Freshfields wishes to distance itself from its ‘magic circle’ tag, the firm’s global managing partner has said. 

As we are just weeks away from the EU referendum, the campaigning on both sides is reaching fever pitch, with one of the most hotly contested areas of debate the economic implications of in or out. 

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) will scrap the Bar course aptitude test (BCAT) despite opposition from the Bar Council.

Another week, another spurious claim to a day being “super” – and today is “Retail Super Thursday”, so named because it combines revelations about Christmas sales figures at loads of big-name UK retailers. The Guardian is providing live updates, including from M&S, John Lewis, Tesco and JD Sports. In other titillating business news...

Leading regional firm Coffin Mew has completed its merger with Charles Lucas & Marshall. 

Research and writing skills tests could no longer be included in stage one of the new Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), with the Solicitors Regulation Authority suggesting that law firms could instead pay for potential trainees to take these tests separately.

Thomas Egger is set to continue its legal apprenticeship programme with a new hire after its first apprentice successfully progressed to the role of trainee legal executive.

As the country emerges from Storm Imogen to find itself bathed in glorious sunshine, the day feels full of possibility – why not harness that energy to improve your understanding of the commercial world? 

Mega firm A&O Shearman has released guidance for students on the use of AI in training contract and vacation scheme applications.

Herbert Smith Freehills has launched its first ever Community Engagement Awards, designed to showcase the best social projects led by students in India. 

This week, we have tried to provide a more varied selection of business news, although we can’t entirely ignore Brexit-related updates - read on for other stuff. 

Well. Here we all are. Donald Trump is America’s president-elect and much of the world is reeling as it works out what that’s going to mean politically, environmentally, socially and economically. In the immediate aftermath of Tuesday’s election, the result had a destabilising effect on markets. Things have calmed down since then, but the world is watching. In light of the upsetting enormity of the Trump triumph, here are some other business stories that you might want to distract yourself with.

The alternative 'equivalent means' route to qualifying as a solicitor has been successfully completed for the first time by Robert Houchill, who had been working as a senior paralegal in the immigration team at Bates Wells Braithwaite and is now a solicitor in the same team.

Much like last week’s round-up, there is only thing on the business pages and that is the effect that the referendum result is having on the pound, markets, deals, consumer spending and so much more. 

The requirement that prospective solicitors gain two years’ practising experience in order to qualify will remain when the Solicitors Qualifying Examination comes into force, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has confirmed. 

As a part of its efforts to support a sustainable, low carbon economy and reduce emissions by 90%, law firm DWF Group Limited has launched the ‘DWF forest’, in collaboration with carbon market specialists Climate Impact.