Knights Solicitors LLP has published its half year data, which shows both organic growth and an increase in revenue following several acquisitions over the past year and an expanded focus on cash collection.

Judges have been unable to agree on whether to ban fee-charging ‘McKenzie Friends’ despite admitting concerns and have asked the government to decide instead.

The SRA began accepting applications from organisations seeking to become alternative business structures yesterday.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has announced the details of its 2013 diversity survey.

The Law Society of England and Wales Annual Statistics Report 2015 provides an in-depth breakdown of the numbers, location and gender make-up of training contacts in the 12 months to July 2015.

The SRA has delayed its decision on the controversial Solicitors Qualifying Examination, but has indicated that it is not a case of whether, but when, it will happen.

The new attorney general has sparked fears that the government will try to reduce the independence of the judiciary after criticising “unelected, unaccountable” judges in an article published before her appointment.

US firm Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP has reinforced its London bankruptcy team in anticipation of the cost-of-living crisis.

Linklaters, RPC and Taylor Wessing have revealed high trainee retention rates as we emerge from covid-19-induced lockdowns. 

News-wise, there is a lot to absorb this week, including some big financial losses being reported, as well as bad news for both the “flash crash” trader and the Co-op’s Fairtrade suppliers.

The regulatory arm of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives is examining whether its processes can be streamlined to help more paralegals make the jump to become chartered legal executives – specialist lawyers capable of setting up their own firms and working independently.

The legal aid cuts are a false economy, an appeal court judge has said in the wake of trials being help up by litigants in person who, understandably, are struggling to represent themselves adequately without the help of trained lawyers.

Dame Ingrid Simler has become a justice of the UK Supreme Court, following Lord Kitchin’s retirement. Simler is the fifth woman to hold this role since 2009, when the court was set up in its current format, and was sworn in as a new justice of the UK Supreme Court last week. 

The EU referendum and the implications of a Brexit continue to dominate headlines, along with news from the retail sector.

Note: it is just over a week until the main training contract application deadline - 31 July - so it is certainly reasonable to be focusing on that right now. 

The Honourable Society of The Inner Temple has partnered with leading peer recruitment firm The Access Platform to adopt a pioneering technology platform to support aspiring barristers.

The apprenticeship route into law continues to gather pace, as international firms Gowling WLG and Hill Dickinson become the latest to announce new intakes of apprentices for September 2017.

You may well be in the midst of a training contract application frenzy, but don’t panic; one of the best things you can do to help your chances is hone your commercial awareness skills.

In advance of what is apparently the most depressing Monday of the entire year (third week in January, well known for its gloom-inducing properties) here’s some hard-nosed commercial news to take your mind off the fact that you’re broke and cold:

Law fair season is upon us, and as LCN lurches from uni to uni, you should be focusing on developing your commercial awareness as a way of impressing the recruiters that you meet.