In a week where nobody really knows what’s going on, calm your bemused Brexit brain by taking a look at our summary of some relevant commercial news stories from this week.

From shipping and trade to energy and water (plus pizza…), this week’s news spans a variety of legal sectors. Can you work out the major implications that the below stories might have on businesses, the economy and any future potential clients? 

A nuanced appreciation of the vast business world may be a bit much to hope for at this stage, but developing an interest in - and a broad understanding of - the commercial pressures and topics that will be a part of clients’ everyday lives is important.

This weekly round-up is designed to help you develop your commercial awareness by being informed about the issues affecting the world of law and business. Let’s get started.

With more Brexit-related stories than you can shake a stick at this week, our commercial round-up aims to keep you apprised of the business stories that you should be keeping an eye on. Why? Well, first because you just should have a general interest in big UK and world news, and second, because you will be more informed when it comes to interviews and general interactions with potential employers.

The BBC has a new chair, new measures to tackle migration have been released and they’re going to hit women the hardest, and one in five British councils are at risk of bankruptcy. Plus, do you have candles and battery-powered torches at home? If not, the deputy prime minister says it’s important that you stock up to prepare for possible emergencies. Read on for this week’s commercial news.  

As we refuse to mention the fact that it is Friday 13th today or that it is Valentine’s Day tomorrow, we are left with very little to theme this intro around.

When the weather closes in, and all you want to do is hunker down, what better way to spend those long, dark winter days and nights than boning up on your commercial awareness?

As the UK awaits Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s update in today’s daily briefing on whether there will be any changes to the social distancing measures currently in place, here’s a short round-up of how the outbreak continues to affect the business and legal worlds, among other news.   

A new prime minister, a new Formula 1 team, a new owner of Twitter and much more; it's been an eventful week with lots of information to digest. This commercial news round-up touches on British politics, technology, Kanye West controversy and other recent developments we felt were worthy of your radar. 

The EU referendum and the implications of a Brexit continue to dominate headlines, along with news from the retail sector.

Application season is upon us and part of your preparation should be developing your commercial awareness – namely, an interest in the business world and how the issues that affect clients will also affect and shape the advice that you, as their lawyer, will give. There’s also every chance you’ll be asked to comment on something topical in an interview, so best to be prepared! For a selection of this week’s most interesting commercial news stories, read on:

A jittery start to the week on the world’s stock markets saw share prices plunging; this week’s round-up discusses both this and other key business news.

The four-day weekend looms and while it’s hard to imagine doing anything much other than gorging on chocolate and hot cross buns, it’s also an opportunity to catch up on some light reading. 

We are supposed to be in the “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”, but the business world is anything but mellow as it confronts a host of issues stemming from the country’s economic problems, as well as the prospect of Brexit. This report brings you up to speed on some of the week’s important commercial news as you continue to hone the wider business knowledge that you will need as a lawyer.

The UK economy continued to grow over the second quarter of 2024 and train strikes may end soon as Aslef and the Department for Transport reach a pay deal. Meanwhile, unemployment decreases despite wage growth slowing, and A-level students receive the best results since 2010. Read on to find out more.

With vacation schemes in full swing, and the major training contract deadline of 31 July just over a month away, there has never been a better time to up your commercial awareness game. Taking an interest in what’s happening in the business world is the foundation for a successful career as a commercial legal adviser. No time like the present – read on.

The UN General Assembly headlined the news this week, as did Theresa May's peace talks with her own foreign secreatry Boris Johnson. In the meantime she has an even more serious issue to consider on which we’ll provide a starting point for your further reading below, as well as a round-up of the week’s other commercial stories.

The adventures of Cuthbert the Caterpillar and the backlash following the European Super League announcement are just two of the big commercial news stories this week. But how can you analyse these stories with a commercial mindset? Remember, there are various techniques (eg, PESTLE), which will help you on your way – read the summaries of this week’s news story picks below.

This round-up is big on banks; they seem to have featured heavily in the past week’s news cycle. For tales of their varying woes, plus much more, read on.