As we approach the big training contract deadline this weekend, now is the perfect time to sharpen your commercial acumen. Have a flick through some of the biggest news from this week to find out whether cannabis will become part of our future and if the UK economy will bounce back.

Developing your commercial awareness is all about being consistent. Here’s your weekly reminder to set some time aside to develop yours so you’re ready to ace future applications and interviews. 

In this week's round-up, find out about the Meta layoffs, Barclays' payment protection insurance (PPI) breach, Vodafone’s sale of its mobile-phone masts business, housing prices and a look into law firms’ future employment plans. 

Want to get a handle on what’s happening in the commercial world and how it might affect your clients of the future? Read this collection of stories from the past couple of weeks to get a glimpse.

As details of the laborious and confusing Brexit negotiations continue to seep out – today’s highlights alone include the possibility that UK will remain under EU judicial remit and warnings that an absence of EU workers will seriously damage the economy – there is much to consider about where we will be from an economic point of view when the split becomes final. For news on this, and more, read on.

Rishi Sunak’s U-turn on net-zero pledges, "an act of weakness” or a necessary adjustment to prevent “bankrupting the British people”? You decide. More on this in our first story, plus we’ll be covering the future of Uber, police suspensions, shares in tech giant Toshiba and Katy Perry.  

It’s nearly Friday! Time to grab a cuppa and reflect on what’s been happening this week.

As February draws to a close, and spring is just moments away, let the metaphor of burgeoning life and a fresh new season encourage you to grow your commercial knowledge.

As the country emerges from Storm Imogen to find itself bathed in glorious sunshine, the day feels full of possibility – why not harness that energy to improve your understanding of the commercial world? 

Catch up on key news from the business world with this week’s commercial round-up from LawCareers.Net.

It’s a tale of many takeovers this week, as you’ll see from below. Read on to discover more about the machinations related to buying and selling companies – as well as news that TSB is in an IT-related pickle.

Well, the Panama Papers make for a revealing read - not that you have to actually read all 11 million of them, just digest what the papers are saying about them. For the tax-avoiding rich and powerful, it’s a nail-biting time as the world gets to see exactly how they hide their millions away. Read on for this and other enlightening business news from the past week: 

I'm finishing my final year of a non-law degree and need to complete a law conversion. Is the application process for a vacation scheme or training contract more difficult or different for non-law students?

There are lots of interesting updates to dig your teeth into in this week’s round-up, including action from the Competition and Markets Authority, million-pound acquisitions, advertising compliance issues and more. 

There’s a bit of an oily theme this week, with news of American crude, talks of a merger between two of the industry’s giants, and a spat over mayonnaise (which, incidentally, is full of oil).

Commerciality and business nous: these are prized skills among lawyers and exactly the kind of thing that recruiters are looking for their trainees to possess.

Don’t let the soaring temperatures distract you from the task at hand; namely, improving your understanding of the commercial world.

With 31 December looming, Brexit negotiations ongoing and Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spending review, there’s lots of important news to take in this week. Catch-up below with LCN’s round-up.

Happy new year aspiring lawyers! 

In the words of Nina Simone, “It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for me, and I’m feeling good!” 

News just in this morning about House of Fraser’s decision to close nearly half of its stores is shocking; not just for the 6,000 jobs that will be lost, but for what it signifies for high street retailers generally. Among other locations, the company’s flagship Oxford Street store will close, presenting as it does an “existential threat” to the rest of the company. Yikes. For a flavour of other business news, cast your eye over this selection.