Law Firm Open Days

What are Open Days?

Open Days are a fantastic way to experience law firms and allow students an insight into the day-to-day life of a trainee solicitor. The day format will vary from firm to firm, but all open days will offer the opportunity to visit the firm’s offices and network with various people from different areas of the business. These insight days are invaluable opportunities for students and can help you to prepare for training contract (TC) and vacation scheme (VS) applications. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about law firm open days.

Why should I attend?

Open Days are a fantastic way to learn more about a firm you are considering applying to. While it is beneficial to read about a firm and to hear about the culture from graduate recruitment on the firm’s website, it is crucial to visit the firm for yourself to ensure that it is an environment you want to work in. A great way to do this is through networking: be sure to ask plenty of questions about the culture at the firm and what current trainees enjoy most about working there. Applying for training contracts is incredibly competitive, so networking is crucial! Make sure that you prepare well in advance and turn up to networking sessions with a good list of questions to ask to show that you have done your research.

Most large firms will work in a number of different practice areas, and by attending an Open Day, you will be able to learn more about the spaces in which the firm operates. This not only boosts your knowledge of the firm when it comes to TC applications, but it also means that you can ask questions about the practice areas and start to think about what areas interest you the most.

There is no doubt that attending Open Days looks good on applications. It shows that you are serious about working at the firm and demonstrates a desire to know more about the firm. It is also important to remember that you can use your Open Day to make a good impression: ask insightful questions, be polite and professional when networking, and be sure to take plenty of notes.

Most Open Days will usually include a talk from Graduate Recruitment - this may be in the form of a panel Q&A or maybe an Application Tips workshop. Students need to take notes and make the most out of this session, as it gives you an easy way to boost your TC application. Any knowledge you gain while at the firm can be used later down the line, so if someone from Grad Rec is giving a talk on how to answer application questions, make sure you don’t miss this! These are the people who will be reviewing your application, so it is essential to pay attention to this session.

While Open Days can be a great way to show your desire to work at the firm, it is important also to remember that this is a day for you to decide whether it is somewhere you want to work. Spending a day at a firm allows you to get a good picture of what the culture is like and allows you to ask questions that help you to work out whether the firm is a good fit for you. It is common for students to visit a firm and decide that the firm isn’t quite right for them, and that is totally OK! Open Days allow you to make these decisions before investing many hours in applications and vacation schemes.

Format of the Day

While Open Days will differ from firm to firm, the majority of law firm Open Days will include the following:

• Opening talk: this may be from a partner at the firm or from Graduate Recruitment, welcoming you to the Open Day and talking you through some background on the firm and what to expect from the day.
• Panel discussions: this again will differ with each firm, but these discussions may include a talk from current TC offer holders who are sitting their SQE exams or could include brief talks from partners in different practice areas, giving students an insight into what a typical day in the life might look like.
• Q&A with trainees: most firms will offer a Q&A with existing trainees. This is invaluable, as it allows you to ask questions to the people sitting in the role you are looking to apply for! Be sure to ask plenty of questions and take notes.
• Workshops: this will be firm dependent, but often there will be some form of practical workshop for students to get involved in. This could be a case study task or maybe a workshop on networking or commercial awareness, for example.
• Advice from Graduate Recruitment: this may take the form of a Q&A or could be a presentation on application tips.
• Networking: this is a key part of the day, where you can meet people in various roles within the firm. Be sure to come prepared, be professional at all times, and leave a good impression on the people you are networking with. (SUE: we can link here to an article on the importance of networking/how to network effectively etc)

How do I apply?

Some firms have Open Days that are open to all students to attend simply by signing up online. This is often the case with online Open Days, as there is rarely a maximum number of attendees if the sessions are held on Zoom. However, where spaces are generally limited for in-person Open Days, some firms require a full application to be completed by students and can often be competitive to secure a space. It is important to do your research in advance: make sure you know the application deadline to ensure you don’t miss out, and be sure to research the firm and decide why you are interested in working there so that you can demonstrate this in your application.

Some law firms offer a variety of Open Days that provide tailored information that is more relevant to some students than others, so it is important to look at the different Insight Days on offer. For example, Baker Mckenzie offers open days with information tailored to Black Lawyers & Allies, Social Mobility, Non-Law Graduates, LGBTQ+ & Allies, and many more. For example, if you are a non-law graduate who hasn’t taken a conversion course, you may feel better suited attending an Open Day that discusses the benefits of a career change into law, with talks from existing trainees and partners who also didn’t take the LLB route. Be sure to research the different open days on offer in advance to ensure that you are applying for the day that is best suited to you.

When do Open Days take place?

Open Days are usually held at different points throughout the year and often will be in the holidays so that students don’t have to take time out of their studies to attend. It is important to research firms in advance and compile a list of all the firms you are considering attending Open Days for. Write down each of the application deadlines to ensure you don’t miss out! Try to apply for the first round of Open Days in each academic year - these will often be held in Autumn and will take place before the training contract/vacation scheme application deadline, so you can use any tips and knowledge of the firm gained on the open day in your application.

Top tips to succeed at an Open Day

While Open Days can be daunting, they are a fantastic way to get to know a firm and determine whether it is the right fit for you. Here are some top tips to get the most out of your Open Day:

• Research in advance! Make sure you understand what the firm does, who the Graduate Recruitment team are, and why you want to work there before attending the Open Day.
• Plan ahead. Be sure to write down questions you want to ask and anything that you want to find out about during the day.
• Network, network, network! We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Networking is such an important part of any Open Day, so be sure to get the most out of it.
• Ask good questions. We’ve already said to prepare a list of questions in advance, but make sure you also write down the answers! These can be useful at the application stage.
• Remember people’s names! If you had a great conversation with a current trainee about the culture at the firm and want to discuss this in a TC interview later down the line, it is useful if you can mention who you were talking to.
• Connect with people on LinkedIn. (See why we said to make sure you write down names?) Once the day is over, adding the people you have met to your LinkedIn connections is a good idea. These can be current trainees at the firm, but they should also be the other students you met attending the day. These could be future colleagues, and making these connections early on is great.
• Gain an understanding of the practice areas the firm operates in. By the time you leave the Open Day, you should be able to talk confidently about what the firm does, who some of its key clients are, and what practice areas you are most interested in.
• Dress appropriately. Each firm will have a slightly different dress code, so be sure to read any information provided on the dress code before attending to ensure you are presenting yourself well.
• Review what you have learnt over the course of the Open Day. While it can be easy to switch off at the end of the day and move on to the next thing, it is useful to write a short review of what you have learnt and how you felt about the culture at the firm so that you can refer back to these notes when it comes to deciding whether you want to apply to the firm.
• Be yourself and enjoy the day. As cliché as it may sound, it is really important to determine whether the firm is the right fit for you, and you won’t be able to do this by pretending to be someone you’re not. Turn up to the Open Day with an open mind and a positive attitude and be yourself throughout. Open Days can often feel daunting, but you are there to learn about the firm, and no one is testing you, so relax and ensure you enjoy the day.