We're really pleased to recognise Rudolph here, who is a globe-trotting Future Trainee Solicitor. We put some big questions to Rudolph, such as how he got into law, what the future holds, and how he feels about working through us!
July 15 2021

Delivering Net Zero and in-house lawyers’ pivotal role

The legal sector has an opportunity to be on the right side of history in helping keep a liveable planet for all.  When it comes to delivering climate action, the most important part of the sector are in-house lawyers, due to their direct interface with their organisation; a trusted advisor who can act as a moral compass.
What does 'being commercial' mean? A Virtual Lunch follow up
May 13 2021

What does 'being commercial' mean?

'Being commercial' is one of the most important aspects of professional life in law - but what does this actually mean? Our most recent Virtual Lunch delved into this huge topic, so read our comprehensive summary of the main takeaways here.
A brainish cloud morphs before the Flex Legal branding
January 29 2021

How to Keep Productive

Staying productive is tricky during a pandemic. Fortunately, lawyer and neuroscientist Dominique Ashby spoke at our most recent Virtual Lunch and gave us some tips for maximising your brain's productivity. Read what she had to say, and help yourself keep productive!
December 18 2020

2020: a big year for Flex Legal!

2020 has been a surreal year for everyone - and Flex Legal has been no different. Despite the challenges, we've emerged stronger than ever. In this retrospective blog post, we reflect on the achievements of 2020 and look ahead to 2021.
harry mellor smiling like a cheerful chap
November 26 2020

This is me: Harry

Harry Mellor is a multi-talented member of the Flex Legal Sales and Marketing team, and has experienced more sides of the company than perhaps anyone else. In this edition of our 'This is Me' blog series, Harry answers some questions about himself, his work with Flex, and his ambitions for the future.
October 14 2020

Key Skills Junior Lawyers Need To Succeed

We were delighted to welcome Sarah Hunt, Neil Campbell and Emma O’Connor as guest speakers at our latest Virtual Lunch in collaboration with LexisNexis and Crafty Counsel. Sarah is Head of People Development at Osborne Clarke; Neil is Managing Legal Counsel at RBS; and Emma is a Talent Development Manager at Dentons. The topic for the call centred around the key skills that junior lawyers need to succeed, with the speakers drawing on their own experiences to offer excellent insights to attendees.
July 31 2020

The Flex Tech Update: uploading documents yourself

At Flex we pride ourselves on providing opportunities for law students looking to break into the legal industry. As such, a lot of the praise we receive is reserved for those closest to our paralegals, the Bookings Team. However, there is so much that goes on behind the scenes that enables the Bookings Team to perform as they do. We have always been proactive in seeking out innovative ways of using technology to increase efficiency. So in this new series of updates, we wanted to give praise to our fantastic team of Tech Gods.
July 31 2020

The F-LEX Virtual Lunch Wrap Up Blog

The Virtual Lunch Series hosted by our Sophie Gould, Head of Learning and Development, is going on a wee break over August. In this article, we look back at the topics we have discussed and the lessons we have learnt.
July 16 2020

My advice for junior lawyers

Joanne Theodoulou is the General Counsel and Company Secretary for Simply Business, the largest online business insurance provider in the UK. As an experienced leader of legal teams, we ask Joanne in part two of this interview, what tips to do have for junior lawyers starting their career in-house?
June 30 2020

How In-House Legal Teams Contribute Value to Businesses

The legal industry has been shifting significantly in recent years, with the role of in-house legal teams at the heart of the change. Although GCs have been discussing how to add value as a legal function for a number of years, articulating this idea in practical terms is difficult. In order to understand and examine the concept of ‘value’ and ‘value-adding behaviours’ of in-house lawyers, LexisNexis UK carried out a deep-dive survey with senior GCs across a range of sectors and organisations.
May 18 2020

Contracting as a lawyer gives me true liberty at work

Never before have I experienced the liberty to be the master of my own self professionally, equipping me with the possibility of choosing the conditions of my employment in comparison to other types of employees and most importantly providing me the feeling of true liberty at work.
Why I love working flexibly as a lawyer
April 28 2020

Why I love working flexibly as a lawyer

Lincoln would say “it's not the years in your life that count; it's the life in your years.” As a Flex Lawyer, I would say – it’s not the length of the project you work on, it’s the connections you make along the way, the experience you gain and the difference you make.
April 23 2020

Joining F-LEX in a pandemic

So I’m now six or so weeks into my new role at F-lex. WHAT A TIME to start a new job! When I said I was looking for a new challenge, this wasn’t quite what I had expected but I’m so pleased to have made the move. Here are some reflections on the first 30 days:
January 17 2020

For our users....by our users

Having attended the Legal Geek Legal Design conference for the past 2 years, it got us thinking about our users. Had we really had asked our paralegals if they understood what they were signing up to when they joined F-LEX?
November 1 2019

Flex Legal's Vac Scheme Guide

October, and if you haven’t started thinking about Vac Schemes then you should start now. An increasingly large number of firms are putting a greater emphasis on their vac schemes, with many city firms recruiting solely from them, such as HSF and Mischcon de Reya.
August 30 2019

The Future of Law De-Mystified

Earlier this month, F-LEX held a thought-provoking panel discussion in Manchester, chaired by our Head of Northern Hub, Eimear McCann. 50 of us, a range of legal enthusiasts and techies, gathered to demystify the future of the law. The evening proved to be a real crowd pleaser, provoking some interesting questions from the audience and some healthy debate.
SPG Law - Picture of Brazil
July 16 2019

Supporting SPG Law from Liverpool to Brazil

In November 2018, a group of F-LEX paralegals started a group action project in Liverpool with international firm, SPG Law; however, for some, this was just the start of an incredible journey which led to rural Brazil and culminated in permanent job offers for two and a training contract for another. This is their story!
November 28 2018

How to develop a mentoring relationship

Friends and family may lend a sympathetic ear to your career-planning, but it is important to reach out and connect with people who can offer objective career advice. By branching out and conversing with a range of people in your profession of choice, or even beyond, you will secure important guidance and advice for the future, and even make some great friends too!
July 30 2018

How technology is changing the legal industry

Across all industries, technology has challenged the status quo and the legal industry is no exception. The question is how? The unprecedented pace at which technology is evolving makes this general question difficult to answer in absolute truth.
June 5 2018

What is blockchain?

Blockchain is the driving force in digital disruption and is the technology behind bitcoin and other virtual currencies, however there is still much confusion behind it. This article aims to debunk the misconceptions around blockchain and provide a holistic view over it.