Course curriculum

    1. What do commercial lawyers do?

    2. The difference between practice areas and sectors

    3. Overview of the key practice areas

    4. Other law firm departments

    1. Introduction to corporate / M&A lawyers

    2. Private equity lawyers (with Luke Mitchinson: Freshfields, Ropes & Gray)

    3. The role of corporate teams on transactions

    1. Banking and finance lawyers (with Greg Campbell: Partner at O'Melveney)

    2. The role of finance lawyers on transactions

    3. Project finance lawyers (with Luke Mitchinson: Freshfields, Ropes & Gray)

    4. Restructuring and insolvency (with Greg Campbell: Partner at O'Melveney)

    5. Funds lawyers (with Ediz Osman: Simpson Thacher & Bartlett)

    1. "Commercial" law v "corporate" law

    2. Commercial lawyers (with Hannah Jones: Ignition Law, Freshfields)

    3. Data protection lawyers (with Serena Tierney: Disney, Diageo, Telefonica O2, Ignition Law)

    4. Data protection in practice: handling a major university data breach

    1. Intellectual property lawyers (with Serena Tierney: Head of IP at Telefonica O2 and Bircham Dyson Bell)

    2. Patent attorneys (with Iain Russell: Russel IP)

    3. IP law in practice: branding the O2 arena / acquisition of a tech platform

    4. The role of IP lawyers on a transaction

    1. Commercial property (with Rory Marbaix: Logicor, Ashurst)

    2. Planning law (with Olivia Barton: Ashurst)

    3. The role of real estate lawyers on transactions

    4. Residential conveyancing (with Sam MacNamara)

    1. Introduction to employment law

    2. Employment lawyers (with Gretchen Lennon: White & Case, Lennon Legal)

    3. Employee incentives (with Francesca Yardley: Linklaters, Hambro Perks, tribunal judge)

    4. Immigration lawyers (with Helen Manis: Mishcon de Reya, Manis Law)

    5. The role of employment lawyers on transactions

    1. Competition lawyers (with Kabya Chaharia: Linklaters, Clifford Chance and Ropes & Gray)

    2. The role of competition lawyers on transactions

    1. Tax lawyers (with Philip Dekker: Booking.com and Freshfields)

    2. The role of tax lawyers on transactions

    1. Dispute resolution lawyers (with Bethany Adams: Jones Day)

    2. The role of dispute resolution lawyers on transactions

    3. International arbitration (with Tessa-Jade Heise: barrister)

    4. Mediation

    5. Expert determination

    1. Fintech lawyers (with Amy Parkinson: Founders Law, WorldPay, Eversheds)

    1. Media lawyers (with Andrew Thompson: Lee & Thompson and ex-Harbottle & Lewis)

    2. Film and TV lawyers (with Andrew Thompson: Lee & Thompson and ex-Harbottle & Lewis)

    3. Music lawyers (with Andrew Thompson: Lee & Thompson and ex-Harbottle & Lewis)

    4. Sports lawyers (with Andrew Thompson: Lee & Thompson and ex-Harbottle & Lewis)

    1. Insurance lawyers (with James Richardson: Cuvva and ex-Hogan Lovells)

    2. W&I insurers (with James Richardson)

    1. Family law (with Alex Ward: Partner at Harbottle & Lewis)

    2. Wills, inheritance tax, and estate administration (with James Winfield: Ignition Law, Dutton Gregory Solicitors)

    3. Lasting powers of attorney and the court of protection (with James Winfield: Ignition Law, Dutton Gregory Solicitors)

    1. Personal injury (with Chrissie Wolfe: LAB Consultancy, Irwin Mitchell)

    2. Medical negligence (with Chrissie Wolfe: LAB Consultancy, Irwin Mitchell)

Law firm practice areas

  • 51 lessons
  • 8 hours of video content

Why is this the best resource on law firm practice areas?

In short, because the course covers a broader range of practice areas than any other resource, and features a huge collection of incredibly accomplished lawyers with unparalleled experience.

  • Insights are based on the genuine first-hand experience and expertise of 25+ lawyers who are leaders in their respective fields.

  • Speakers include lawyers who have worked at Freshfields, Ropes & Gray, Disney, Simpson Thacher, Ashurst, O2 Telefonica, Latham & Watkins, Linklaters, Jones Day, Diageo, Hogan Lovells, Irwin Mitchell, Bank of America, and more.

  • Highlights - in granular detail - what each practice area can involve day-to-day, and why they can be enjoyable and fulfilling.

  • Explains the role of lawyers in transactional, advisory and contentious contexts.

  • Draws on a broad range of personal anecdotes and client stories to bring the practice areas to life.

  • Includes animated videos to explain complex concepts more clearly and improve your learning experience.

Instructors

Ex-Head of IP at Telefonica Serena Tierney

Serena Tierney is a leading intellectual property and data privacy lawyer. She was previously Head of IP at Telefonica O2 and at City firm Bircham Dyson Bell, as well as a partner at Veale Wasbrough Vizards. She has also worked at Diageo and Wragge & Co, and now works as a senior consultant at boutique start-up-focused law firm Ignition Law.

Partner, O'Melveny & Myers Greg Campbell

Greg is a partner in the Corporate Finance and Restructuring practices of O’Melveny’s London office, having previously been a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and an associate at Cleary Gottlieb. He is a highly experienced leveraged-finance, special situations and restructuring lawyer, with a focus on high impact cross-border matters. He has over 25 years’ experience advising borrowers, sponsors, lenders, creditors, and investors, and has been recognised as a leading practitioner by Chambers UK. He also advises on financial services compliance and regulatory issues including anti-money laundering and sanctions-related matters.

Global Disputes Associate (Jones Day) Bethany Adams

Beth practices commercial litigation and arbitration at leading global law firm Jones Day, with a particular focus on fraud, insolvency, and antitrust disputes for a range of clients including insolvency practitioners and high net worth individuals.

Partner at Harbottle & Lewis Alex Ward

Alex has nearly 20 years' experience working as a private client and family law solicitor at a range of leading law firms, including Forsters, Mishcon de Reya, Lee & Thompson and Harbottle & Lewis, where he was made partner in 2022.

Law firm owner (medical negligence) Chrissie Wolfe

Chrissie Wolfe is a global medical and cosmetic injury lawyer and an award-winning social media personality. She trained at Irwin Mitchell, where she worked for 8 years, specialising in catastrophic injury. She then founded her own legal and business consultancy firm, focusing on medical negligence and cosmetic injuries. She also founded Law and Broader - a social media based resource providing career advice and support to aspiring and junior lawyers - which has since grown to over 100,000 followers across platforms.

Head of Legal (insurtech) James Richardson

James Richardson trained at Hogan Lovells, where he qualified into the insurance team and practiced for three years before leaving the City. He also ran a side hustle that produces revision guides for law students during this time - Law Answered - which he sold in 2022. After Hogan Lovells, James worked as a W&I insurer, before moving into a Head of Legal role at insurtech start-up Cuvva.

Commercial Law Academy Founder & Ex-Freshfields Lawyer Jake Schogger

Jake Schogger is a qualified lawyer, career coach, entrepreneur, author, copywriter and consultant. He is the founder and CEO of City Career Series, a publishing company that has sold ~50,000 handbooks designed to help students secure City careers, including the critically acclaimed Commercial Law Handbook and Training Contract Handbook. He also founded Commercial Law Academy. He trained at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and now acts as a legal adviser to start-ups and scale-ups, whilst also working as a career coach and delivering career-related presentations at universities across the UK. In addition, Jake works with tech start-ups and runs a variety of his own businesses. Connect with Jake on LinkedIn via www.linkedin.com/in/jakeschogger

Leading media lawyer / co-founder of Lee & Thompson Andrew Thompson

Andrew Thompson co-founded Lee & Thompson with Robert Lee in 1983 and today is a consultant with the firm. In the early years of his career his key clients were independent record labels. In time, most of these were acquired by the major record companies and Andrew’s focus switched more to the representation of recording artists, songwriters and other artistic talent. He became one of the stand out figures in the music business, acting for many household names, and was rated by Chambers and Partners in 2022 as a Senior Statesman in Music Law. Andrew also has extensive experience within the sports world. He was heavily involved in the re-structuring of Moto GP and he has had a high profile in the development of more complex arrangements for the exploitation of image rights on behalf of footballers and other sports talent. For our full interview with Andrew, check out https://www.commerciallaw.academy/courses/alternative-careers

Fintech Lawyer (Legal Director) Amy Parkinson

Amy Parkinson trained at Eversheds, where - during her training contract - she spent 6 months in-house at Manchester United FC, and another 6 months in Hong Kong. She was later seconded to Fiserv and Worldpay, before leaving Eversheds as a senior associate after 7.5 years. She is now a Legal Director at tech-focused boutique law firm Founders Law, where she specialises in fintech law.

Judge and employee incentives specialists Francesca Yardley

Francesca Yardley started her career at Linklaters, where she worked for nearly 8 years, and was promoted to Managing Associate. She then moved in-house, first as the General Counsel of ice cream manufacturer R&R Ice Cream plc, then as General Counsel of Hambro Perks. She continues to work as a freelance employee incentives lawyer, whilst sitting as a judge in the Employment Tribunal and for mental health cases. Outside of law, Fran has taken on various commercial roles (including non-executive directorships) and run the software business she co-founded, Threads.

Law firm founder Gretchen Lennon

Gretchen Lennon trained at leading US law firm White & Case, where she worked for more than 6 years, specialising in employment law. She then took a career break and moved from the UK to the Swiss Alps, where she ended up managing a ski resort! She subsequently starting practicing again, but as a freelance legal consultant at various organisations. She then founded her own law firm, Lennon Legal, in 2015.

Patent Attorney Iain Russell

Iain Russell studied science at university, then decided to qualify as a patent attorney. After working for a number of leading patent firms, he founded Russell IP in 2019. On the side, Iain has created resources to help trainee patent attorneys to pass the UK patent drafting examination.

Ex Magic Circle & Elite US lawyer turned headhunter Luke Mitchinson

Luke trained and qualified at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, where he worked for 3.5 years (this included a secondment at Bank of America Merrill Lynch). He was a project finance lawyer, but then joined the private equity team at Ropes & Gray, where he worked for 3 years, before changing careers to focus on legal headhunting. He has since co-founded and runs ARMA Search (www.armasearch.com).

Senior Associate (Ashurst) Olivia Barton

Olivia Barton is a Senior Associate in Ashurst's London office. She advises on all aspects of planning law, and acts for public and private sector clients across the planning and development lifecycle.

In-house at Booking.com Philip Dekker

Philip Dekker trained at Freshfields, before moving in-house at Philip Morris, where he spent a stint in Switzerland. He then worked as Senior Legal Counsel at a marketing, consulting and technology company, before moving to the Netherlands, where he currently works as Senior Managing Counsel at Booking.com. This role also involved a stint as Global Head of Legal at one of Booking.com's subsidiaries, a scaling technology business serving the travel industry.

Immigration lawyer Helen Manis

Helen Manis worked for years at large City firms, specialising in immigration law. Her final role in the City was in the award-winning immigration team at Mishcon de Reya, after which she founded boutique immigration firm Manis Law. Manis Law is renowned for its work advising and supporting businesses and high-net-worth individuals on the legal processes involved in corporate and personal immigration.

Private client lawyer James Winfield

James Winfield is a private client lawyer with over 19 years’ experience working in high street, regional and national law firms. He advises a variety of clients, including business owners, individuals, families and high net worth individuals. He specialises in wills, lasting powers of attorney, estate administration (probates and intestacies), trusts, Court of Protection matters (enduring power of attorney registrations and deputyships) and inheritance tax planning.

Funds lawyer at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Ediz Osman

Ediz is an associate in the Investment Funds Team at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Ediz focuses on advising sponsors on the structuring, establishment and operation of private investment funds, including the formation of separately managed accounts, co-investments and carried interest arrangements. Ediz’s experience includes a secondment to Hellman & Friedman's legal team in San Francisco, where he gained a first-hand insight into a sponsor’s operations and strategic goals. During his secondment, Ediz worked on a range of fundraising and house matters which included the fundraising of H&F's $24.4bn private equity fund, Hellman & Friedman Capital Partners X.

Ex-Magic Circle & elite US competition lawyer Kabya Chaharia

Kabya is a dual-qualified international commercial lawyer, with a background advising on the competition law aspects of high-profile M&A transactions for clients such as E.ON, Philip Morris, and CVC Capital Partners. After working as a senior associate at both Clifford Chance and Ropes & Gray, Kabya moved into legal recruitment.

Legal Counsel Rory Marbaix

Rory Marbaix trained at Ashurst, where he then qualified into the Real Estate team. He worked on countless asset and share acquisitions of logistics assets, retail assets, offices and business parks for a wide range of clients. He also gained extensive experience in multi-jurisdictional portfolio acquisitions, disposals, developments (throughout the whole development life cycle), financings and re-financings, high value leases, and general asset management matters. After 5.5 years, he then moved to Logicor - a leading owner, manager and developer of logistics real estate - where he provides advice across the whole transactions process.

Co-Head of Commercial, IP & Data Privacy at Ignition Law Hannah Jones

Hannah trained at Freshfields, where she qualified into the IP/commercial team. She worked there full-time for more than 9 years, then for another few years as a consultant. She now heads up Ignition Law's commercial, IP and data privacy team, which focuses on advising start-ups and scale-ups.

Criminal barrister and solicitor John-Paul MacNamara

John-Paul has been a criminal lawyer for 20 years, working both as a solicitor and a barrister. He has developed an extensive advocacy practice in the Crown Court and Court of Appeal (Criminal Division), and a specific specialism in cases involving allegations of murder and attempted murder, as well as cases involving vulnerable witnesses. In addition, John-Paul is a senior lecturer on the Bar Vocational Studies course at City Law School.

Solicitor and lecturer Samantha MacNamara

Sam worked for years as a commercial and residential property solicitor, before taking a role as a lecturer at City Law School.

The impact Commercial Law Academy is having...

Amber Pessoa

MSci Natural Sciences, University of Nottingham

“Such insightful resources - particularly helpful for preparing for an AC! The content brought my understanding of an M&A transaction from nothing to being able to successfully complete a case study interview!”

Zainab Atif

LLB, City Law School

“The academy has really been a crucial tool, simplifying what was otherwise a very complex and daunting process. As a result, I have received two assessment centre invites. It definitely is a must-have resource!”

Adam Khattak

Future trainee, CMS

“Incredibly useful resources! I was accepted onto a vacation scheme, which definitely wouldn’t have been possible without Commercial Law Academy - it can make a very big difference!”

Sophia Birch

LLB, University of Nottingham

"Thank you for the resources that the Commercial Law Academy provides - with the online platform I was able to secure my vacation schemes at a Magic Circle and another big law international firm!"

Rebecca Pauley

BA History, UCL and MSc Gender, LSE.

"Just wanted to drop a quick note to express how useful I've found the Academy for my applications this year. Going into AC preparation, I didn’t know where to start, so having specific courses laying out everything that might come up in competency and case study interviews has been an absolute game-changer. Ended up with ACs at Jones Day, Baker McKenzie, and Linklaters! Cannot thank you enough!"

Elaine Dunn

Trainee Solicitor, DLA Piper

"Commercial Law Academy was the key contributing factor to my success in securing a training contract with a major international law firm"

Demi, Law graduate

Feedback on her Commercial Law Academy membership

"Putting your advice into practice, I've landed a training contract with the largest of Ireland's top 5 firms. The Commercial Law Academy was an invaluable investment for my career. Jake has an outstanding teaching style..."

Final year History student

Feedback on the training contract module

"Brilliant, so in-depth and insightful...I feel much more confident about how to approach applications and demonstrate my skills in a way that matches those required."

Kristy, Australian Law graduate

Feedback on the M&A content

"I have just received an email from [Magic Circle firm] saying that I passed the case study interview! It involved mostly contents covered by your M&A course - thank you so so much!! Honestly would not have made it without your courses."

Final year Politics & International Relations student

Feedback on the assessment centre, growth mindset and employability content

"I found the insights you provided extremely helpful and easy to understand, especially as a non-law undergraduate entering the legal sector."

Membership

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Course reviews

Hear what subscribers have said about this course

5 star rating

Eye Opening

Josh Hack

Can’t find anything as thorough or as detailed anywhere. 100% recommend.

Can’t find anything as thorough or as detailed anywhere. 100% recommend.

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