Since Bretton Woods in 1944, Western economic policy has favored reducing trade barriers for growth. The world’s largest economy imposing broad tariffs marks a major shift with deep global market implications.
After a subdued 2023, the UK’s life sciences industry saw stabilised recruitment in 2024, with vacancies rising 5.2% year-on-year to 7,521.
Amid political transition and economic recovery, 2024 proved largely positive for the UK legal sector, with vacancies rising 14.2% across England and Wales. A post-election surge in M&A activity, especially large-cap buyouts, drove demand for legal professionals, aided by falling interest rates.
Some people blame global forces, for others, the economic slump seen since last summer can only be attributed to the decisions of the current Government. One thing that is clear, is that the economy has slowed down since autumn, and there is set to be an inflationary shock in April, as the impact of the budget takes effect.
As the tsunami of AI disruption hits the world of white collar work, the legal sector is not immune from its impact. The recent study by Linklaters, where they measured the competency of AI engines to determine whether they were yet able to replicate the functions of a qualified lawyer were noteworthy.
