This week started with Prime Minister Boris Johnson setting out the roadmap to begin easing lockdown in the UK, with all restrictions due to be lifted by 21 June. But what else happened this week that you, as an aspiring lawyer, should know about? Read the round-up below for insight into some of the week’s news.

This week has been punctuated by political speechifying, with economic theory taking centre stage. For the business news that should be on your radar, read on.

This week, we take a look at the damage that’s been caused so far by Hurricane Milton in the US, provide an update on the Wagatha Christie case, outline the latest allegations against Google and how UK pharmaceutical company GSK is settling thousands of claims that its discontinued heartburn drug Zantac caused cancer.

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.

Commercial awareness – it’s important. Read these stories to improve the level of yours.

As we lurch into July, the pressing matter of training contract applications may be foremost in your minds. It is worth considering that part of making a convincing application – and more importantly, being a convincing candidate at interview – is the development of your commercial awareness. To help, you need look no further than this selection of recent business news stories.

With all the furore of government in the past few days, we’re going to assume that you’re fully up to speed (or bored to tears) with all things Brexit-related. Treat yourself this festive period by looking a bit further than the B-word to this week’s selection of commercial news stories that might be of interest to you.

The Brexit shambles continues apace, with meetings this week between the new UK Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, and the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier. It is thought that the main topic of conversation will be the EU’s scornful view of May’s white paper and its many problematic elements. And while you’re trying to keep up with the Brexit machinations, you also need to keep an eye on the commercial world – let us help, with this week’s selection of curated business news.

To be successful with your law firm applications, you must demonstrate sound commercial acumen. Many law firms have set their vacation scheme and training contract deadlines throughout December, so this is a great opportunity for you to spend time researching and writing some excellent applications. 

With Christmas just around the corner, here in the UK the weather seems to be finally catching up with the season! In non-weather-related news, Google has revealed its most searched word of the year, the 2022 Turner prize winner was announced, and viewers got their first look into Harry and Meghan’s new Netflix series. Plus, a mini strike update for the winter.

Anti-strike laws, the digital pound and TikTok advertising are among some of the stories we look at in this week’s round-up. Read on for a summary of our commercial story picks of the week, but don’t just leave it there – how might these stories impact the industry, your shortlisted firms and their clients?

It’s been a rough week: Glastonbury is over for another year, England’s Lionesses were knocked out of the World Cup by the USA and to top it all off, Facebook and Instagram have been hit with a glitch that prevents images from loading on the social media sites.

Law fair season is upon us, and as LCN lurches from uni to uni, you should be focusing on developing your commercial awareness as a way of impressing the recruiters that you meet.

Today’s collection of commercial news stories is as varied as the weather at the moment and much more likely to help you in your search for a legal career. It’s important to maintain a holistic view of the world of business and to stay up-to-date with the issues that might affect your future employers, and their clients. Use these four stories as a starting point for your research.

While you may be breathing a sigh of relief that the biggest vacation scheme deadline of the year has now passed, there is no time to rest on your laurels when it comes to improving your commercial awareness – if you get invited to interview, you need to have a few aces up your sleeve. The best place to start is by keeping an eye on the big business stories of the day – a task that we are only too happy to help with.

Commercial awareness is understanding that being a lawyer involves much more than just knowing the law – you have to know your clients’ businesses and the sectors they operate in to be able to help them achieve their commercial aims.

Commerciality and business nous: these are prized skills among lawyers and exactly the kind of thing that firms want their trainees to possess (or at least demonstrate the potential to develop). Start working on this part of your brain by reading this week’s collection of economic and business news.

From unlikely cinema pairings to surfing on plastic bottles and a social media rebrand, which is more than just a name change, we’re covering a range of commercial news stories this week to help expand your knowledge – so, buckle up and enjoy the ride.  

What’s to be done when you feel that your commercial awareness is lacking? Here’s an idea: try absorbing what our Feature has to say on maximising your chances at interview by honing your commercial awareness skills well in advance – and that means now. In addition, check out the following key business/economic stories from the past week.

Sadiq Khan has kicked off Thursday with predictions that centre on a “lost decade” of lower employment and reduced investment that would result from a hard Brexit. Specifically, a study commissioned by the mayor estimates the loss of half a million UK jobs and nearly £50 billion in investment by 2030. For more big business news, try these on for size.