With the summer holidays in full swing for university students, and just beginning for those younger would-be lawyers, now is the perfect time to consider how to spend some time building the foundations for your future career. Alongside all your staycations, of course!

While a number of big firms have begun to recall furloughed staff as coronavirus lockdown measures begin to ease, the year ahead remains uncertain for hundreds of solicitors.

Two students have proven they’ve got what it takes in recent competitions; one impressing with an essay on what determines appropriate humanitarian intervention and the other securing a scholarship to embark on the BPTC.

Reed Smith has announced its move to a strengths-based assessment of its would-be trainees and vacation scheme students, becoming the first law firm to do so.

A whopping 86% of postgraduate law students believe that university law courses should prioritise employability training and professional skills development over academic prowess.

Herbert Smith Freehills and Travers Smith have joined Discuss, a social mobility programme run by the diversity specialists, Rare Recruitment.

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has received Privy Council approval to amend its Royal Charter and introduce the title of CILEX 'Chartered Paralegal’ – a “significant step” in providing paralegals with formal career recognition and acknowledgement of their achievements. 

Rap music is regularly used as criminal evidence in cases in England and Wales – which could lead to unjust prosecutions, as highlighted by a recent report by the University of Manchester.

Despite the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s withdrawal from the Voluntary Code to Good Practice in the Recruitment of Trainee Solicitors, it has been announced that the code will continue to be upheld by its other signatories.

The justice secretary Michael Gove has abandoned a controversial new bidding scheme for legal aid contracts and suspended a further 8.75% fee cut for duty criminal solicitors who represent people suspected of crimes in police stations and magistrates courts.

Legal education provider BARBRI has secured new partnerships with Young Legal Aid Lawyers and STRIVE to support aspiring solicitors from all socio-economic backgrounds to take the Solicitors Qualifying Exam and qualify as solicitors.  

It’s been a busy week, with both Halloween and Bitcoin’s 10^th birthday falling on the same day (which one did you celebrate?), fracking-induced earthquakes stopping work at the Cuadrilla site in Lancashire and the Waitrose Food magazine editor lambasted for suggesting that vegans should be kidnapped and force-fed meat. We’re not sure which news story is spookier… happy Hal-law-een! (Sorry.)

At LawCareers.Net we know that commercial awareness might seem like a vague and meaningless term that law firms and recruiters throw around to bamboozle you. That’s why we’ve created our new commercial awareness hub to keep relevant information in one place, and we recently filmed a video offering some key insight into how to stay commercial aware, as well as a couple of case studies to think about in a commercial context.

Summer has vanished in a flash leaving us with cold mornings and dark nights. Soon it will be Christmas and you’ll be gathered around the TV drinking mulled wine and watching Home Alone.

Law firms transitioned to remote working just over a year ago as a result of the covid-19 pandemic, with government guidance confirming that the work from home ‘where you can’ policy will remain in place until 21 June at the earliest.

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!”