First Year Student Law Events

Many first-year law events cluster in the autumn and spring. Below is a practical timeline you can adapt to your university term dates and programme. Always verify specific dates for the current year.

September-October

• Update your CV and LinkedIn and join your university law society and careers mailing lists.

• Register for campus law fairs, firm open evenings and national insight weeks as they appear.

November-December

• Apply for autumn/winter insight programmes and employer open days. Many first-year insight schemes and mentoring programmes open around this time and close before Christmas.

January-February

• Apply for spring insight weeks, vacation placement round 1 and pro bono project placements. Some application windows remain open into February.

March-April

• Bookplaces on practical skills workshops (advocacy, legal research, drafting) and mooting try-outs.

May-June

• Attend summertime networking events, law school preparation sessions and plan for vacation work applications in later years. Use quieter months to reflect and document experiences for your CV.

Deadlines to watch (typical windows)

• Insight weeks/First-Year programmes: often open sept-Nov, close nov-Jan.

• Mentoring Programmes (including university and external): Often accept applications on a rolling basis from Sept-Mar.

• Pro Bono and Volunteer Placements: Vary widely; apply as soon as projects post roles.

Note: These are common patterns; always confirm exact dates. Use a tracker (YourLegalLadder's application helper is one option) to record deadlines and priorities.

Choose events that build awareness, practical skills and contacts rather than chasing prestige alone. Prioritise a mix of the following:

• Insight days And weeks

• Provide firm-level overviews and often reserved for first-year students. Great for understanding culture and routes into firms.

• Law fairs And employer panels

• Efficient for meeting many employers and collecting contact details for later follow-up.

• Skills workshops (Mooting, advocacy, legal research)

• Directly develop evidence you can cite in applications and interviews.

• Mentoring programmes And peer schemes

• Offer longer-term guidance; use these to build sustained relationships and obtain feedback on CVs and applications.

• Pro bono And volunteering opportunities

• Provide real-world legal experience and demonstrate commitment to access to justice.

• University societies And competitions

• Moots, negotiation competitions and journals are strong demonstrators of interest and transferable skills.

Example prioritisation: Aim for at least one insight event, two skills workshops and one mentoring or pro bono placement in your first year to build a varied portfolio.

Preparation separates passive attendance from memorable engagement. Use time before events to craft your message and research attendees.

• Practical pre-Event checklist

• Update CV To A one-Page, first-Year format highlighting education, relevant part-Time work And volunteering.

• Draft A 30-45 Second Elevator Pitch Describing Who You Are, What You Study And Why You Are Interested In Law (Example: "Hi, I'm Priya, a first-year LLB at X University. I'm particularly interested in commercial litigation because I enjoy evidence-based argument and problem-solving; I'm keen to learn how disputes are managed in a firm environment.").

• Research organisations attending The event using their websites, linkedIn And platforms like yourLegalLadder, legal cheek And chambers student.

• Prepare Smart Questions That Go Beyond Generic Lines (Examples: "How do you support trainees who later want to move into dispute resolution?" or "What project-type will a first-year insight participant typically tackle?").

• Documents And logistics

• Print A Few clean CV copies And bring A digital version.

• Bring A notebook Or Use A notes App For names And follow-Up points.

• Dress Appropriately For The Event Type; business-casual is usually acceptable for first-year insight events but check the organiser's guidance.

How you behave at events can create lasting impressions - small details matter.

• Networking best practice

• Lead with A confident introduction And your elevator pitch, then Ask A specific question.

• Focus On Two Or three meaningful conversations rather than trying To meet everyone.

• Take brief notes immediately after conversations: name, role, One topic discussed, Any promised follow-Up.

• Watch your body language: maintain Eye contact, smile And Use A firm handshake If appropriate.

• Active listening And value demonstration

• Demonstrate interest By referring back To something The speaker said; this shows You were engaged.

• Offer A relevant detail about yourself rather than only asking questions - For example, mention A project Or academic topic that ties To The conversation.

• Red flags To avoid

• Don't monopolise A representative's time At A busy fair.

• Avoid overly casual language Or complaining about studies.

Follow-up turns a meeting into an opportunity. Aim to act within 48-72 hours while the encounter is fresh.

• Follow-Up Actions

• Send A Short Thank-You Email Or LinkedIn Message Reiterating One Point From The Conversation (Example: "Thank you for speaking to me at the law fair - I enjoyed learning about your pro bono clinic work. I'd welcome any materials you can share on trainee responsibilities.").

• Record what You learned In your application tracker (Include date, company, contact, outcome And Any next steps).

• Building evidence For applications

• Keep A short Log Of skills You practised (E.g., advocacy, client-Interaction, research) with dates And outcomes.

• Save Or screenshot event programmes, speaker names And Any feedback You receive - these can be cited in personal statements and CV achievements.

• Preparing For later applications

• Use first-Year events To identify firms And practice areas You like; this makes future vacation scheme or training contract applications more targeted and credible.

• Review Vac scheme timetables annually And note when To expect applications To open For penultimate/Final years.

Use a mix of university, national and sector-specific resources to find and manage events.

• Useful platforms And services

• YourLegalLadder: Use the application tracker, firm profiles, mentoring and weekly commercial awareness updates to manage deadlines and research firms.

• LawCareers.Net: Comprehensive listings for law fairs, vac schemes and insight events.

• Legal Cheek And Chambers Student: Market news, employer guides and event announcements.

• University Careers Service: Campus-specific events, CV workshops and employer contacts.

• Professional Bodies And Schemes: The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for training requirements, local law societies and outreach initiatives such as Pathways to Law.

• Practical Tools

• Use calendar reminders And A simple spreadsheet Or yourLegalLadder's tracker To monitor deadlines.

• Keep A short, tagged digital folder For event materials, contacts And drafts Of follow-Up messages.

Final tip: Treat first-year events as investment time. Quality preparation, focused attendance and prompt follow-up create a foundation that will pay dividends when you apply for internships, vacation schemes and training contracts in later years.