We are supposed to be in the “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”, but the business world is anything but mellow as it confronts a host of issues stemming from the country’s economic problems, as well as the prospect of Brexit. This report brings you up to speed on some of the week’s important commercial news as you continue to hone the wider business knowledge that you will need as a lawyer.

Mini-pupillages are a great way to boost your pupillage applications and to learn more about life at a specific chambers.

The Law Society of England and Wales updated its official guidance on diversity and inclusion language, encouraging the use of alternatives to ‘Dear Sirs’ at the start of legal correspondence – a greeting often used when a recipient’s name is unknown. This use is widely regarded as antiquated, originating from a time when the profession was predominantly male. The Law Society stated: “This gendered greeting perpetuates the assumption that the recipients of correspondence are by default men”.

Many law firms, such as Simmons & Simmons, Baker McKenzie, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP  and Clifford Chance, are incorporating reverse mentoring into their diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) and retention strategies.

A new planning and public law mentoring scheme for underrepresented racial and ethnic groups at the Bar was launched this week.

From later this month, City Law School's LPC and BPTC students can get involved with a new clinic run in partnership with human rights organisation Liberty.

A national fund designed to boost social mobility within the legal profession, address the recruitment and retention crisis, and ultimately improve access to justice has been launched. 

On 7 November 2023, King Charles III gave his first King’s Speech since becoming monarch, outlining 21 new proposed laws, including a Sentencing Bill, Criminal Justice Bill, and Victims and Prisoners Bill. 

Bridging the Bar’s (BTB) BTB Academy, which is committed to increasing the equality of access to opportunities in the legal profession across all underrepresented groups, will launch on Monday 1 August 2022.

Macfarlanes' graduate recruitment partner John Hornby talks about Bristol Law School’s staff/student cricket match and explains why the firm got involved.

Leading commercial set 20 Essex Street has become the first barristers’ chambers in the country to adopt Rare’s contextual recruitment system (CRS), an approach to assessing applicants that is designed to be fairer to candidates from diverse and less-privileged backgrounds.

The University of Westminster Law Society launched its commercial awareness competition on 12 May 2025, with this year’s focus on the important role AI is playing in the legal sector. 

A report funded by the Bar Council has strongly criticised the trend of legal executive advocates and solicitor-advocates.

Commercial law firm Kennedys is among 14 leading law firms that have signed up to the Mansfield Rule to push greater transparency around diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, following its UK launch this summer.  

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has revealed that apprentices are achieving top performance levels across the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), averaging scores that are 8% higher than other candidates on SQE1 and SQE2.  

LawCare recently published its findings relating to male mental health within the legal profession. The legal mental health charity released the findings of its all male focus group which took place on 19 July 2022 in a bid to better understand the needs of men in law and the mental health support they need in the workplace.  

The Bar Council has come out in support of criminal barristers’ protests for a properly funded criminal justice system, which include plans for strike action.

Global law firm DWF Group Limited has partnered with technology business Stellar Omada through its 5 STAR Futures programme, a social mobility initiative DWF runs to inspire young people to explore careers in law and technology.

Lawyers and professional bodies across the legal profession have united in opposition to the government’s Investigatory Powers Bill which will put every person in the United Kingdom under surveillance.