How can being green help a business’ profits?

Find out more about Ashurst’s three annual vacation schemes and ‘Evening with Ashurst’ networking events, plus the application process and the importance of a good cover letter, as Nicola Stafford offers her insights into the firm.

The business world is underpinned by the ‘rule of law’, whose protections enable firms to trade or resolve disputes with confidence about their rights and protections.

Our final commercial news round-up of 2024 is here! This week, we take a look at: the US Supreme Court’s decision to hear TikTok’s arguments against a ban in the US; the UK government’s approval of the sale of Royal Mail; Subway’s partnership with the Women’s League Cup; and the BBC’s findings on unpaid treatment bills in London hospitals. Stay informed with this round-up.

How can lawyers help to address climate change through their work?

What are the pros and cons of using AI to do your legal work?

With January exams behind us, normal term time is resuming for university students nationwide. Yet this term will be even more different. For the time being at least, many students will not be living in their term-time accommodation, let alone attending in-person teaching. With this term shaping up to be even further removed from the experience we all signed up to, I have some tips about how to still make the best of things.

AI in law is a curious concept. Take a sector that’s, rightly or wrongly, greatly impacted by human perception and feelings, strip it of everything that’s subjective and you have the legal system under AI in the perhaps not-so-distant future.

Use this guide to compare the new preparation courses for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) by key criteria including fees, learning styles and locations.

Kate McLean, managing corporate associate, provides insight into her career at Ward Hadaway. Find out more about her journey into the profession, including advice about vacation schemes and choosing the right firm to train at.  

Who’s in the spotlight this week? Your favourite smoothie company, known for their on-point marketing, is in trouble, new partnerships are being signed in various industries, Brexit continues to wreak havoc and Warner Music Group enters the world of P2E gaming (are you as clueless as us?!). 

As well as keeping up with news within the legal profession itself, to demonstrate sound commercial awareness you must also stay up to date with other commercial news. Read this week’s round-up for our choice of some of the week’s commercial stories.  

As an academic society with a focus on career development, we hosted various events at the start of the academic year dedicated to introducing first-year students to the world of legal careers. This year, we were proud to win the award for ‘Best society for first-year students’, sponsored by Weightmans LLP.

Crown Advocate Aimee Emby explains the many unique opportunities that come with a career at the Crown Prosecution Service, which offers a flexible range of career paths to those who join its trainee scheme.

Is working from home here to stay?

Law fairs are an important stage of the recruitment process, offering you the chance to meet recruiters, trainee solicitors and partners from the law firms you could be joining in the future. Find out more about the opportunities available in our guide to law fairs.

As Freshers’ week draws to a close, exams and essay deadlines are already a looming reality for some. With this in mind, what can you do to improve your career prospects?

I wouldn't call myself an expert at law firm applications by any means. If anything, I'd say I'm quite the opposite! Of all my non-law friends, I'm probably the newest to the process, having only just attempted it for the first time last December.

In the most recent application window, I was fortunate enough to secure two vacation schemes for summer 2023.

Are you up to date on this week’s commercial news? The US Department of Justice has recommended that Google sells its Chrome web browser, following a landmark anti-competition ruling in August. Meanwhile, job cuts could be on the cards at Royal Mail, UK government borrowing has reached record highs and water companies have been prevented from using customer money to fund bonuses. Read on to find out more!