Are law firm open days competitive?

Jul 07, 2022

Written By Natasha Jones

Law firm open days (or insight days) are great opportunities to gain a first look into life as a solicitor at a particular firm. They are especially attractive to first-year students, who are often unable to apply for other forms of work experience such as vacation schemes. Here’s what to expect when applying for a law firm open day.

The application process

As you may have guessed, like with other forms of legal work experience, competition for open days can be fierce.

Not dissimilar from vacation schemes or training contract applications, candidates are usually expected to complete a short application form. This involves giving an overview of your personal details, education history and work experience, as well as answering some written questions.

The written question section of the application form is always the most time-consuming part of the application process. These questions are designed to test your qualities and your motivations for applying for an open day at that law firm specifically.

Depending on the firm, open day applicants may also be asked to take an online assessment or critical reasoning test, such as the Watson Glaser test. The Watson Glaser test is an aptitude test used primarily by the legal industry to test the critical thinking of applicants. If successful, applicants are then invited to attend an interview, which could take the form of an in-person interview, a virtual interview, or a telephone interview.

Is it worth my time?

Although the application process can feel like a daunting prospect, trust us – it’s worth your time.

Open days allow you to meet partners, associates and current trainees and learn first-hand what solicitors do on a day-to-day basis. You can gain an insight into the culture of a particular firm, the clients a firm works with and the work that is carried out.

As well as being an excellent opportunity to make yourself known to a firm, open days are your opportunity to see if that firm is the right fit for you.

To get the most out of your open day, thoroughly research the firm beforehand to make sure you’re asking the right questions and getting the answers you need.

If you decide you can see yourself as a solicitor at that firm, having attended the open day, you are in the envious position of having inside knowledge about the firm when it comes to making a vacation scheme or training contract application.

Tips and tricks

Before starting to write your application, spend some time reading the application form and planning your responses to the written questions. Think about what you’ve found out about the firm in your research and make a list of the skills and experience you have that makes you a good fit for the firm. Plan some responses that draw upon these skills and experiences, linking them back to your interest in the firm.

Specificity is key. You must ensure your answers are specific to the firm you’re applying for. Although it’s tempting to copy and paste answers from previous applications, if you can replace the name of the firm with the name of another firm then it’s likely that your application is too general. Graduate recruitment teams will be able to spot generic applications a mile off.

After completing your application, ask yourself whether your personality is shining through. If it isn’t, don’t be afraid to edit your responses to make your application stand out. Law firms are looking for people, not robots.

Finally, proofread, proofread, proofread. Attention to detail is a vital attribute of any successful solicitor. Spelling mistakes or grammatical errors, no matter how small they seem, are enough to turn a great application into a bad one.

Don’t let the competitive nature of open days hold you back from applying. Having an open day under your belt can set you in great stead to succeed in the training contract application process. For tips about what to wear to an open day, see here.

Law Firm Open Days