A trainee solicitor has taken the well-trodden path from law to politics by becoming the mayor of Frodsham in Cheshire.

Following the encouraging retention figures released by several firms in January, more big names have disclosed their retention rates for March 2012.

A raft of UK top 50 firms have revealed their trainee retention rates for 2013.

The Law Society Gazette reports that this year, the proportion of trainees being retained at the top City firms has increased to an average of 83%.

A survey has found that the proportion of trainees who stay with their firms after qualifying has recovered to 80% in 2011, marking a 5% increase on the figures from 2009 and 2010.

How does agile working impact trainees who are beginning their careers in commercial law?

Both Shearman & Sterling LLP and K&L Gates have confirmed that they will take on more trainees in the upcoming recruitment cycles.

The 15-strong intake of trainee solicitors at Knights LLP have all been recruited from the firm’s paralegal workforce.

A US law firm which only acts for companies in the cannabis industry is set to launch a UK office, in a move which is bound to put some anti-marijuana campaigners’ noses out of joint.

The department for business, innovation and skills has published new assessment plans and standards for legal apprenticeships following ministerial approval. 

US trade sanctions: should non-US reinsurers be running scared?

Companies around the world have taken a hit following the outbreak of covid-19 last year. But what aspects of the pandemic impacted these companies? What can they do to facilitate their recovery? And what might they need to prepare for going forward? These are all questions you can be asking yourself to help you think more commercially. Read this week’s commercial round-up below and then start analysing one of the stories in more depth.

Why should businesses register a trademark?

A legal offshoot has been launched by trade union United Voices of the World (UVW) in order to represent all workers in the legal sector. Legal Sectors Workers United (LSWU) claims to “organise workers in the legal sector, for the benefit and protection of the less privileged”.

As the autumn term is fast approaching and social gathering rules are updated, this commercial news round-up outlines some of the week’s interesting news to help you develop your commercial awareness.

How do international banks and English lawyers help in the movement of global trade?

The end of the UK’s Brexit transition period is looming and with a deal still not in place, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding Brexit and what 2021 might bring. Make sure you stay up to date with the news from the business and legal worlds, and don’t forget to read LCN’s guide to the 19 commercial issues from 2020 that you should know about. For now, though, here’s this week’s round-up.

Start to build your commercial awareness with this week’s news round-up – take a summary from below and think about how you could use it in an interview or application to demonstrate that you can think commercially.

Top up your commercial awareness with this week’s commercial news round-up.

As aspiring lawyers it’s important that you keep up to date with the news and trends from the legal and business world and understand what they mean for law firms and companies. Use this week’s commercial news round-up as a tool to get you started and take a look at LCN’s guide to commercial awareness for useful advice to help you develop your skills.