As the Tory leadership contest sees the four candidates whittled down to the final two today, and tensions between the US and Iran escalate, there really is never a dull moment on Planet Earth. Draw your focus for five minutes to the business world and you’ll see that there are many places that politics, economics and the law intersect.

LPC students at BPP Law School can now choose a fast-track option allowing them to complete the course in seven months rather than the traditional nine.

Two mergers went live on 1 February. Howard Kennedy and Finers Stephen Innocent have rebranded to become HowardKennedyFsi following their merger, while Oxford firm Henmans has merged with leading regional firm Freeth Cartwright to become Henmans Freeth.

Cuts of £13.8 million to universities' bursary and scholarship budgets could disadvantage less wealthy students during their time in higher education.

The number of applications for Queen's Counsel status submitted by female barristers has dropped by a third this year.

Long since labelled a ‘male-dominated industry’, the legal profession is having its gendered division challenged by women solicitors joining at three times the rate of men.

Legal Week has reported on a trend that sees fewer law graduates going on to complete the LPC, BPTC and ILEX courses.

UCAS figures have revealed that as at the end of January, there had been a nearly 9% drop in the number of people applying for a university place.

Field Fisher Waterhouse has welcomed its first five recruits to the firm's Step2Success programme, a scheme for school leavers who want careers in the legal profession.

European law firm Fieldfisher has launched a two-week legal work experience programme aimed at candidates who are from underrepresented backgrounds in the legal profession. 

European law firm Fieldfisher has partnered with global architecture and design firm Gensler to provide paid summer internships for students from Queen Mary University of London with disabilities or long-term health conditions. 

The government has announced the closure of 86 courts across England and Wales - almost one fifth of all courts and tribunals in the country.

International Women’s Day is a global celebration of the achievements of women. This year’s theme is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. 

Do IP rights owners have a stranglehold on online markets?

Will the government’s Comprehensive Spending Review lead to widespread industrial action in the private sector?

It’s no secret that the portrayal of the legal world on TV is often dramatised and wildly inaccurate. Nevertheless, the shows and films I’ve put together can actually be helpful for law students, whether it’s for education or mere entertainment purposes. If watching legal dramas provides motivation for your studies or helps you retain just a few nuggets of useful information, they still have value. In fact, a Suits episode once helped me ask a question about the stock market in an interview! Below are my top 10 films/shows and takeaways.