First years: get your foot in the door

Mar 25, 2019

Written By Harry McEnaney, Trainee Recruitment Assistant, Slaughter and May

Harry From open days to campus events, high profile City firm Slaughter and May offers plenty of chances for first years to get involved. AllAboutLaw spoke to Harry McEnaney, Trainee Recruitment Assistant to find out more.

What are the first year opportunities offered by Slaughter and May?

We run two open days for first year law and non-law students at our London office during the spring. It's worth keeping an eye on the work experience page of our website for the deadlines, so that you don't miss out!

How important are open days to Slaughter and May, and are they assessed? What happens on a typical Slaughter and May open day?

Our open days focus on giving students a better understanding of City law and are definitely not assessed. At this early stage, we think it is more important to give students an overview of corporate law and explain what lawyers actually do, rather than focusing solely on Slaughter and May and what makes us stand out. We aim to make our open days interactive and engaging. Students will learn about the different areas of law practiced by many large City firms and the roles of trainees, associates and partners. You’ll even spend some time exploring our London office with some of the current trainees during our interactive session, designed to show you what tasks a trainee undertakes from day-to-day. Finally, offering an insight into what firms are looking for in potential trainees, our recruitment partners give tips on how to write a strong CV and cover letter so you are well prepared for any future applications.

How much interaction with partners and trainees will first years have?

Partners run many of the presentations during the open days. They are always willing to answer any questions that you might have during the sessions and actively encourage students to get involved so this is a great time to interact with them. Being able to talk to trainees already undertaking a training contract is also a great way to learn about life as a City solicitor - that’s why trainees are there to chat to students over lunch and to guide them through the exercises. There will also be an opportunity to talk to partners and trainees more informally over drinks at the end of the day.

What are you looking for in an open day application?

The best way to make yourself stand out is to tell us about you as an individual. Use your CV as an opportunity to show what you have done outside of your studies - no matter what it is. We know that as first years you may not have any university results just yet, but be sure to include any marks that you do have - even if it’s just one essay result! Please give clear reasons for your application in your cover letter and explain why you would benefit from attending the open day. Selection is based solely on your application form, CV and covering letter, so make it count!

Slaughter and May hosts on-campus events. What exactly does the firm offer and would you recommend first years attend?

We attend and organise numerous events on campus: presentations, law fairs, and skills workshops, to name just a few. Trainees, associates, partners and members of our trainee recruitment team attend these events and are happy to answer any questions you have about Slaughter and May. Campus events are also an opportunity to ask for some advice on applications, CVs and cover letters.

All students are welcome at our campus events, including first years! We’re happy to answer any questions - whether you’ve always wanted to be a lawyer or you just want to find out more. We look forward to meeting you all!

For more information, please visit Slaughter and May's Website.

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