Good news for NQs this week.

Trainee retention rates at top firms are significantly up on last year – average retention rates across the UK top 30 firms this September are currently around 81%. That’s an improvement of seven percentage points on September 2009 according to Legal Week.

And for clients of Cameron Mckenna.

The firm has launched a marketing campaign to promote a variety of alternative billing structures – one of which has been labelled ‘pay what you think its worth’. So far they’ve received offers of a bag of Revels, two bags of Minstrels and someone’s body.

In other news.

Chefs sue over virgin claims – nothing to do with Ricky B or lack of sexual prowess. American “Top Chef” Dave Martin, and other chefs and restaurants have filed a class action complaint in California Superior Court, alleging that a host of olive oil manufacturers have been bottling up inferior product, labeling it “extra virgin,” Legal Blog Watch

From an actual court filing; this concisely worded gem.

Merwin v. Raley’s, et al., No. VG10-527672 (Alameda County Super. Ct. filed July 27, 2010)

Premises liability action where the plaintiff fell when her foot got stuck on a piece of tape on the floor at a Pleasanton Raley’s. The plaintiff then stepped on a piece of plywood, which then moved out from under her, causing the plaintiff’s foot to fall in a hole and the rest of her to fall into a display rack. (Lowering the Bar)

Do you feel over-educated?

Nicol graduated from law school in 1994. He later began to matriculate for his MBA. Optimistic like most who travel the road of over-education, Nicol probably never anticipated he would bounce up against joblessness. That he did when his law firm DLA Piper laid off 80 lawyers in February 2009. Now, the Illinois Administrator has filed a complaint against him for failing to repay student loans for his MBA.

Law and More suggests over-education is another Black Swan – there seem to be more and more of these floating around since Nassim Taleb coined the phrase. Does over-education qualify?

What would you do with a threatening cease-and-desist letter from a law firm?

A) Cry

B) Call your lawyer

C) Work out how to profit from it

The cease-and-desist letter that Lucasfilm sent to the company that made a laser-pointer alleged to infringe the Lucas trademark on lightsabers sold recently on eBay for a whopping $3,850. The winning bidder has moderate eBay history (12 transactions), which suggests that this isn’t (merely) a publicity stunt. (boingboing)

That’s right; in the land of free enterprise, you’d flog it on eBay.

Have a good weekend.