Student Review

I attended an Open Day with the firm on the 23rd of November, and it was the best Open Day I have attended! Firstly, it was a full day, meaning we all got a chance to see a range of areas the firm has to offer. Not only did we gain a valuable insight into the application process from the Graduate Recruitment themselves, we also got the chance to do a group presentation to them.

I felt very valued, even if there were 30 other students there. I got the chance to speak to trainees and the Graduate Recruitment one on one, which is something I have not had in previous open days. It really showed off how Taylor Wessing is dedicated to making students feel valued at their firm and gives me an insight into how they value their trainees.

I felt really supported throughout the day, if I had any questions or queries there would be someone more than happy to offer support to me. Due to the structure of the day, I always felt like there was something to do/gain, which was a really good insight into what life would be like working at a firm like Taylor Wessing.

I got a chance to refine my teamwork and presentation skills through the Business Game the firm created. It was a good way to meet new people, as it was the firm who organised us into the groups we would be presenting in. This means we were not stuck with the people we had been sitting with all day and got the chance to mingle with other students and really work together to develop our presentation skills.

The firm ensured that the day was fully packed and scheduled well, as they took into consideration how far some of the students had traveled for the event. I thought this was a good representation into how Taylor Wessing value their employers, as you could clearly see they wanted to make sure that we would take the most out of the Open Day and always have something to do.

It was a really great atmosphere, I got the chance to meet students who are in the same position as me regarding vacation scheme applications. It was really nice to meet new people and share experiences. It has put in a much stronger position regarding my Vacation Scheme application with the firm, as I now have a genuine understanding of the culture the firm has and the relationships they have with their trainees.

I felt that the firm invested in each student that attended the Open Day. This is because of that during our presentation in the Business Game, we each got personalised feedback. Not only was this from the Graduate Recruitment who were examining us, it is also due to the fact we were each assigned a trainee beforehand who observed the groups preparing for their presentation.

I got the chance to understand the type of work Trainees do as we got the opportunity to network with them over lunch. It was great to hear about their experiences with their application process with the firm for either the vacation scheme or the training contract. This also gave me a greater understanding of the type of daily work they do and the different areas the firm offer.

I got a greater insight into understanding Taylor Wessing's culture as they presented to us their values. Although a firm's values are normally presented on their website, when we were explained what the values actually mean to the firm and how they practice it, I gained a greater insight than I would have I just had read them off a website. I also got the chance to learn more about the CSR the firm involves itself with, which is a significant indicator of the type of culture a company has.

I have now got a greater motivation to make my application with Taylor Wessing even stronger. I want to use the content I acquired by attending this Open Day and incorporate it with my vacation scheme application with them, demonstrating how the day allowed me to acquire a deeper understanding of the firm's culture and practice areas.

I was reimbursed for my train journey which was a return ticket from Durham to London Kings Cross. This was important as I would not have been able to afford the train ticket otherwise, and it also emphasised how valued you were. Because the firm really wanted you to be there, it indicated a supportive culture and gave me an insight into what life would be like as a trainee.

We got the chance to hear from a variety of people throughout the Open Day. It was great to hear from a Senior Partner, who gave a great presentation on the history of the firm and answered questions such as: where do you see the firm in 5 years? We also got the chance to hear about the application process from the Graduate Recruitment, which was also a very insightful presentation.

We got the chance to network with trainees at Taylor Wessing over lunch. This was great, as I got the chance to meet people I had met previously at Durham's Law Fair which was the same week as the Open Day. It was a really great chance to get an honest insight into the type of work they do and their average day.

During the networking lunch, we got to ask the trainees a variety of questions, and we did so in separate groups, which meant that we all got the opportunity to ask our own questions. I found out about the type of socials and activities you can get involved within the firm, whether it is choir or netball! It was really interesting to hear that the employees all meet up and have WhatsApp chats, which is a good indication into the type of friendly atmosphere the firm has.

I would absolutely recommend any student considering applying to Taylor Wessing to apply to the Open Day beforehand. This is because not only will it make your vacation scheme/training contract application stronger, it genuinely gives you a stronger insight into whether or not Taylor Wessing is the firm for you.