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From law firm open days to the LawCareersNetLIVE conference, this term was my first time attending events where I had the chance to meet law firm representatives. In this post I'll be discussing my experiences and top tips: from preparation and research to the follow-up period.

This blog is split up into the typical structure of an open day or law conference. Most open days follow pretty similar structures. Events usually include:

• a trainee/partner Q&A session;
• a workshop − to get a feel for the kind of work you could be doing at the firm; and
• application advice/workshop − to get some tips and hints about the application process that you wouldn't find online.

Conferences are pretty similar, like a firm open day, they usually consist of a series of workshops and panels given by different law firms and their representatives. To know how to prepare, you should bear the itinerary in mind, it'll give you an idea of what to expect and, in turn, some pointers on what to research before the big day. Events like these provide you with a great chance to ask questions you wouldn't otherwise have the answer to. They're an immense privilege, so make sure you prepare some thought out questions beforehand!

The process part one: research

When preparing for a law event, remember that the usual rules apply: do some firm-specific research, develop interesting questions to ask and get a feel for the kind of experience you could expect to have as a trainee at that firm.

Your research should strike a balance so make sure you get a good grasp on the basics of the firm,  areas of interest, things you need to know and questions you have. You don't have to go into too much detail at this stage − save that for your vacation scheme or training contract application − but it's good to at least have a general idea of the firm in mind.

Things to consider include:

• the firm's core practice areas;
• pro bono work;
• diversity and inclusion initiatives;
• recent reports and news on their website; and
• recent cases and deals they've been involved in.

In addition to the basics, I'd also recommend maintaining your general commercial awareness. It's unlikely that you'll be quizzed on it, as in an interview, but it might provide a useful and even impressive framework for your work during a workshop, or else prompt an interesting and insightful conversation with a trainee or associate at the firm.

Another important thing to do at this stage is to brush up on any previous notes you've made, including your application form. Of course, different events have different application processes, but if your application entailed writing a long-form response, make sure to review it before attending the event!

The final element of the research process is people. If the firm has released an itinerary for the day, research the names of the attendees to give yourself even more room for questions and interesting conversation.

The process part two: questions

This stage consists of two parts:

1. asking yourself some questions about your own goals; and
2. developing some questions to ask the firm at the event.

When you sit down to do your research, it's wise to ask yourself these two questions and bear them in mind as you conduct your reading:

1. what do you want to get out of the open day? (eg, information? Networking? Is it general or specific?); and
2. what are your unique selling points? What can YOU bring to the firm?

Once you've considered those two initial questions, you can move onto considering the firm itself.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself while reading up on the firm:

• Does this firm have a good reputation in terms of client care and staff development?
• Is their work interesting to me?
• Do the representatives of the firm/trainees seem like people I could work with?
• Would I fit in here?

Of course, you also want to prepare some questions to ask firm representatives. When you’re brainstorming, it’s important to think beyond the website. Consider which aspects of the firm stimulate your interest, and what isn't available on the website, and go from there. Some good question topics include:

• the firm’s commitment to diversity;
• any ongoing training initiatives; and
• the day-to-day life of a trainee.

Research every aspect beforehand, so you can prime and prep your questions (rather than having to think of them on the spot, or asking an obvious question to which you could've found the answer online). I’d also recommend researching the application process thoroughly (for both vacation schemes and training contracts) so you can come up with questions about that. When it comes to networking on the day, talk to as many people as you can, especially the trainees as they were in your position not too long ago so they may have some very helpful insights to help with your application!

The post-event process

After the event, reach out and thank the people you spoke to on LinkedIn. Fostering any connections you made at an event really makes it worthwhile. Remember to take some time to review your notes. You can use these notes to help you to review your experience at the firm, identify the aspects you liked (or didn’t) and determine whether it’s a firm you’d consider making an application to. If it’s not the firm for you, it’s not a wasted opportunity because you now have an idea of the sort of firm you’d rather avoid. If it’s a firm you’d like to pursue, these notes (along with the research you’ve already done) will be a great starting point to show the law firm what interesting insight you already have about them in your applications. This combination of research will help you build up a better understanding of the firm to support your application.

At the end of the day, in your application, the firm wants someone who knows what they're talking about. There's no better way of doing this than doing your research, showing up and finding out as much as you can through hand-picked questions. Return to the old saying that haunted me throughout high school: fail to plan and you plan to fail!