There’s been a lot going on this past week! Today’s commercial round-up looks at British Airways cutting flights, the Musk versus Twitter battle, criminal barrister strikes, security breaches and Pelotons new deal with Amazon.

How is the gig economy impacting employment status?

Will websites have to remove Facebook’s 'Like' plug-ins?

Commercial awareness is a vital skill for aspiring lawyers and being commercially aware allows you to think of new ideas and see things from a business perspective when reading news.

It’s vacation scheme application season and subsequently a crucial time to think about the commercial issues affecting businesses and the legal industry. By considering the below news stories and working out how these issues could affect law firms and their clients, you are thinking commercially.

The Pupillage Gateway opened on Thursday 2 January 2025. Prospective barristers now have a month to apply for pupillage vacancies at barristers’ chambers before the Gateway closes on Thursday 6 February 2025. Meanwhile, some other sets have earlier application deadlines.

With the government’s roadmap slowly easing us out of lockdown and back to normal life, it’s a good time as ever to sharpen your commercial awareness – in this week’s commercial news round-up find out who is bidding over Morrisons, read about the significance of compliance with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and consider what Vauxhall’s announcement could mean for the UK’s battery-powered future.

Cyber security in the automotive industry - what's the risk?

I want to be a barrister but it seems more financially secure to train at a City law firm and more likely that I’d be able to secure a training contract, compared to pupillage. Can I train as a solicitor and re-qualify as a barrister in the future?

One decision I’m incredibly proud of is my choice to defer one of my skills assessments. I made this decision so that I could fully concentrate on studying for a main module while also managing a flare up.

Shoosmiths, Linklaters LLP and Weightmans LLP have each published record-breaking financial results for the 2023/24 financial year, with Shoosmiths’ revenue surpassing the £200-million mark for the first time. 

Develop your commercial awareness with the help of this weekly round-up of key business stories from LawCareers.Net.

If you’re starting out with a career in law, it’s likely that you’ll be looking for your first role. Typically, temporary paralegal positions are a great way to start.

What should I do if I don't know the answer to a scenario-based question at a training contract interview?

The full version of an internal Ministry of Justice report detailing the concerns of judges about people forced to represent themselves in court due to legal aid cuts has been leaked, despite the government’s attempts to conceal its existence. The government has now been reported to the Information Commissioner for an alleged breach of freedom of information law.

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!” 

Home Secretary Amber Rudd is in contempt of court after ignoring the orders of successive judges not to deport an asylum seeker to Afghanistan, where he faced being killed by the Taliban.  

Video interviewing is a great way for law firms and chambers to get to know candidates before inviting them to an in-person interview or assessment centre. There are key differences between interviewing virtually and in person, so it’s essential you’re prepared.

What are the legal implications of developments in artificial intelligence (AI)?

Ransomware is the most prominent cyber threat in the UK – what should you know about it?