Don’t try and run before you can walk…
Commercial awareness. Two words likely to send any self-respecting law student into either psychosis or an interview-induced breakdown. But what if we told you it’s really not as complicated as it looks?
Legal Cheek‘s Alex Aldridge and Julia Szaniszlo are back this week to talk through what commercial awareness really means and why so many students tend to overcomplicate it. Whether it’s going back to basics, understanding what role lawyers play in the broader financial ecosystem, or recognising that law is ultimately a service industry, Aldridge and Szaniszlo give their tips on how to approach this daunting task.
Szaniszlo started at Legal Cheek with little to no legal, let alone commercial, understanding, but within nine short months she’s managed to secure a TC at a top US firm. Building on that experience, she talks through what worked for her, what insights she’s gained from hosting events with law firms across the City and beyond, and why sometimes it’s actually better to “ignore the law”.
Having interacted with many a law firm and aspiring solicitor over the years running Legal Cheek, Aldridge is all to familiar with students’ tendency to try to run before they can walk when it comes to developing commercial awareness. So what are some practical steps you can take to get ahead? Start simple and often, say Szaniszlo and Aldridge — that may involve picking up a book or two (the pair give their recommendations) or delving into the fascinating world of FT comment sections. However, whatever it is you choose to do, make sure to stick to it and don’t get stuck in the weeds of trying to understand unnecessarily complicated concepts before you have the basics.
You can listen to the podcast in full via the embed above, or on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
The Legal Cheek Podcast is proudly independent. Thanks to our sponsor Simpson Thacher, home of the private equity training contract, for making that possible
