There is no fixed word count. Write what the subject requires and no more. A tightly argued 600 words on a single point is more useful than 1,500 words padded to reach a target, and a complex regulatory development may need considerably more. Most published articles fall between 600 and 1,500 words. If you are planning something substantially longer, pitch first.

Write in British English, in plain prose, with subheadings. Cite primary sources, meaning legislation, judgments and regulator publications, rather than secondary commentary, and link to them where you can.

Solicitor News operates in accordance with UK defamation law and responsible legal journalism standards. Contributors are responsible for ensuring that submissions contain no defamatory, misleading or unlawful statements, treat individuals and organisations fairly and accurately, and are supported by reliable evidence where allegations, criticism or reputational issues are discussed.

Submissions that pose legal risk or fall below these standards will not be published.

Disclose any professional or commercial connection to the subject matter when you submit. A disclosed interest rarely prevents publication and is usually handled with a line in your biography. An undisclosed one discovered later does prevent it.

We recognise that generative AI tools are widely used as drafting and research aids, and we do not operate a blanket prohibition. What matters is the result. Submissions that rely heavily on AI-generated text tend to read as general rather than specific, and are less likely to be accepted or may require substantial revision.

Regardless of the tools used, you remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, legal integrity and professional quality of your work. Verify every citation before you send it: fabricated case references have produced wasted costs orders and regulatory referrals in the courts, and they will certainly end a submission here.

We reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, length, legal risk and house style. Where edits are substantive, we will come back to you before publishing. Publication decisions are at the editor's discretion.

We may decline an article that meets every standard, simply because editorial priorities that week lie elsewhere or because we have recently covered the subject. That is not a judgement on the writing, and we will say so.

Articles must be original and not published elsewhere. By submitting, you grant Solicitor News the right to publish, edit and archive the content on our website and associated platforms. You retain authorship, and any subsequent republication elsewhere should acknowledge Solicitor News as the original publisher.