Are you up to date on this week’s commercial news? The US Department of Justice has recommended that Google sells its Chrome web browser, following a landmark anti-competition ruling in August. Meanwhile, job cuts could be on the cards at Royal Mail, UK government borrowing has reached record highs and water companies have been prevented from using customer money to fund bonuses. Read on to find out more!

As temperatures plummeted this week and most of the UK was hit with snow, we sat down to bring you some of the week’s top commercial stories.   

Summer is finally here! After a year of pandemic-induced lockdowns, it’s time to let your hair down and catch some rays! Here is a variety of business news stories that you might have missed while basking in the glorious sun. Whether on vacation or staycation, try to keep abreast of significant commercial issues affecting the business and legal worlds.

While Theresa May attempts to get her EU withdrawal deal through for the third time in the coming days (see #BrexitMayhem on Twitter), there is one thing we know for sure about Brexit: nobody knows what will happen and how it will affect the British economy. So, is it a matter of keep calm and carry on? 

This week, like many in the UK, has been a hub for commercial news. We’re taking a look at The Sun’s handling of the BBC presenter story, the junior doctor strike, the coronation’s impact on the economy, Meta’s latest brainchild Threads and ever-increasing mortgage rates. 

This week’s round-up from the business world covers almost as many stories as there are candidates competing to be chosen as the next prime minister by Conservative MPs and 124,000 or so party members.

We know it’s exam time, but how about taking five minutes to glance up and think about what’s swirling around in the commercial world - it may come in handy when you get to interview time. 

With MPs embarked on a marathon, five-day debate about Theresa May’s Brexit deal with the EU ahead of a crucial vote on Tuesday on whether to accept the terms or not, the issue of Brexit is dominating the business sections more than ever.

Commercial awareness; you can’t have too much of it and the more you work at it, the deeper and more nuanced yours will become.

It’s been a bad week for Facebook, with news that 50 million of its US users may have had their data mined and misused, with Facebook’s knowledge. Zuckerberg has finally come out and made a statement about how sorry the company is about the whole debacle, but advertisers are demanding that Facebook change its ways. Could this be the catalyst for a sea change at the social media giant? For other commercially interesting topics, read on.

‘Commercial awareness’ needn’t be a frightening phrase that law firms throw around to bamboozle you. It’s broadly about understanding that lawyer advise clients who operate in the business world – plus a law firm is a business too.

Jeremy Hunt announced the UK’s 2023 budget and we’ve broken down what’s in it for you. Plus, the UK saw its largest strike in decades this week; the BBC has been accused of bowing to government pressures over headlines; Gary Lineker caused quite the stir with a controversial Tweet; and there’s some exciting news for anyone planning a holiday.

As the second week of January draws to a close, recapping on the previous year’s top commercial news stories is a great task for aspiring lawyers. Which stories are still relevant? Are you up to date on how Bitcoin is performing? What’s happening in legal tech that you should be aware of? 

With news this week that Article 50 will be triggered on 29 March, the reality of what a departure from the European Union will mean for the economy is likely to start firming up. 

Phew, it’s fair to say that it’s been another unprecedented week in British politics, and it looks like this unpredictability and chaos will continue until 31 October, and undoubtedly well beyond.

Before we go any further, here are a couple of longer articles to sink your teeth into. The first is all about what might be featuring in the global economy in 2016, while the second is an insider’s view of the mysterious Bank of England – both worth your time. As are the following news stories.

Today is International Women’s Day, undoubtedly a time to celebrate the achievements and fortitude of women everywhere. However, it is also a time to reflect on women’s place in the world of business and law – for example, the number of female CEOs is still woefully low and female partners in law firms remain underrepresented. And dare we mention gender pay parity – not yet a reality, despite legislation requiring it. Gender politics aside, read on for this collection of interesting business news from the past week.

The best commercial lawyers have their fingers firmly on the pulse of the business world. If that is the role to which you aspire, starting to get a grip now on the business and economic news of the day is essential, but it can be hard to know where to start. Look no further.

A long weekend can mean a short attention span, but stay focused - here is a handful of news stories to get you thinking about the issues that affect commercial entities (and thus clients) every day.

The next LawCareers.Net webinar on 29 September at 3:00pm is a great way to top up your commercial awareness. You can watch our expert panel of law firm associates discuss the legal practice of IP, from patents to trademarks. If you’ve missed our previous practice area webinars – check out the recordings on the LawCareers.Net YouTube channel.