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Bar students are struggling to understand ethical values because of the “massive memory test” awaiting them in the examination room, a senior lecturer has claimed. William Ralston, a former barrister, also questioned why anti-money laundering does not feature in the Bar professional training course exam.

The president of the Supreme Court last week called for a debate on the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and for “greater prominence” for ethics in legal training. Lord Neuberger also warned once again of increased potential for ethical conflicts in alternative business structures owned by non-lawyers.

A former partner in a criminal law firm has described how he deliberately broke professional rules to get a murderer convicted. Steve Chittenden said: “The dilemma is between the rules and natural justice.”

Increased risks accepted by commercial lawyers in an effort to please their clients could result in “law firm collapse”, a report for the Solicitors Regulation Authority has warned. Three-quarters of lawyers told researchers said they were “forced to accept more and more challenging terms of engagement with little room for discussion”.

Leading legal academics are developing a blueprint for ethical in-house practice, amid growing evidence that general counsel are under increasing pressure to compromise their professional ethics.