It’s no secret Aussie lawyers can make serious money overseas. But the real question is how much of it do you actually get to keep? We ran the numbers on what a “normal” day might cost you if you have lived in either Sydney, London, New York, Dubai, or the Caymans — and the differences are anything but small: Point Blank

The AFR exposed how Corrs boss Gavin MacLaren has tightened his grip on the firm. He’s centralised power, hikes billing targets and launched Garran Advisory without partner consultation, even though the partners own it through a trust he controls. Insiders say Corrs now prioritises elite uni hires like UniMelb, and under MacLaren’s holistic billing mantra, lawyers were told “if you’re thinking about work on the toilet or in the shower, you should be billing that”: AFR

Ashurst closed in on its merger with US-founded firm Perkins Coie. At the time, the firm didn’t confirm the rumours, but reports emerged that insiders saw the merger momentum building. The US market heats up with merger chatter, fuelled by talent wars, scale pressures and soaring costs: Point Blank

While HSF Kramer and Ashurst Perkins Coie chase US scale, Capital Brief predicted that Mallesons would from its Chinese counterpart King & Wood to reposition itself as an independent player. With no real inbound work from China and US-linked PE deals surging, a full return to “Mallesons” was called early: Capital Brief

Earlier in August, Epic Games won its Federal Court stoush with Apple and Google, with Justice Beach finding both tech giants misused market power through restrictive app store rules. The five-year fight featured top silks, powerhouse lawyers, and now could reshape the app economy. It was one of Australia’s biggest competition law trials. Check out our deep dive here: Point Blank

Law became the most expensive field of study for domestic students, with annual fees climbing to $17k in 2026, up from $11k in 2020 – a 56% hike under the Job Ready Graduates scheme. That pushed the four-year degree past $70k. For international students, the bill is even steeper, with law at $56k a year, nearly 4x the government’s $13k minimum: The Australian*

Law grad salaries soared, with Sydney top tiers now paying up to $100k (excl. super), and Arnold Bloch Liebler leading the pack at ~$116k (excl. super). That’s a hefty jump since 2020, when Syd pay tapped out at $70k. With young talent in hot demand, firms are paying up — or missing out: Point Blank

No one likes recording their time, but a former senior associate at the UK’s Irwin Mitchell took it to the next level. She was struck off after recording inflated timesheets, including one day with 22.9 billable hours. The SDT found years of “misleading and dishonest” billing. The SA blamed pressure, grief and workload, but the tribunal wasn’t moved. She’s also been hit with £5.2k in costs: Legal Cheek

Chief Justice Andrew Bell called for radical PLT reform, proposing to slash legal training from three months to three weeks. Citing $10k+ costs, unpaid work placements, and the College of Law’s $80m war chest, Bell says the current model locks out disadvantaged grads and pushes juniors into BigLaw: Point Blank

Legal recruiter Rachael Musgrave says most lawyers make the same mistakes when changing jobs. In an exclusive with Point Blank, the Empire Group partner shares how to spot a good recruiter, why juniors are chasing billable changes, and the best time to jump. Check out our full interview here: Point Blank