Banana puns aside, this week has highlighted the importance of secure and functional IT systems with both TSB and Dixons Carphone facing the financial and administrative repercussions of failing to secure their customer's data, or provide working online services for their customers. There's more on this, plus Burberry's burning clothes ban, and the energy bill price cap, in this week's commercial news round-up.

Nearly 80% of UK employers have a gender pay gap that favours men in 2022-2023.  

Phew, what a week. If you’re tired of seeing Donald Trump and his entire extended family having a jolly time being entertained by the royals, then you’ve come to the right place.

While Theresa May attempts to get her EU withdrawal deal through for the third time in the coming days (see #BrexitMayhem on Twitter), there is one thing we know for sure about Brexit: nobody knows what will happen and how it will affect the British economy. So, is it a matter of keep calm and carry on? 

With the madness associated with extreme temperatures abating (for one day at least), employ this brief period of coolness to gather your thoughts. We suggest stepping away from the fan and concentrating on improving your commercial awareness in advance of the interviews that you’re (hopefully) going to have lined up following your successful applications.

We’re keeping the news round-up Brexit-less this week and focusing on commercial issues elsewhere – including the new Britbox online streaming service launched by the BBC and ITV to rival Netflix, and struggling fashion retailers Laura Ashley and Ted Baker.

Kaplan and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have issued an apology after an error by Kaplan meant that 175 students were incorrectly told that they’d failed parts of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) assessments. 

Students never stop asking us what they can do to improve their commercial awareness, and aside from reading the weekly Commercial Questions written by top firms, the next best thing you can do is to learn about the business news stories being reported each week. Read on for a short summary of just that.

Are NFTs exempt from IP restrictions placed on tangible goods?

Graduates, like myself, often start their careers as a paralegal to gain insight and deeper understanding into the life of a solicitor. Often, paralegals who are aspiring solicitors will apply for a training contract at the firm they are already employed with. In this post, I set out my four top tips for paralegals wanting to take the next step into qualification.

Today’s collection of commercial news stories is as varied as the weather at the moment and much more likely to help you in your search for a legal career. It’s important to maintain a holistic view of the world of business and to stay up-to-date with the issues that might affect your future employers, and their clients. Use these four stories as a starting point for your research.

In an inaugural address at Inner Temple Hall last week, new chair of the Bar Council of England and Wales Barbara Mills KC set out her priorities for the year ahead, which include raising the profile of the family Bar and enhancing the wellbeing of the profession.

As the UK’s political parties set off on the campaign trail this week, there has already been scandal, resignations, pacts and many a promise made. 

It’s the calm between the storms Ciara and Dennis, but all is not quite peaceful in the world. Take a read of our commercial news story summaries to find out which issues are affecting the business and legal worlds this week.

Not enough has been done to address recruitment and other problems which continue to be barriers to diverse judiciary which reflects the population, the House of Lords Constitution Committee has warned.

With all the furore of government in the past few days, we’re going to assume that you’re fully up to speed (or bored to tears) with all things Brexit-related. Treat yourself this festive period by looking a bit further than the B-word to this week’s selection of commercial news stories that might be of interest to you.

Magic circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has revealed new “ambitious” global diversity targets with all “key global leadership functions” set to have ethnic diversity and at least 40% women and 40% men by 2023.

The war in Syria is rightly at the centre of the news, including the business pages. Oil prices have risen to a three-year high, while stocks have fallen across the world’s markets in response to the escalating tensions between the United States and Russia as they conduct proxy war in the devastated country. It’s a stark illustration that following the business world to build your commercial awareness also requires understanding current affairs. Here are some of the other main developments in the commercial sector this week.

It’s been a tumultuous week in British politics and it’s guaranteed that headlines, and our worries, will be very much dominated by Brexit over the coming weeks. We’re highlighting the commercial side of this week’s news, however. Here’s our round-up of the big stories.