The Commercial Awareness Compass by AllAboutLaw
The Commercial Awareness Compass by AllAboutLaw helps you build your commercial awareness every week with a beginners, intermediate and advanced breakdown of a story from an expert lawyer and trainee solicitor host.
This story was taken from a live conversation a few months ago. If you don't want to wait for these conversations, head over to the Commercial Awareness Compass to get them straight to your inbox each week.
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Episodes
81 episodes
How FIFA’s clean site policy is disrupting stadium naming rights | Commercial Awareness Compass #81
Iconic stadium sponsors are being covertly hidden at FIFA’s request during the 2026 World Cup. Stadiums like the Levi’s Stadium are being renamed to the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium and all traces of these sponsors are being erased as part of...
Market stability on the line after Kier Starmer’s resignation | Commercial Awareness Compass #80
Sir Keir Starmer has announced his resignation as Prime Minister (PM) and leader of the Labour Party, plunging the British government into yet another sudden transition, just two years after the last general election. This resignat...
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Why Jellycat is taking top British retailers to court over smiley croissants | Commercial Awareness Compass #79
Currently, UK’s top lawyers are looking very closely at smiley croissants, as premium plush toys have become the newest trademark battleground. British brand, Jellycat, has issued legal claims against retailers Hamleys, Next, and B...
How elite corporate lawyers are advising private equity giants with Weil | Commercial Awareness Compass #78
Private Equity has become one of the most talked-about financial industries, with billions changing hands each year as funds buy and sell companies. Behind these high-stakes deals sit elite legal teams working around the clock and across border...
The one dollar lawsuit between Patagonia and Pattie Gonia | Commercial Awareness Compass #77
If you’ve been browsing TikTok lately you might have been wondering why everyone is suddenly worried about South American mountains, a clothing company and a drag queen. This isn’t the set up to a bad joke, but rather a high-profile trademark b...
It’s a red card for Oddschecker’s latest advertising campaign | Commercial Awareness Compass #76
Should putting football stars like Harry Kane and Erling Haaland on your advert get it banned in the UK? When companies spend millions to get elite talent to promote their services, generally their legal teams expect they can actually run their...
Is it time for delivery apps to rethink alcohol service? | Commercial Awareness Compass #75
A recent tragic passing has shone a light on the dangers of delivery apps serving alcohol. Campaigners are now demanding strict regulatory overhaul for platforms like Deliveroo and Uber Eats as they argue on-demand, home-delivered alcohol is en...
False endorsement and the multi-million-dollar battle over celebrity likeness | Commercial Awareness Compass #74
Dua Lipa has entered a multi-million-dollar legal battle with tech giant Samsung over the unauthorised use of her likeness. Specifically, the singer is alleging Samsung features her image on its new television packaging without consent, bringin...
Paramount pays a $110 billion premium to sideline Netflix | Commercial Awareness Compass #73
The battle for Hollywood supremacy has taken a shocking turn as Paramount Skydance has tabled a successful $110 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros Discovery. In a move that has startled commentators, Warner Bros turned away from Netflix at the ...
Understanding the ins and outs of the EU AI Act | Commercial Awareness Compass #72
The European Union has launched the first comprehensive regulatory framework for Artificial Intelligence (AI), after several years of planning. The Act sets to redefine the approach that companies will take to AI usage, placing emphasis on tran...
Bottlenecked at the Strait of Hormuz and the cost to global trade | Commercial Awareness Compass #71
A new war in the Middle East has sent the global trading system into shock. As sustained fighting threatens to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, the commercial world is bracing for the impact of high energy prices and new trading challenges. Th...
Health data under the microscope: Protecting your permanent records | Commercial Awareness Compass #70
Data protection has quietly become one of the most legally sensitive areas in the commercial world, where a single breach can cost a company 4% of its global turnover. At Bristows, getting this right is pivotal for the success of their clients ...
A major power shift for UK landlords | Commercial Awareness Compass #69
The Renters’ Rights Act is the most radical upheaval of housing law in over three decades. It dismantles the reliable possession routes that have underpinned property investment for thirty years. Investors and landlords now face a reality where...
Why regulators want more than just #ad | Commercial Awareness Compass #68
Influencer marketing has become the go-to-method for companies trying to connect with consumers in recent years. These campaigns work by slipping seamlessly into a creator’s regular content and have become pivotal for the influencer business mo...
The addiction economy and a new era for online safety | Commercial Awareness Compass #67
UK MPs recently rejected a proposal to ban social media for under-sixteens in a vote on amendments to the Children’s Wellbeing in Schools Bill. This decision avoids a blanket prohibition that critics feared might drive young users toward darker...
Power surge in the high stakes world of battery project finance | Commercial Awareness Compass #66
The UK energy sector is undergoing a massive shift as battery energy storage systems become vital for a greener grid. The problem is that building these demands millions in capital. This is where project finance comes in, working with lenders, ...
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Who is paying the price in the student finance debate? | Commercial Awareness Compass #65
Student loans, the seemingly innocuous funding for England’s university students, are a source of constant debate in social policy and finance. For many graduates the system feels like a lifelong burden while for the government it remains a com...
The legal mechanics behind age verification and children’s privacy | Commercial Awareness Compass #64
Children’s online privacy is colliding with a growing political push for age gating content. Recently, Australia has implemented a restriction on under 16s using social media and in the UK the House of Lords voted against the government in favo...
Data use after Brexit: the new rules businesses cannot ignore | Commercial Awareness Compass #63
The Data Use and Access Act 2025 is the UK’s first major post Brexit reform of data protection law. It reshapes how organisations can use personal data while keeping the UK aligned with European standards. For businesses, it promises fewer fric...
The milk label crackdown | Commercial Awareness Compass #62
The Swedish oat-drink manufacturer Oatly has been forced to relabel its products following its dispute with Dairy UK. This began with Oatly’s attempted trademark on their slogan ‘The Post Milk Generation’ being refused and was followed by a leg...
Smart glasses, silent recording: when wearables cross the legal line | Commercial Awareness Compass #61
Secret recordings. Viral videos. Millions of views but no consent. A growing number of women are being filmed by men wearing smart glasses, with the footage then posted online for views. The rise of camera-equipped wearables like Ray-Ban Meta g...
Clients and Counsel: inside the real dynamics of legal relationships with BCLP and Aviva Investors | Commercial Awareness Compass #60
This episode is part two of a two-part podcast series examining the commercial realities of a law firm from the client perspective, how firms are chosen, how relationships are built, and what drives long-term client loyalty.Clients aren...
The making of a BCLP partner: commercial growth behind the scenes | Commercial Awareness Compass #59
This episode is part one of a two-part podcast series exploring the commercial realities of a law firm, focusing on how firms operate internally, from billables and expectations at each career stage to progression through to partnership.
When AI goes too far: Grok, X, and the UK crackdown | Commercial Awareness Compass #58
X (formerly known as Twitter) has come under government scrutiny over Grok, its integrated AI chat and image generation bot, after users generated indecent images of real people, including sexualised images of children. Ofcom and the UK governm...
Bid war for Warner Bros: when more money is not the better deal | Commercial Awareness Compass #57
Warner Bros has agreed a binding merger deal with Netflix for its film and streaming business, offering a deal worth $72bn. Shortly after, Paramount returned with a higher bid to acquire the entire Warner Bros group at over $108bn. On paper, th...
