If you want to succeed as a lawyer, it’s important that you develop your commercial awareness.
The Principle is your live commercial awareness hub. We’ll help you stay on top of the latest news and give you expert insights into commercial issues.
Stay ahead of the curve. Become an exceptional candidate.
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Repeal the Eighth – at last, Ireland moves towards legalised abortion
25 May was a day loaded with the potential to change life in Ireland forever - and that potential was realised. For several hours, the reproductive rights of the country’s women were in the hands of voters, ranging from stringently catholic pro-life voters, to pro-choice expats travelling thousands of miles to vote yes. The groups faced a monumental decision: to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the constitution would mean that abortion would cease to be illegal in Ireland. A yes vote could put an end to the costly and traumatic journeys to abortion services in England made by thousands of Irish women per year, and the illegal taking of abortion pills. It would prevent anyone else from dying like Savita Halappanaver did - due to septic shock, which could well have been prevented and treated if her pregnancy had been aborted. But it also threatened a Catholic heritage that, to many Irish nationals, is a cornerstone of their country and their laws.
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Talking international secondments with Norton Rose Fulbright
Doing an international secondment is an invaluable way to see how the law operates in other jurisdictions, as well as getting to see a bit of the world! We spoke to Areomi Omisore, current trainee at Norton Rose Fulbright, to get her take on what it’s like to do an international secondment.
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It's good to talk: the new therapies being rolled out to boost barristers' wellbeing
This Mental Health Awareness Week, we take a look at some of the issues affecting those in the legal profession specifically, including podcasts designed to assist anyone who has been involved in a case with traumatic subject matter.
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The fall of Facebook?
The Cambridge Analytica scandal has portrayed data mining, Facebook and democracy in a shocking new light, ultimately causing CA to seek insolvency. We take a look at what happened when the scandal unfolded.
Words: Becky Kells. Images: Josh Krohn
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Mental health awareness week: the issues affecting lawyers
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The UK's retail graveyard - the big names disappearing from the high streets
The UK high streets have taken a hit in recent years – but the start of 2018 has been particularly poor for retail. As big names such as Toys R Us, Maplin, and Claire's Accessories face bankruptcy, we take a look at the reasons behind this tough time for retail.
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Tech and the law sector: an academic perspective
The legal sector is not immune to the onslaught of technology as it increasingly emerges within business. Nigel Hudson, a senior lecturer at Nottingham Law School, offers his perspective on these technological developments.
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Cambridge Analytica starts insolvency proceedings
Cambridge Analytica, the firm currently under investigation for its alleged misuse of data from millions of Facebook users, announced yesterday that it has started insolvency proceedings in the UK and the US, and will cease operations immediately.
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Alfie Evans: the legal perspective
Over the past few months, the case surrounding a severely unwell child became the centre of an international debate which spanned ethics, law and the decision-making rights of parents. The parents of Alfie Evans clashed repeatedly with Alder Hey Hospital, Liverpool, over the decision to end life support and begin palliative care. With Alfie’s parents and the hospital unable to agree, the case was taken to the High Court.
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World Health Day 7 April: Get involved in a new era for health law
In its 70th anniversary year, World Health Day is calling on world leaders to live up to the pledges they made when they agreed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 and commit to concrete steps to advance #HealthforAll. This means ensuring that everyone, everywhere can access essential quality health services without facing financial hardship.
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SQE given tentative approval by LSB
The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) has been given a tentative approval by the Legal Services Board (LSB). After a collective of legal professionals and academics put pressure on the LSB to reject the SQE, today it said that there were “no grounds” to reject the SRA’s application.
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Talking to NLS about its Autism Law Service
Nottingham Law School has a unique pro bono service in place - the Autism Law Service works to ensure the autistic community can access legal advice effectively. We spoke to Callum Scott, a legal officer at NLS advice centre, to find out more.
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"Racist and vile": law students face repercussions as racist WhatsApp chat exposed
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To delay or to reject: lawyers and academics call for rejection of SQE
The future of the Solicitor’s Qualifying Exam (SQE) hangs in the balance once again, with leading professional bodies calling upon the Legal Services Board (LSB) to delay or reject the introduction of the “super exam”.
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Vital contributions: the roles of Legal Secretaries and PAs
We spoke to Emma Stacey, the Chief Executive of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs (ILSPA), about the vital role of legal secretaries and PAs in law, as well as the opportunities provided by ILSPA.
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International Women's Day: the women who have shaped law
Historically, many women have challenged the law, whether by defying odds and becoming legal professionals, or by publically calling for updates to archaic and oppressive legislation. Events of the past year, in particular the #MeToo campaign, reflect the ongoing struggle for women to be safe and accepted in their workplaces. This International Women’s Day, we take a look at just a few of the women who have shaped the legal sector as we know it today.
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Upskirting: law against invasive photographs is under “constant review”, says Ministry of Justice
78 cases of upskirting - the popular name for taking an intimate photograph of somebody beneath their clothing - have been recorded by British police in the past two years. Yet there is still no law against such activity, despite some of the victims being as young as 10 years old.
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Across the pond: what’s happening with American gun laws?
Following a deadly mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, there has been a huge call for reform of American gun legislation, with many survivors of the shooting taking to social media to protest the ease with which Americans can obtain firearms. The shooter at Douglas High School was 19 years old, meaning he was able to purchase the firearm he used legally.
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Putting your commercial awareness into practice - RPC's perspective
It’s all well and good to be commercially aware, and to know everything that’s going on in the world of law. But it can be difficult to figure out how to demonstrate this when you’re attending interviews or even once you get onto a vacation scheme or training contract. How exactly does commercial awareness fit in once you’re inside a top law firm? What’s the best way to use it – and how can you keep building upon your commercial awareness? We spoke to Umut Bektas, a trainee solicitor at RPC, to find out exactly how commercial awareness fits into your future career as a lawyer.
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Diversifying the future
Diversity is a common goal which spans the legal sector, and it is gradually taking shape. Firms large and small are now cultivating safe and frequent opportunities for underrepresented people to work in law, and are identifying routes in order to do this more successfully. We spoke to Emma Makisimovic, who is the Engagement & Inclusion Manager at RPC, to see what is in place at RPC to promote diversity.
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What is life like as a legal trainee within the Government Legal Department?
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How will GDPR affect the UK's SMEs and fintech firms?
The Brexit rollercoaster took another unexpected turn last month, as it was announced that auditors were to investigate the £39 billion 'divorce bill' that has been agreed between the EU and the UK. Still, the very existence of such an agreement highlights the UK's continued commitment to the EU in the short-term, across a host of financial, commercial and social obligations. This means that British firms will need to adhere to the upcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is a new EU directive that will come into force later this year.
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Cyberattacks: are law firms ready for disruption?
A significant cyberattack in 2017 brought company-wide disruption for a leading law firm and raised a question: are law firms prepared for a business outage, and how would they service clients’ requirements?
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Beauty or the Beast?
Rupert Murdoch has announced a deal with Disney to sell assets, including his Hollywood film studio, a controlling stake in Sky (in the UK) and a 30% stake in Hulu. As the Federal Communications Commission in the US has also voted to dismantle rules regulating the businesses that connect consumers to the internet, we take a look at what all these potential changes mean for the media landscape, plurality, and net neutrality.