Sam Townend KC, the new chair of the Bar Council, has called the “need for significant investment” in the criminal and family justice systems “urgent”. 

We’ll keep it short and sweet this week and let you know that the below news stories are essential reading for anyone heading off to a law firm assessment centre or interview soon, or for those just looking to top up their commercial awareness over the summer months.

Global law firm Ashurst LLP is launching a virtual experience programme for students, as part of an initiative to promote access to careers in the NewLaw division of the firm.  

The summer is a great time to get into a good routine of keeping up with the latest business developments. Our weekly commercial news round-ups do the hard part for you, summarising interesting and relevant news stories from the week. The rest of the research and analysis is up to you!

It’s astounding how many people have no idea what a barrister is, perhaps because the UK’s one of just a few places where there’s a distinction between solicitors and barristers.

As we head into the autumn term, one of the best things you can do to prepare for the incoming milkround season is to get into good habits when it comes to commercial awareness. Reading our weekly summaries of the latest business news stories is an efficient way to keep up with the commercial world.

If you’re like many law students, you’re currently in limbo between the end of second year and waiting to start the final year of your undergraduate degree. So, what should you do to prepare for your last year and the modules that you’ve chosen?

The government has announced its commitment to posthumously pardoning gay men historically convicted for having consensual same-sex relationships, in a move welcomed by family members and campaigners, as well as legal bodies such as the Law Society.

It has been a week in which we celebrated both the old and new royals, with a new prince born to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (cue frenzied media coverage and a spike in the baby name Archie), and an ancient royal burial site found in Southend between a pub and Aldi supermarket.

This week we witnessed Joe Biden’s inauguration at the US Capitol, as he was sworn in as the 46th US president and Kamala Harris was sworn in as vice-president. Read on for this week’s summaries of a selection of news stories from the business and legal worlds.

Has anyone else reached the point of the university year where your workload is so unmanageable that the only thing you do instead of facing it is watching TV? No? Just me? If you are looking for a way to salve your conscious as you turn your back on the hundreds of pages of reading you haven’t done yet (and which you promise yourself you will catch up on over Christmas), I would recommend watching something that is (however loosely) based around the law in some way. 

The cold has set in, the days are shorter and the city is decked out with pretty lights – it’s almost time for the holidays!

I’m a non-law student qualifying via the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) – do I still need to do a law conversion course?

A number of City law firms have collaborated to create a legal operations graduate scheme, which includes a four-week course and workshops. 

In a bid to improve diversity at the Bar, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has said that chambers need to provide anti-racism training and implement “positive action measures”, including targeted adverts to recruit people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has announced that 83% of students passed the latest CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ) Foundation assessments.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned that firms found to be inadequate at taking continuing professional development seriously can expect enforcement action “where necessary”. 

Legal technology company Litera’s new research report has found that both law firms and departments are embracing new technology, with those that “strategically leverage generative AI’ predicted to “gain a competitive edge in today’s volatile economy”.