Welcome to The Legal Cheek Commercial Awareness Academy! The Academy, run in partnership with various leading law firms, is designed to help boost students’ business and legal sector knowledge as they apply for training contracts. It features a series of virtual sessions running from autumn 2024 through to spring 2025. After each session students are required to take a test. Pass them all to receive a certificate at the end of the Academy.
You can find all of the session recordings and corresponding tests below for you to complete the Academy in your own time.
Introduction to Venture Capital — with Cooley
Here is the full video for the first in the series, ‘The Legal Cheek Commercial Awareness Academy: Introduction to Venture Capital – with Cooley‘ which took place on Thursday 24 October 2024.
The session featured:
• Kerry Corrigan, associate in the emerging companies and venture capital team at Cooley
• Ellen Dewhurst, associate in the emerging companies and venture capital team at Cooley
• Sarah Warnes, trainee recruitment & legal talent manager at Cooley
The session was chaired by Legal Cheek events coordinator, Samantha Wong
After watching the video (below), you can sit the test here.
A deep dive into corporate law and its relationship with the commercial environment — with Baker McKenzie
Here is the full video for the second in the series, ‘The Legal Cheek Commercial Awareness Academy: A deep dive into corporate law and its relationship with the commercial environment – with Baker McKenzie‘, which took place on Tuesday 10 December 2024.
The session featured:
• Phelim O’Doherty, partner in the corporate team at Baker McKenzie
• Divyansh Sharma, trainee in the corporate team at Baker McKenzie
The session was chaired by Legal Cheek events coordinator, Saad Khalil
After watching the video (below), you can sit the test here.
Anatomy of a deal — with Fried Frank
Here is the full video for the third in the series, ‘The Legal Cheek Commercial Awareness Academy: Anatomy of a deal – with Fried Frank‘, which took place on Tuesday 11 March 2025.
The session featured:
• Claire Zhu, corporate associate at Fried Frank
• Megan Gantly, corporate associate at Fried Frank
The session was chaired by Legal Cheek writer and researcher, Sophie Dillon
After watching the video (below), you can sit the test here.