Leathes Prior winners of six categories in the prestigious Legal 500 Future Lawyers survey
Leathes Prior is thrilled to announce that the prestigious Legal 500 Future Lawyers survey has awarded the firm a winner’s badge in six categories including ‘Vacation Schemes’, ‘Client Contact’, and ‘Social Life’.
Leathes Prior is delighted to announce that the prestigious Legal 500 Future Lawyers survey has awarded the firm winner’s badges in six categories including Social Life, and Vacation Schemes.
It is the seventh year running that Leathes Prior has featured in the top ranked firms for Social Life, having topped the ranks five out of the last seven years and ranked second on the other two occasions including this year. As a firm, the social side is really important to us; we encourage everyone to get together and to socialise across teams. One of the comments made in this year’s review reflects that ethos, commenting “the firm’s culture is very much anti-hierarchical, in that when I go to the pub after work on a Friday just across from our offices, I always feel like I can have a conversation with anyone – whether it be a fellow trainee or an equity partner.”
We are also pleased to announce we have featured high in the rankings for our Vacation Scheme. Our intention is to always offer a true reflection of life as a Trainee Solicitor here at LP through our Vacation Scheme, and this year’s high ranking again confirms we have been successful in achieving this.
The firm is also proud to retain a winner’s badge in ‘Client Contact’, ‘Work/Life Balance’, and be awarded new accolades in ‘Quality of Work’ and ‘Job Satisfaction’.
The Legal 500 Future Lawyers survey bases its rankings on anonymous feedback collected from trainee solicitors in the UK who share their experiences whilst training at their law firm. Using a mix of scores and comments, the responses are gathered to create a profile for each firm which future candidates can look through to help them decide which firm would provide the best fit for their training contract.
The newly released 2023/24 edition of the Leathes Prior profile includes comments on why Trainee Solicitors chose LP:
‘It’s a local and friendly firm, but also very well established and respected’, ‘for the social scene, the early responsibility and the number of partners that trained with the firm (i.e., how much they try and retain and progress the careers of their ‘homegrown talent’)’, and ‘the location, work/life balance, training and support’.
Leathes Prior’s Training Principal, Sarah Appleton, said “I am incredibly proud of the training that we provide to our solicitors here at Leathes Prior, and I am so pleased that has, once again, been recognised in this year’s Legal 500 survey. Whilst I am of course delighted to see that our trainees feel they are given a good quality of work and client contract, I am delighted to see that, first and foremost, they feel happy and supported at work; that is for me, an achievement everyone in the firm should be particularly proud of”.
In the words of this year’s verdict on Leathes Prior: “To receive a ‘great deal of client contact and be heavily involved in cases’ in an environment where ‘all employees are equally supported’, consider Leathes Prior.” For those ready to find out more on how to apply to join us, please head straight to our Careers page for more information.
Charity of the Month: Sue Lambert Trust
Leathes Prior is delighted to be supporting the Sue Lambert Trust as our Charity of the Month for February 2026. Sue Lambert Trust is a leading charity in Norfolk offering free therapeutic counselling and support services to survivors of sexual violence and abuse.
Supreme Court ruling set to impact NHS - Children injured by NHS can claim damages for lifetime lost earnings
In February 2026, the Supreme Court passed a ruling which is set to significantly increase the amount of damages the NHS may have to pay for claims brought in respect of children injured at birth, as a result of medical negligence.
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The Value of Planning Ahead: LPAs & Court of Protection
Putting LPAs in place allows you to choose trusted people to make decisions for you if you lose capacity in the future. This avoids the need for loved ones to make a costly and time-consuming deputyship application to the Court of Protection. With more people likely to experience conditions affecting capacity, more families may need to turn to the Court for support where no LPAs are in place.
Charity of the Month: Sue Lambert Trust
Leathes Prior is delighted to be supporting the Sue Lambert Trust as our Charity of the Month for February 2026. Sue Lambert Trust is a leading charity in Norfolk offering free therapeutic counselling and support services to survivors of sexual violence and abuse.
Supreme Court ruling set to impact NHS - Children injured by NHS can claim damages for lifetime lost earnings
In February 2026, the Supreme Court passed a ruling which is set to significantly increase the amount of damages the NHS may have to pay for claims brought in respect of children injured at birth, as a result of medical negligence.
The Value of Planning Ahead: LPAs & Court of Protection
Putting LPAs in place allows you to choose trusted people to make decisions for you if you lose capacity in the future. This avoids the need for loved ones to make a costly and time-consuming deputyship application to the Court of Protection. With more people likely to experience conditions affecting capacity, more families may need to turn to the Court for support where no LPAs are in place.
The case of the fake cases: another judgment on AI-hallucinations in litigation
The use of AI Large Language Models in litigation continues to generate headlines (and consternation from the judiciary). In 2025, it seemed that rarely a month went by without a new case on fake AI-generated case law. December was no exception, and the High Court has now issued a further warning regarding the use of AI by litigants.
Autumn Budget 2025: Agricultural Property Relief & Business Property Relief Changes
It was announced in the 2025 Budget that from 6 April 2026, changes will be made to agricultural property relief and business property relief. These changes bring APR and BPR in line with the nil-rate band rules, meaning unused allowances can be transferred to a surviving spouse or civil partner. This is a significant step towards making estate planning easier for families who own farms or businesses.
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The Employment Rights Act 2025 is expected to come into force tomorrow (18 December 2025)
After an extended period of back-and-forth amendments between Parliament and the House of Lords, on 16 December 2025, the ERB finally received approval from the House of Lords, with the formality of Royal Assent due to take place tomorrow (18 December 2025). Head of LP Employment, Dan Chapman, explains...
Charity of the Month: The Matthew Project
Leathes Prior is delighted to be supporting The Matthew Project as our Charity of the Month for December 2025. The Matthew Project supports young people and adults across Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex to overcome issues around drugs, alcohol, and mental health, empowering them to rebuild confidence and lead fulfilling lives.
Leathes Prior’s Milan Pandit appointed President of the Norfolk & Norwich Law Society
Leathes Prior Solicitors is proud to announce that Milan Pandit, Solicitor in our Corporate & Commercial Team, has been appointed President of the Norfolk & Norwich Law Society (NNLS) for 2025/26.
Commercial Lease Renewals: A guide for Landlords & Tenants
Commercial lease renewals are a topic that every commercial landlord and business that rents commercial premises should have at the forefront of their minds. It is essential for good succession planning, though it is often neglected until the expiry of an existing lease term is looming or once the existing term has come to an end and the tenant is holding over. In this article, our newly qualified solicitor, Maggie Berry explores the process that landlords and tenants can expect when navigating this complex area of law.
Our Guidance, Your Legacy: What is a Will, and why should I make one?
Not only is a Will one of the most important steps you can take to protect your loved ones and ensure your wishes are respected, but it also limits the likelihood of a claim/dispute following your death. To ensure your loved ones and the causes you care about benefit from your estate, a Will is essential to ensuring this happens. Find out more in this article.
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Extending your lease can seem complex, but taking the right steps early can make the process much smoother. Jake Mowatt, Associate and Harry Smith, Trainee Solicitor in our Residential Property Team outlines the key essentials every leaseholder should understand prior to extending their lease.
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