How To Understand The Financial World

Commercial awareness training on M&A, finance and law firms as a business

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You don't begin your studies learning about the world of business, so it's unsurprising that you find commercial awareness hard. There is a wealth of knowledge to learn and it takes time, just like learning a new language.

But what if we could learn commercial awareness together?

We'll strip away the fluff, so you learn what you need to know. We'll break down the foundations of the financial world is an easy to understand manner, from capital markets and M&A to understanding financial statements. The sessions will be interactive so you apply what you know to current affairs.

The goal of this programme is to leave you with the confidence to answer any technical commercial question in an interview.


Who is this course for?

This course is for anyone who wants to build their understanding of finance and the commercial world. In particular, this course is most relevant for:


  • Aspiring lawyers seeking to convert their next law firm interview in an offer.
  • Candidates that are motivated to put in the work, but that are struggling to make it to the next stage of the process.
  • TCLA Gold members or scholarship candidates with access to the winter scholarship school.

A Preview of the Speakers


Understanding Law Firms As A Business

Phil Sanderson is the former Head of Private Equity and board member at Travers Smith. He then moved to global law firm Ropes & Gray, ending his legal career as Global Co-Head of Private Equity. He was ranked as a Leading Individual by both Chambers and Legal 500.



What do Investment Bankers actually do?

Nik Balashov spent almost a decade of his career in investment banking at Citigroup. He has held multiple roles across Sydney, Hong Kong and London, where he was most recently a Vice President in the capital markets department. Currently Nik is Head of Business Development at a global private oncology services provider, where he leads the UK acquisitions and growth strategy.

What do Corporate Lawyers actually do?

Bobby Reddy lectures in company law, corporate governance and transactional deals. Previously, Dr. Reddy was a corporate partner at the global law firm Latham & Watkins LLP, dividing his time between the London and Washington D.C. offices. He specialised in public and private mergers and acquisitions, private equity, investment funds, financial regulation, cross-border transactions, and company representation.


Analysing Financial Statements

Ian Corner is the founder of Corner Finance Directors & Business Advisors where he helps business owners to make smarter decisions, powered by their financial data and sophisticated plans. A qualified Chartered Accountant, Ian spent most of his career in varied finance director roles within GSK and British Airways before bringing his expertise to the SME market to help entrepreneurs thrive.What do Structured Finance Lawyers actually do?


What do Structured Finance Lawyers actually do?

Cristiana Mitrofan is an Associate in Paul Hasting’s Structured Finance team. Prior to joining Paul Hastings, Cristiana trained at a City firm. Her work is focused on securitisation, derivative transactions, repurchase agreements and repackaging programmes. Cristiana is also a mentor with the Paul Hastings - Aspiring Solicitors and Paul Hastings - Generation Success initiatives.

Bonus Session: How to Manage your Money as a Junior Lawyer

Carla Hoppe is the founder of Wealthbrite, a finance focused edtech championing the financial wellbeing of Gen-Z professionals.

Carla is a former lawyer with extensive experience creating and delivering financial wellbeing programmes for clients including for PwC, Financial Times FLIC and Graphcore.

Plus...more sessions will be released shortly to teach you the role of finance and litigation lawyers.

Your Instructor


The Corporate Law Academy
The Corporate Law Academy

TCLA is the largest dedicated forum for aspiring lawyers. Our mission is to help aspiring lawyers become the best version of themselves.

TCLA is also an educational platform. It’s our goal to turn aspiring lawyers, from student to trainee solicitor, into exceptional commercial lawyers. Through TCLA Premium, we provide an extensive list of online courses designed to upskill the next generation of lawyers.


Course Curriculum


  Introduction
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days after you enroll
  'Law Firms as a Business' and 'What do Investment Bankers actually do?'
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days after you enroll
  'Analysing Financial Statements'
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days after you enroll

Frequently Asked Questions


I can't make the live sessions - will they be recorded?
Yes! By purchasing this course, you will have access to all of the recordings and course materials - permanently.
What time will the live sessions be held?
They will run virtually on Zoom at 6pm.
Who is this course for?
This course is targeted at aspiring trainees, future trainees, current trainee solicitors, and anyone else looking to develop their understanding of the financial and commercial world.
Can anyone develop their understanding of finance?
Yes! This is a skill that we believe anyone can improve over time.
Will I always have access to the course?
Yes. Once you’ve paid for the course you’ll always have access. This means that you’ll also have access to the course as we continue to upgrade and improve our lessons over time.
Is there a money back guarantee?
We want the investment in this course to be an absolute no-brainer for you. So, if you attend all the sessions, complete all the quizzes, and still don’t find the course useful, drop us an email and we'll happily refund your full payment within 30 days of purchasing the course.

This course is closed for enrollment.