Early Careers Events

All our IM event recordings are available to watch on our YouTube channel.

Rachel Greig – Solicitor in Southampton 

“Although I had great, hardworking and encouraging role models when I was growing up, I had no connections to anyone in the legal industry. I found networking at events put on by my university incredibly stressful and intimidating as I was concerned about saying the wrong thing or making the wrong impression. I didn’t know what to wear, how to speak or how to present myself. I felt like I would not meet expectations or ‘fit in’ with the lawyers that I was networking with.

After a few encounters, I luckily met a very supportive and approachable trainee solicitor and managed to start a natural conversation. From there, my confidence grew as I learnt that the best thing I could be was myself. 

Looking back, I can now see that there was no reason to be intimidated as lawyers come from all different walks of life, as do those that need legal advice.” 

Cody Brookes – Solicitor in Manchester 

“Coming from a non-Russel group university and being the first in my family to attend university, it is safe to say I felt some degree of ‘imposter syndrome’ during my studies and in the lead up to becoming a trainee. 

My top tips during your studies would be to:

• 1st year - Join your university law society – This is a fantastic way to make new friends, expand your network and gain exposure to the legal industry through events and seminars, tailored towards your preferences as a student.
• 2nd year – Attend events / law fairs / research – Some choose to apply in their second year and that can be a great idea if you know where you would like to apply; however my personal top tip is to use your second year to do some research (i.e. online platforms, blogs or even legal groups), gain some exposure to those in the legal industry by attending events and law fairs, and honing your application skills.
• 3rd year & beyond – Start applying – Everybody applies at their own pace and when they feel ready, but hopefully by following the above steps , by your final year or postgraduate studies, you will be ready to put your application in and secure your training contract.”

Amber Tomlinson – Solicitor in Newcastle 

“Whilst applying for Training Contracts I worked part-time in a local supermarket. As I was still at university at the time, most of my work shifts were scheduled on evenings and weekends. I found that a lot of Training Contract events, such as insight evenings and open days, clashed with my part-time work. This meant that I would have to take a holiday to attend the event, check for any alternative events or miss the event altogether. 

As a result of this, I did not attend as many events. This did affect my confidence when going through the application process, as I had not had as much networking experience or exposure to legal environments. 

Instead, I utilised resources such as firm websites, social media, news articles and training videos to prepare as best as possible for Training Contract applications.”