Trail Blazing Open Day Review

I thoroughly enjoyed Taylor Wessing's Trail Blazing Open Day, from start to finish. Throughout the day, we were given talks by all levels of seniority, including two partners who were very convincing speakers and explained the work they do in depth. We also got a chance to bond with some of the trainees over lunch and again over some drinks at the end of the event. This was great as they really took the time to explain the application process and gave honest insight into what working at the firm is like.

I immediately felt extremely welcomed and comfortable at the firm. The recruitment team were all very approachable - at no point did I feel I was being cross-examined or judged. Moreover, the trainees genuinely seemed interested in meeting us. Perhaps the only thing that could have made me feel even more valued would have been gaining direct exposure to associates or partners. However, given that the event was held relatively early on a weeknight, it is perfectly understandable that they were busy with their respective work as lawyers!

Personally, I thought the feedback provided to us after the completion of the Business Games was very helpful. It was the first time I had participated in such a task and I certainly learnt a lot. It was great to be given the chance to present in front of the recruitment team and a lawyer from Taylor Wessing, because this will be invaluable experience for when it comes to sitting and completing actual interviews. Further, it was interesting to partake in such a group activity because it's not always easy cooperating with strangers who are all in the room trying to impress and standout.

I certainly feel like the skills I practised during Taylor Wessing's open day will be helpful in the context of applying for law firms' vacation schemes (and indeed, particularly helpful for applying to Taylor Wessing's vacation scheme). Perhaps the only thing that could've been improved here would be to have received individual feedback on our respective performances during the Business Games, rather than general advice as a whole. However, from a logistical standpoint, this would be very difficult and I'm sure the graduate recruiter would have happily provided me some pointers, had I asked for it.

I thought the open day was very well structured, from beginning to end. There was a good mix of learning about the work done by the firm (particularly hearing about it across different industry-sector partners), coupled with socialising (notably with the trainees and other attendees) as well as engagement through the Business Games. Perhaps the only point of improvement could have been to hold the drinks/networking session a bit later, in the hope that associates or partners may have the time to come down to chat. Overall, I felt that a great balance was struck between everything one expects from an insight day.

The atmosphere was great. The recruitment team and trainees we got a chance to speak with were all extremely friendly. While it is normal to be competitive as an attendee (and there will always be overly zealous participants who wish to standout/impress at the expense of other team members) I felt that even the students attending interested in the firm were very friendly too. I had a lot of memorable chats with trainees and will definitely be staying in touch with some of them.

I definitely got a strong sense of Taylor Wessing's culture during the open day. Most insightful was the discussion I had with trainees, but the presentations by the partners were also very informative. I already have a friend who works for the firm and everything she had told me about working there (pretty much all good things) were confirmed to me on the day.

The content on the day definitely helped confirm my interest in pursuing commercial law, and doing so at a firm like Taylor Wessing. Given that I have a particular interest in Intellectual Property and IT law, it was brilliant to hear from some of the trainees sitting in those seats at the moment. It definitely also helped confirm my suspicions that the size of the firm is an important factor and that I truly do enjoy being a more significant cog in a smaller team where you definitely feel more valued by those around you.

I was not paid or reimbursed expenses, although I did not ask. The recruitment team were very clear and thorough about the reimbursement process, so had I needed to use it it was readily and easily available.

I will certainly be recommending events at Taylor Wessing to friends in the future. Overall, I came away from the day having learnt a lot not simply about the firm but also more about myself and had developed skills that will be important going forward in my career. I believe the benefits I experience were shared by all the attendees and any students (legal and non-legal) and even young professionals can stand to benefit from such an event.