October 31
The Power of Engaging Alumni on a Flexible Working Basis
In today’s dynamic legal landscape, flexibility and adaptability are no longer just buzzwords—they are essential for success. Legal teams are constantly grappling with the challenge of balancing workloads, meeting client demands, and staying ahead of emerging trends. One of the most innovative and effective ways some law firms are meeting these challenges is by tapping into their alumni network. Read on to find out more.
September 19
Paralegal Spotlight: Devon Robinson
There's nothing we love more than highlighting the fantastic work of our paralegals, lawyers and trainees. This month we were thrilled to have a chat with Devon, who has worked through Flex as a Competition Paralegal at Stewarts. Take a read to hear all about her experience!
August 21
Public Inquiries: What are they and why do they matter?
In recent years, public inquiries have become a cornerstone of the UK's legal landscape. But what exactly are they, why do they matter, and do they actually lead to meaningful change? In this blog, we aim to answer these questions, shedding light on how public inquiries work, their impact, and how legal professionals can engage with this type of work.
Junior Lawyer Virtual Lunch Events
Book a place at one of our Junior Lawyer Lunch Events. These monthly sessions offer valuable industry insights, professional tips and networking opportunities.
July 1
Flex and Freshfields: Redefining Legal Careers
Freshfields is one of the world's' oldest firms, operating in over 150 countries worldwide. Flex Legal's Manchester Hub sits as a strategic part of their Client Delivery Group, and has made over 420 placements with the firm. We recently caught up with Diana and Yeelen, two Flex paralegals who have both worked at the firm. Here's what they had to say about the experience.
June 4
Paralegal Spotlight: Yeelen Fomété
There's nothing we love more than highlighting the fantastic work of our paralegals, lawyers and trainees. This month we were thrilled to have a chat with Yeelen, who has worked through Flex at magic circle law firm, Freshfields. Take a read to hear all about his experience!
April 24
How Flex helped Northern law grads land a role at Leigh Day
In November 2022, Flex Legal embarked on a groundbreaking partnership with top-100 law firm, Leigh Day. We recently caught up with Eddy and Derin, two Flex paralegals who have both worked at Leigh Day, to delve into their experiences and gain an insight into how this collaboration has helped them on their legal journeys.
January 24
Commercial Development Scheme: A New Generation of Lawyers
Our Commercial Development Scheme is a revolutionary means of offering law grads practical work experience at the commercial heart of Flex HQ. This article explores the myriad benefits of the scheme, and features direct input from our beloved CDS graduates.
November 1 2023
Inclusivity in the legal profession: Practical advice for your team
Inclusion is everything. Studies have repeatedly shown that higher workplace inclusion directly contributes to increased productivity, wellbeing, and staff retention. Flex Legal are proud of the reputation we have built in this space, and now want to share our insights with the wider legal industry.
September 20 2023
Paralegal Spotlight: Resham Mehta
There's nothing we love more than highlighting the fantastic work of our paralegals, lawyers and trainees. This month we were thrilled to have a chat with Daniyal, a multilingual LLB Law Graduate, who has worked on multiple Flex placements, from Huel to Freshfields. Take a read to hear all about his experience!
May 19 2023
Commercial News Round-up: Competition, Carbon & ChatGPT
In our latest Commercial News Round-Up, our squad of commercial gurus, James, Aman and Lizzie, run through the latest news from across the legal industry. They cover CMA blocking the Microsoft purchase of Activision Blizzard, ESG and disclosure, and the increasing prevalence of AI.
February 22 2023
How Phoenix Group are improving legal industry diversity
Flex Trainee is our SQE qualification programme, designed to help diverse, talented aspiring lawyers from socially mobile backgrounds get into the industry. We had a chat with Sarah Gormley, Head of General Counsel Operational Excellence at Phoenix Group, to hear about their experience of the scheme so far.
December 14 2022
Tips on stress-free productivity for paralegals
It’s no secret that the legal industry has a long way to go when it comes to managing the health and wellbeing of its legal professionals. As a paralegal new to the industry, it’s important to maintain a healthy workflow without feeling fatigue and burnout, but how can you achieve such a serene state of mind?
November 16 2022
How to navigate hybrid working as a junior lawyer
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic was a huge catalyst for change. Two years later and hybrid working has become an established part of the ‘new normal’. In our latest virtual lunch event, we explored how junior lawyers can best navigate this new way of working. Take a read for our top takeaways.
September 23 2022
The interim lawyer market: top skills in-demand
Thinking about making the move to interim? Or simply on the lookout for a new challenge? At Flex Legal, we have hundreds of interim opportunities with top legal teams all across the UK. To help you decide if going interim is the right move for you, we've pulled together this handy summary of our latest roles and skills in demand!
August 8 2022
Commercial News Round-up: Banks, Bonds and Busts
In our latest Commercial News Round-Up, our resident commercial king Jacob Darcy runs through the latest commercial news from across the legal industry. He covers the looming recession, the surge in the dollar, JD's sale of Footasylum and the effect of inflation on the bond market.
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!
June 10 2022
Paralegal Spotlight: Tiffany Tang
We're delighted to announce that the latest Flex paralegal we'd like to place a spotlight on is the wonderful multilingual GDL graduate, Tiffany Tang, who has made an incredible impression during her placement at Tensar. Read this blog to hear all about her experience of using Flex.
May 23 2022
Commercial News Round-up: Surges, Slumps, and Stagflation
In our latest Commercial News Round-Up, our resident commercial king Jacob Darcy runs through the latest commercial news from across the legal industry. He covers the private equity surge, the battle for McColls, "stagflation", and the recent rise in interest rates!
May 17 2022
How interim legal work improves Rebecca's work/life balance
Rebecca has been working as an interim lawyer through Flex Legal since January. We had a quick chat with her to discuss how interim working has drastically improved her work/life balance, and to see what advice she’d give to any aspiring lawyers.
May 11 2022
Here comes the Next-Gen: Flex Legal's Future Lawyers Report 2022/23
Flex Legal, in association with the O Shaped Lawyer, are excited to release the findings of our Future Lawyers Survey. Conducted with 418 next-gen lawyers, this report records how they feel about the legal industry, and what change they want to see. Read the full report here.
Northern In-house Event: Commercial Law Update
Flex Legal are back again bringing an array of teams together (virtually) from across the thriving Northern In-house legal community; aimed at all levels of legal professionals, from paralegals to GC's.
Junior Lawyer Lunch: Q&A with Maaike, GC at easyJet
In association with LexisNexis, for May's Event, our very own Sabina Gabrielczyk, Account Management Associate at Flex, will be joined by Maaike de Bie, GC and Company Secretary at easyJet, for an exclusive fireside chat.
April 5 2022
Flex Trainee: tomorrow's legal industry, today
Flex Trainee is our groundbreaking scheme to make the law a more diverse and socially mobile industry. We launched the scheme last year, and are well on our way to setting up our third cohort of Flex Trainees. Read more about the scheme!
Junior Lawyer Lunch: What does it mean to be commercial?
In association with LexisNexis, for our April Junior Lawyer Lunch Event Tarun Tawakley, Partner at Lewis Silkin, and Chloe Mason-Williams, Head of Legal at EDF Energy, will be helping you to understand what it means to be commercial as a lawyer.
March 11 2022
From competitive sport to lawtech with Tom Dunlop
Dan Kayne is Founder of the O Shaped Lawyer, and a GC at Network Rail. In this episode of the podcast, he talks with Louise Anderson about how and why he wants to make the legal industry more human-centric.
Junior Lawyer Lunch Event: Legal industry culture and ethics
In association with The Law Society and LexisNexis, for our March Junior Lawyer Lunch Event we'll be hosting a panel of senior lawyers to listen to what you as junior lawyers feel about the culture and ethics of the legal industry currently.
February 15 2022
What Flex paralegals think about their client placements
We ask all our paralegals for feedback on their placements, and when it’s lovely - we love to share it! We’ve taken the time to pull together some of our fave examples - take a look to see what they think about interim legal work through Flex.
February 3 2022
Flex Legal's Blog Submission Scheme
Do you want your work to be featured on our blog? We'd love for you to submit written pieces to us so we can raise your profile in the industry. Our guidelines and rules for submission are listed here in full!
January 21 2022
Life on the cutting edge of law with Kiran Radhakishnan
Kiran Radhakrishnan is Head of Norton Rose Fulbright's Newcastle Hub, and NRF Transform (EMEA). He sits down with Mary Bonsor to discuss legal trainee schemes, how they're looking to shape the industry, and the opportunities and challenges ahead of them.
January 12 2022
5 helpful hints to ace your open days!
Application season is well underway! If you're looking to break into a career in law, you're going to have to contend with open days sooner or later. Here are our top tips for getting the most out of them, and how to make a great impression!
January 6 2022
Flex Legal's Commercial Development Scheme
The Commercial Development Scheme is a programme for future lawyers, either with or without training contracts, who are looking to hone their commercial skills before they start their legal careers.
December 23 2021
Our Top 10 Legal Films & TV Series
If you're isolating, recovering or relaxing this winter, Flex Legal is here to help. We’ve rounded up our top 10 legal films and TV series to keep you entertained, motivated and inspired.
December 13 2021
How Nathalie works as a remote lawyer from Mauritius
Nathalie came to Flex Legal keen to find a role which would allow her to travel and work remotely. After two weeks on our platform, we found her the perfect position as a Commercial Lawyer at the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. We chatted to Nathalie to hear about her experience of working as an interim lawyer.
November 30 2021
November '21 Paralegal of the Month: Sarah Bamidele
We're delighted to announce that our POTM for November 21 is the wonderful Sarah Bamidele! Sarah has excelled during numerous Flex placements at Centrica, McEvedys and Allen & Overy. Hear all about her experience in this blog post.
Junior Lawyer Virtual Lunch Event: The Modern Slavery Act
Book a place at December's Junior Lawyer Lunch, where Rory Oake, Consultant at Ardea International, will deliver a talk on everything Junior Lawyers should know about modern slavery - including how they can identify and combat it.
November 1 2021
Can you balance law and creativity? with Simranjeet Kaur Mann
In this episode Louise is joined by Simranjeet Kaur Mann, Trainee Solicitor at Womble Bond Dickinson, and legal influencer/educator, who discusses her legal journey so far, why the next generation of legal professionals are a breath of fresh air, and even a super exciting announcement exclusive to Humans of Law!
Junior Lawyer Virtual Lunch: Tech & Key Skills
Book a place at November's Junior Lawyer Lunch, where Christopher Tart-Roberts, Head of Lawtech at Macfarlanes, will talk through what tech & key skills junior lawyers should have a grasp on to accelerate their career and become a valuable team member.
October 8 2021
How to see if a company is eco-friendly/socially responsible
How can you tell if a company is truly environmentally and socially responsible from the outside? We addressed this in our latest Virtual Lunch, with Victoria Ferguson, GC at MMC Ventures, and Sung-Hyui Park, Senior Associate at Bates Wells.
September 28 2021
How Flex Legal helped Runnymede Law during peak workloads
Runnymede Law is a specialist law firm providing affordable dispute resolution and claims handling services to insurers and other clients. Read all about how we've responded to their quick turnarounds and helped to ease their busy workload.
September 21 2021
Reflective Learning: what is it and what are the benefits?
Reflective learning? That’s just a waste of time, right? Wrong! It’s very easy to get caught up in the working world, so people rarely stop to think about what they’ve learned and achieved. This blog article explores what reflective learning actually is, and its personal and professional benefits.
September 8 2021
How do law firms work as a business?
Law firms aren't just places where the rule of law is argued for, they are also businesses. Each law firm needs to operate profitably, and everyone in the firm plays their part in this. Learn how law firms work as a business here!
September 2 2021
August '21 Paralegal of the Month: Kevin Burela
Our Paralegal of the Month for August is Kevin! A trilingual LPC graduate, Kevin has smashed it out of the park on his long-standing Flex placement with Dentons. Hear all about his experience of using Flex in this short video.
August 18 2021
How Flex Legal helped Gowling WLG with flexible legal support
Gowling WLG is an international law firm with over 1,500 legal professionals across 19 different cities. Flex Legal first began helping Gowling WLG back in 2017 when they faced unprecedented peaks of work due to multiple large cases heading to Court and staff maternity leave.
July 30 2021
Mental health in law with Elizabeth Rimmer
In episode 8 of Humans of Law, Mary rounds off Series 1 by talking to Elizabeth Rimmer, CEO of LawCare.
July 22 2021
Lenovo and Flex Legal
Flex Legal have had the absolute pleasure of working with Lenovo and providing them with a number of interim paralegals. Read this case study and learn what Sarah Rosser, Director and GC at Lenovo, thinks about Flex Legal's services.
July 16 2021
Is law a vehicle for generosity and charity? with Barry Matthews
Our sixth episode of Humans of Law sees Mary talk with Barry Matthews, Founder of the Social Mobility Business Partnership.
July 9 2021
Why are lawyers so interesting? with Helen Lowe
The fifth episode of Humans of Law sees Louise talk with the incomparable Helen Lowe, Head of Legal Operations at easyJet.
June 25 2021
Using law to solve problems with Keily Blair
The third episode of Humans of Law sees Louise talk with Keily Blair, Head of Cyber, Privacy & Data Innovation London at Orrick.
June 11 2021
The love of the legal mission with Alex Smith
In our first episode of the Humans of Law podcast, Louise talks with Alex Smith - Global RAVN Product Lead at iManage.
May 31 2021
May '21 Paralegal of the Month: Rhiana Assi
Our May 2021 Paralegal of the Month is the astonishing Rhiana Assi! Rhiana is a Commercial and IP Paralegal who works through Flex, and recently underwent an immensely complex and varied placement with one of our clients. Watch what she has to say in this short video!
May 17 2021
SQE Supervisors: help your candidates get a head start!
Supervisors are now able to confirm Qualifying Work Experience on the Flex legal Journal! The service offers supervisors or COLPs the means to easily fulfil their responsibilities to SQE hopefuls.
April 30 2021
April '21 Paralegal of the Month: Julia Wilson
Congratulations to our April 2021 Paralegal of the Month, Julia! We were fortunate enough to have Julia sign up to work through Flex in January, and were quickly able to get her working on a fantastic placement with Trustpilot. Read what she has to say here!
April 27 2021
What is a legal technologist?
What is a legal technologist? What do they do? How can you become one? We asked the Manchester Legal Hackers group your questions, so read what they had to say!
April 6 2021
How Flex helped Armand secure a Training Contract with Schroders
The Flex platform is designed to pair the right paralegals to the right opportunities. This is exactly what happened with Armand Derri and Schroders. Read more about how this pairing happened here!
March 29 2021
How to record a great Flex profile video
Your Flex profile video is incredibly important for securing Flex roles. Think of it as the first impression you might give an employer when walking into an interview. Here's our simple guide on how to record a great video for your Flex profile!
March 4 2021
How Flex Legal helped Iliana secure a training contract
We catch up with the wonderful Iliana to find out how she's finding trainee life at Wikborg Rein.
March 2 2021
February '21 Lawyer of the Month: Evan Milton
We put some questions to Evan Milton, our fantastic Lawyer of the Month. Read what he has to say about his work through Flex, why the interim lifestyle suits him, and some advice for aspiring solicitors.
February 16 2021
How Flex helped Ali secure a paralegal role at UserZoom
We catch up with Ali, who recently landed a permanent position as UserZoom following a Flex Legal placement. He shares all kinds of helpful tips and advice for making the most of Flex positions.
January 29 2021
January '21 Paralegal of the Month: Marciano Santos Tigna
Marciano Santos Tigna has been crowned January 2021's Paralegal of the Month! We caught up with Marciano to discuss his work through Flex, explore his journey so far, and get his advice for those looking to make some headway in the legal industry!
December 16 2020
5 ways to update your Flex Legal profile
Interested in securing work through Flex Legal? Updating your Flex Legal profile is the best way to ensure you get put forward and selected for roles. Here's 5 key suggestions for ways you can update your Flex profile, and increase your chances of securing work!
December 9 2020
Get Ready for Brexit: The Future of UK Data Protection
Following the end of the transition period, Data Protection in the UK will change significantly. Whilst a lot of the details remain unknown, there are still important steps legal teams and businesses should take to prepare. In this post, we break down how you can brace for the rapidly changing tide of data.
November 26 2020
This is me: Bill
Bill Galloway is a UX Designer at Flex Legal. His career is comprehensive and, frankly, impressive. In this version of our 'This is Me' blog series, Bill answers some important questions about himself, his work, and his experiences with Flex Legal.
November 20 2020
How to give and receive feedback in 4 easy steps
Many professionals are horrified with the thought of feedback - regardless of if they're giving or receiving it. But no matter what your job is - at some point you're going to have to confront feedback. It's time to learn how to master the art of feedback.
November 2 2020
F-LEX to Flex Legal - why we changed our brand
After four fantastic years of F-LEX, it was time to shake things up. We gathered our team and put our heads together. With a new name and a new mission - Flex Legal was born!
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.
September 23 2020
Principles for a successful remote paralegal placement
This year our business flipped from paralegals in offices to remote supervision and we’ve learnt a lot from this experience. In light of the recent news that office workers should ‘work from home’ where they can for the next six months, we wanted to share some of our principles for a successful remote paralegal placement
September 1 2020
There’s more to life than Word and PDF
As companies sharing similar visions of using technology to boost efficiency in the workplace, Juro and Flex Legal have been complementary to each other since their inception.
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!
August 18 2020
An alternative to the bottom line: why law graduates should consider a career in local government
Connor Smith, Clifford Chance Lift Intern at F-LEX sat down with Nick O’Neill, Governance and Legal Practice Manager at Wirral Council to learn more about his legal career in local government:
July 31 2020
Paralegal of the Month - July 2020
The Paralegal of the Month Award is back! Read on to find out about our Paralegal of the Month for July 2020.
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.
June 26 2020
How to kick-start your Legal Career
Starting your legal career is the hardest part of the journey. We recently hosted a virtual careers session to get expert opinions on what works and what doesn’t when it comes to applications and assessment days. Read what they had to say now!
June 15 2020
Check Your Distance: How to Effectively Manage Remote Teams
Remote working is here to stay. This means that Project Managers and Team Leaders need to adapt their management styles. Fortunately for readers, F-LEX’s Co-Founder and CTO, James Moore, has been managing remote teams for 15 years and knows exactly what works…and what doesn’t.
June 4 2020
How to use LinkedIn to boost your legal career
This week in our series of virtual lunches in collaboration with Crafty Counsel and LexisNexis UK Alex Low, LinkedIn Guru and Professional Services Lead at DLA Ignite shared his tips for building your career on LinkedIn!
May 29 2020
Adding value early: how to use tech and innovation
During this week’s virtual lunch in collaboration with Crafty Counsel and LexisNexis UK, we heard from three of the Legal Technologist’s Top 10 Innovative Junior Lawyers in the UK on innovation and legal tech.
May 21 2020
How to do data labelling as quickly and cheap as possible
Orbital Witness approached F-LEX as they needed some help to review and label several HM Land Registry title documents. F-LEX thought the best solution would be to let some paralegals do the first review and then get a lawyer to supervise the project and check the work.
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!
May 6 2020
The F-LEX Podcast: Episode 2 with Katie Power, Senior Legal Counsel at SYKE
From law firm to in-house to pilates teacher to freelance consultant, Katie Power tells Mary Bonsor about her legal career journey to date and how flexible working has played an important part.
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.
F-LEX virtual lunches for junior lawyers, trainees and paralegals
Last week, Sophie Gould, Head of Learning & Development at F-LEX, chaired the first in a series of virtual lunches for junior lawyers, trainees and paralegals.
March 26 2020
Top tips for Working from Home 'Newbies'
Working from home is an important part of flexible working. Although it’s standard practice for some of us already, many of us have had the concept of working from home unexpectedly thrust upon us by Coronavirus, with little time to adapt.
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.
February 17 2020
An Interview with Susan Whitla - Global Head of Process Improvement at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
Kristina Ravic, our Client Services Manager at F-LEX, spoke with Susan Whitla at BCLP about her career, the challenges currently facing law firms, and the trends influencing legal innovation.
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!
December 5 2019
5 bitesize tips for training contract application glory
We share our 5 bitesize tips for training contract application glory!
November 1 2019
F-LEX News Bulletin
This month we are pretty quiet in terms of the comings and goings of team members but we do have some very exciting news!
August 23 2019
The LPC: What’s it all about?
As part of his induction to the team, Harry sat new comer Louie down to have a chat about the LPC.
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.
July 12 2019
The Big Four - are they a threat to the legal sector?
The Big Four are the largest accounting and professional services firms in the world, namely, Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC.
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.
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.
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.
November 28 2018
Pro Bono: What does it mean? Why should we do it? How do we go about it?
Pro bono is derived from the Latin term “pro bono publico”, meaning “for the public good.” Pro bono is where persons in the legal sector volunteer in various ways to improve access to justice.
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.
July 5 2018
Office dos and do nots
This might sound very obvious but being prompt is really important. If you are meant to be at work at 9, then you should really be there before 9
May 21 2018
5 Tips for a successful Training Contract Application
Applying for a training contract is a daunting process and you’ll be spending at least two years at the firm that you secure a training contract with, so make sure that you are applying to the right firm for you.
October 25
Fixed-Term vs. Interim Contracts: Choosing the Right Option
In recent years, the way people work within the legal sector has undergone a major transformation. Whether it’s the systems used, or how firms structure their talent acquisition strategy, it’s clear that the traditional legal industry has evolved and adapted to thrive in the modern age. But what is the difference between an FTC and interim contract? And how do you choose the right option for you? Take a read to find out more.
September 6
RS Group & Flex Legal: Empowering Socially Mobile Interns
With shared values at the forefront, RS Group were delighted to partner with Flex on a two-week long social mobility internship for talented young law students and graduates. Finlay, Mary-Ann and Megan were the lucky candidates after demonstrating incredibly strong drive, passion and commitment. Read all about their experience here.
July 29
What the SQE route means for your in-house legal team
As in-house teams across the legal world steadily adopt the SQE, many are left unsure of how their organisation can get involved. To this end, our free report covers the full spectrum of SQE knowledge – from the basic facts of the new framework, all the way to advanced insight on the current implementation challenges.
Online Event: Careers in eDiscovery and Document Review
Join us for an insightful online event where we delve into the evolving landscape of e-discovery and document review, with insights from Richard Legge, Partner and Head of eDiscovery, alongside a panel of Flex paralegals.
June 25
Flex Trainee: The easy way for boutique firms to grow their own talent
After three years of growth, Flex Legal’s award-winning Flex Trainee scheme is now launching in the boutique law firm space. Flex Trainee is a unique social mobility scheme, designed to empower legal teams to take on trainees and grow their own talent in-house where they may not previously have had the resources or processes in place to do so.
May 30
How Flex Paralegals support Freshfields' service delivery
7 Years, 60 Projects, 420 Paralegals. Since opening their Manchester Hub in 2017, Flex and Freshfields have worked hand-in-hand to confidently navigate the ever-changing landscape of the legal sector. With the support of Flex Paralegals, the Freshfields' Hub have been able to flexibly scale-up (and down) their legal workforce. Read the full story here.
April 22
How to become a Company Secretary (and why?)
The role of the Company Secretary is on the rise. As a route for those interested in businesses and how they operate, it offers the perfect alternative if you are on the look-out for a career outside of the law. But what is a Company Secretary? Who can follow this career path? And how can you become one through Flex Legal?
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.
September 29 2023
Why interim hires are perfect for litigation projects
The importance of properly resourcing litigation projects cannot be overstated. The challenge confronting litigators, therefore, is how to juggle the two conflicting priorities of quality vs cost. In this report, we explore how interim resourcing solves both problems.
June 15 2023
Paralegal Spotlight: Daniyal Basharat
There's nothing we love more than highlighting the fantastic work of our paralegals, lawyers and trainees. This month we were thrilled to have a chat with Daniyal, a multilingual LLB Law Graduate, who has worked on multiple Flex placements, from Huel to Freshfields. Take a read to hear all about his experience!
April 5 2023
5 Top Tips for Legal Assessment Centres
Law firm assessment centres are notoriously challenging. They are designed to push you and to establish how well you perform under pressure. It can’t be denied that they are incredibly competitive… but they're not impossible. Here are our top 5 tips to give you the edge and help you succeed!
January 27 2023
Paralegal Spotlight: Anastasios Proios Doukas
We absolutely love shining a spotlight on our stand-out paralegals. This time, we were delighted to have a chat with Anastasios, a bilingual paralegal. After flourishing on a law firm placement through Flex, Anastasios is now thriving again at Summize, an innovative legal tech company. Here's what he has to say about working through Flex Legal!
December 5 2022
Paralegal Spotlight: Rhea Kamath
For our final Paralegal Spotlight of the year, we’re absolutely delighted to shine a light on Rhea Kamath. As a future trainee, Rhea was on the lookout for some valuable experience which could help her to hit the ground running for her TC. Here's how it all went!
November 11 2022
Paralegal Spotlight: Amy Hopkins
Our Paralegal Spotlight is being cast again... this time in the direction of the incredible future trainee Amy Hopkins! After coming to us in July on the lookout for some valuable legal experience, Amy has flourished on an in-house placement at leading consumer insights platform, Zappi. Take a read to see what Amy has to say about her Flexperience.
September 14 2022
ESG: How can junior lawyers make a difference?
For our latest Junior Lawyer Lunch, we were joined by ESG experts, Simone Davidson, Head of LexisPSL Environment, and Simon Colvin, Partner at Weightmans. Here's a summary of their valuable insight into why ESG should be important to junior lawyers and how you can make a real difference.
July 25 2022
How we helped Julia find remote real estate legal work
Julia joined the Flex Legal platform towards the end of 2021 on the lookout for a remote, real estate role. Within three days, we found her the perfect position at DWF and since then, she's thrived on a second placement at BCLP. Take a read to see what she has to say about working as an interim lawyer through Flex!
Junior Lawyer Virtual Lunch Event: July '22
Book a place at July's Junior Lawyer Lunch Event. This is a continuation of our Junior Lawyer Virtual Lunches, which offer industry insights, professional tips and networking opportunities.
June 8 2022
What is a legal hackathon?
Legal hackathons are growing in popularity, and more and more legal groups are exploring the problem-solving middleground between law and technology. We wanted to know more about "legal hackathons" so put your questions to the Manchester Legal Hackers. Read what they had to say!
May 20 2022
Paralegal Spotlight: Adilla Jamaludin
We're casting our Paralegal Spotlight on the wonderful Adilla Jamaludin! Adilla has been on the Flex platform since January this year, and was quickly snatched up for a Family Law placement. Learn more about Adilla's Flex journey by watching her spotlight video!
May 17 2022
The ultimate paralegal guide to Document Review
Document review is a bread and butter task within the paralegal world. As a legal professional, the importance of having a good grasp of document review cannot be overstated. Read our comprehensive guide to paralegal-level document review here!
May 10 2022
What to expect from your Flex Legal onboarding interview
Every paralegal who applies to Flex Legal needs to complete an onboarding interview. This post covers what to expect from the interview itself, as well as what you should take care of before and after the interview.
April 28 2022
Life and diversity at the Bar with Oscar Davies
Oscar Davies is a practicing barrister at Lamb Chambers, and was the first barrister in the UK to publicly identify as non-binary. Oscar and Louise have a thought-provoking discussion about the Bar, why legal TV shows aren't representative, and diversity within the law.
April 13 2022
How to be commercial as a lawyer
There's a lot of theories about how to best be commercial as a lawyer, but no uniform agreement. In this Junior Lawyer Lunch follow-up blog post, we cover four of the best theories on how to drive positive commercial outcomes for your organisation.
March 28 2022
Commercial News Roundup: Prices Pandemonium
Welcome to our first ever weekly commercial news roundup. Designed for busy aspiring or qualified lawyers who want to quickly get up to speed with all the latest commercial headlines, without having to search far and wide across a myriad of sources!
March 15 2022
The legal industry's blame culture: what needs to change?
With 'blame culture', unreasonable pressure and impossible deadlines being seen across the legal industry, change is needed now more than ever. But what changes need to be made? For the latest instalment of our Junior Lawyer Lunches we tried to answer this very question.
March 8 2022
International Women's Day: Q&A with Flex's female interim lawyers
For International Women's Day 2022, we had a chat with some of the fabulous female interim lawyers on our platform to ask them why law, why interim and what advice they'd give to any aspiring female legal professionals who wish to progress in the industry.
February 25 2022
Paralegal Spotlight: Shannon Grant
We're delighted to announce that the latest Flex paralegal we'd like to place a spotlight on is the wonderful Shannon Grant! Shannon has made such an incredible impression during her placement with DWF, that she has now transferred permanently to the client. We had a chat with Shannon to hear all about her experience of using Flex.
February 11 2022
How to make the legal industry more human with Dan Kayne
Dan Kayne is Founder of the O Shaped Lawyer, and a GC at Network Rail. In this episode of the podcast, he talks with Louise Anderson about how and why he wants to make the legal industry more human-centric.
February 2 2022
How we've supported Emerald Publishing with interim lawyers
Emerald Publishing is one of the world's leading digital-first publishers. Find out how we've provided them with both mid-level and senior interim commercial lawyers to support their in-house legal team and ease their workload.
January 17 2022
Top 10 LinkedIn tips for Lawyers
LinkedIn is now synonymous with professional life in the legal industry. If you optimise your profile well, you can use it to attract new opportunities, roles, and connections without needing to search for them. Here's our top tips for LinkedIn Lawyers!
Junior Lawyer Virtual Lunch Event: February '22
Book a place at February's Junior Lawyer Lunch Event. This is a continuation of our Junior Lawyer Virtual Lunches, which offer industry insights, professional tips and networking opportunities.
January 4 2022
How to: give good answers in legal job interviews
Legal job interviews are terrifying affairs riddled with intimidating questions. But they don't have to be! Here's our comprehensive guide on giving good answers in legal job interviews.
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.
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?
Flex Legal's Northern In-house Community
We're thrilled to have hosted our first ever northern in-house event earlier this month, with talks on the flexible approach to new talent, key skills to succeed, and mental health & wellbeing in law. Read this blog post to find out more about our brand new northern community!
November 12 2021
Will the SQE affect diversity in the legal profession?
The legal industry is at its best when it reflects the people it serves. This is why law firms are being pressured to attract more diverse legal professionals, and the SQE will hopefully help solve that problem. But can the SQE meaningfully affect diversity in the industry? Find out here.
October 29 2021
October '21 Paralegal of the Month: Jasper Sannes
We're delighted to announce that our POTM for October 2021 is the wonderful Jasper Sannes! Jasper has excelled during numerous Flex placements at Centrica, Freshfields and Norton Rose Fulbright. Hear all about his experience in this blog post.
October 15 2021
The highs and lows of legal entrepreneurship with Sarah Goulbourne
Humans of Law is back! In this episode Mary is joined by Sarah Goulbourne, Co-founder of gunnercooke, and discusses the unexpected ins and outs of founding and growing a legal company. If you've ever wanted to know what it takes to be a legal entrepreneur, then this is the episode for you!
October 5 2021
How Flex Legal helped Aston University fill a brand new role
Flex Legal have worked with Aston University since February 2020. Find out how we've provided them with continued flexible paralegal resourcing, and helped them to fill a brand new remote lawyer role as quickly and efficiently as possible.
September 24 2021
Bonus Episode - Series 1 Roundup
In this special bonus episode of Humans of Law, Mary and Louise round off our first series by reflecting back on the first 8 episodes.
September 16 2021
How Flex Legal helped Kraft Heinz meet their internal targets
Kraft Heinz is a widely recognised household name, and one of the world’s biggest food and beverage companies, so when they were introduced to Flex Legal in 2019, we were obviously delighted at the chance to work with them. Who wouldn’t be?
September 7 2021
How are UK law firms structured?
When you're a junior in the legal industry, it can be daunting to make sense of the hierarchies at work within them. Fortunately, we've broken law firm structures down into an easily digestible guide. Have a read!
August 27 2021
10 tips for time-recording and legal timesheets
The legal industry is a behemoth, and timesheets are the lifeblood that course through its legislative veins. Working in law means you'll be filling out a lot of timesheets. There's a definite art to doing this, so read our 10 timesheet tips now!
August 10 2021
How are in-house and private practice different?
There's a lot of key differences to working and training in-house or in private practice. There's a number of cultural differences between both, which affects what it's like to work in those environments. Read this article to learn which one is right for you.
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 20 2021
Top Interview Tips for Law Students
Facing a job interview for your first law position is a scary thing – especially when you’re still a student. Whether it’s for an internship, a paralegal role, a training position, or anything else, landing an interview can be both exciting and scary in equal measure.
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.
July 2 2021
Crowdfunding Justice Campaigns with Maeve Storey
Our fourth episode of Humans of Law features Mary talking with the delightful Maeve Storey, Head of Crowdjustice.
June 23 2021
Will lawyers be replaced by robots?
Right now, the legal world is on the cusp of an enormous technological shift towards automation and machinery. In this long-form article, we assess what this means for the future of the legal industry, and whether lawyers are about to be replaced by quicker, smarter Artificial Intelligence.
June 9 2021
RSG Consulting and Flex Legal
We were introduced to RSG Consulting in 2017 when they were seeking paralegals to help them writing for the FT Innovative Lawyer Awards. Since then, we've provided them with a dozen talented paralegals, and they're immensely happy with us. Read more about this relationship here!
May 28 2021
How to become an interim lawyer
Working as an interim lawyer through Flex Legal can give you more variety in your work, more time working on the projects you're interested in, and a better life / work balance. Read more about making the transition to the interim lifestyle in this blog post.
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.
April 28 2021
A-Z of Paralegal tasks
Everyone knows that behind every good lawyer, is a good paralegal. Flex have connected thousands of paralegals to busy legal teams since our inception, and there's no shortage of ways they've helped. Take a read of the definitive A - Z of paralegal tasks.
April 21 2021
Mental Health and Wellbeing in Law
Managing your mental health is often an afterthought in the legal industry, but it's something that affects us all. On World Health Day, we invited LawCare champion Gemma Farina to tell us about mental health and wellbeing in law. Read what she had to say here.
April 1 2021
March '21 Paralegal of the Month: Hannah Barnett
We would like to congratulate our March 2021 Paralegal of the Month, Hannah! Hannah is a fantastic paralegal currently studying her LPC, and has been on multiple placements through Flex. Watch her discuss her experiences here!
March 11 2021
Our SQE Journal is now open to everyone!
We've taken the bold decision to make our SQE QWE Journal available to everyone - regardless of whether or not you're on the Flex platform. Learn more about how your SQE Journal can help you qualify!
March 4 2021
IR35: what you need to know
The forthcoming changes to the off-payroll working rules (IR35) are a tricky area to manoeuvre. Fortunately, Flex Legal has you covered!
February 25 2021
How Anthi works as a remote legal consultant in Greece
Anthi is a Flex lawyer taking full advantage of the remote working situation. Read how she gets the most out of the Flex lawyer lifestyle and works remotely in Greece!
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!
January 12 2021
Training Contract Guide: Different types of law firms
Are you looking to apply for training contracts? This guide takes some of the hard work out of the equation, and breaks down the different types of law firms out there!
December 16 2020
What the UK legal industry should know about Modern Slavery
Modern Slavery is a more prevalent problem than we in the UK legal industry might initially think. There are more slaves in the world today than there have ever been. This post explores why this problem is so prevalent, and what we can do about it.
November 27 2020
How Flex Legal helped George secure a Training Contract at Addleshaw Goddard
George Devine recently secured his Training Contract with Addleshaw Goddard, which he obtained off the back of a paralegal placement through Flex Legal. In this continuation of our Training Contract series, George shares his experiences to date, and offers some great insights on securing a Training Contract.
November 26 2020
Jess and Chloe answer your Assessment Centre questions
We put some of YOUR burning questions about law firm assessment centres to two brilliant legal professionals - Jess Heap, ofLatham & Watkins LLP, and Chloe Lloyd of Gowling WLG. Read what they had to say!
November 19 2020
Conexus Law: Helping a niche law firm grow its headcount
Conexus Law are a specialist advisory firm founded by Ed Cooke. They are closely aligned with the values of Flex Legal, who have helped Conexus Law find two permanent hires this year. This has helped them meet their client's needs and provide innovative solutions.
November 2 2020
Introducing our Paralegal of the Month: Louie Buckland
We are delighted to crown Louie Buckland as our Paralegal of the Month for October 2020.
October 20 2020
Innovation and Legal Tech: part 3 with Alex Wooley
In this third and final part of the series, we sit down with Alex Wooley, 4 year PQE qualified solicitor at Farrer & Co, to understand his thoughts and ambitions on Legal Tech.
October 20 2020
My personal journey from law student to paralegal to newly qualified solicitor
Both times I worked with F-LEX, I was impressed by F-LEX’s level of communication, the calibre of the clients for which they select candidates, and the support and directness along the way.
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.
September 22 2020
Helping litigators in the run up to trial
Flex Legal and Grosvenor Law have been working together since February 2019. Flex Legal has provided paralegals to Grosvenor Law for 3-6 month fixed term contracts when Grosvenor Law has been particularly busy.
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 31 2020
How to feel comfortable talking about "difference"
In the continuation of our Virtual Lunch Series, hosted by Sophie Gould, Head of Learning & Development at F-LEX, we talked about being comfortable talking about difference.
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.