Thursday 11 April, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) regime is now in its third year. Despite multiple cohorts having sat and completed both SQE1 and SQE2 exams, the assessments remain a daunting prospect for aspiring solicitors. Recent news about firms withdrawing QWE and training contract offers for students who do not pass the SQE exams first time places even greater pressure on students to pass both components on their first attempt.

Join us on the afternoon of Thursday 11 April for our latest virtual student event run in partnership with BPP University Law School, where we’ll be taking a deep dive into the regime’s first stage, SQE1.

The discussion will be led by BPP’s head of outreach and former City law firm partner Jonny Hurst, alongside SQE Award Leaders Allison Banks (Award Leader for City Consortium Plus Programme and Essentials for Practice) and Ayesha Anandappa (LPC Firm Specific and Essentials for Practice). They will delve into the format, booking process, content and assessments for SQE1, including an interactive analysis of sample questions to help students get to grips with what to expect. We will also be joined by some of BPP’s current SQE students who have recently passed SQE1, including Mikaela Hristova, future trainee at Stephenson Harwood, and Christian Stocker, future trainee at Walker Morris. Collectively, they will provide insights into their experiences on the course, as well as offering advice to those considering this route to qualification as a solicitor.

After the panel discussion there will be virtual networking with the BPP University Law School team for follow-up questions and further careers advice.

Apply to attend. You’ll be asked to submit two questions for the speakers.

Wednesday 29 May, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

Join us on the afternoon of Wednesday 29 May for a virtual student event in partnership with The University of Law (ULaw), geared towards non-law students looking to enter the legal profession.

The event features solicitors from a diverse range of practice areas at Brabners, Mishcon de Reya and Reed Smith, alongside a ULaw tutor. To provide students with a broad insight into the legal industry, the speakers will delve into their respective practice areas, as well as sharing their views on what future changes we can expect in the legal market.

As the legal profession continues to evolve, those who possess a combination of different skillsets have found themselves in high demand. The speakers, all of whom studied non-law subjects before joining the industry, will advise students on how to take advantage of their non-legal backgrounds to secure training contracts with leading firms.

The speakers

• Ceri Bowen, trainee solicitor in the housing and regeneration team at Brabners
• Antonia Felix, family law partner and co-training principal at Mishcon de Reya
• Amber Davies, energy and natural resources associate at Reed Smith
• Anne Robertson, campus manager at ULaw Newcastle, and former clinical negligence solicitor

After a Question Time-style panel discussion chaired by a Legal Cheek journalist, there will be virtual networking with the speakers, ULaw’s student recruitment team and current non-law students, as well as trainees from the firms and members of their graduate recruitment teams.

Apply to attend. You’ll be asked to submit two questions for the speakers.

Thursday 7 March, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) regime is now in its third year. Multiple cohorts have sat and completed both SQE1 and SQE2 exams, although the assessments remain a daunting prospect for aspiring solicitors.  

Join us on the afternoon of Thursday 7 March for our latest virtual student event run in partnership with BPP University Law School, where we’ll be taking a deep dive into the regime’s second stage, SQE2.

The session will be led by BPP’s head of outreach and former City law firm partner Jonny Hurst, alongside Laura Bains, BPP’s SQE2 Award Leader. They will be joined by students who are going through the process themselves, including Madelaine Moss, current SQE student and future trainee at Addleshaw Goddard, Jasmine Sayany, future trainee at Watson Farley & Williams, and Daria Slavnova, who is currently studying the SQE LLM with BPP. They will reflect on their experiences, what they’ve learnt along the way, as well as providing an in-depth insight into the content, format, booking process and pass rates for SQE2. The event will also include interactive analysis of an SQE2 sample question, and a discussion of how students can maximise their chances of passing these challenging assessments.

After the panel discussion there will be virtual networking with the BPP University Law School team for follow-up questions and further careers advice.

Apply to attend. You’ll be asked to submit two questions for the speakers.

Tuesday 12 March, 4pm to 5pm, taking place virtually

Welcome to the third in the 2023-24 series of The Legal Cheek Commercial Awareness Academy, in partnership with various leading law firms, designed to help boost students’ business and legal sector knowledge as they apply for training contracts.

The next Academy session takes place on the afternoon of Tuesday 12 March. We’ll be going granular on transactional law and exploring how a deal really works. The session will be led by Rachel Wolfenden, corporate partner, and Kyle Spencer, associate at the London office of leading US law firm Fried Frank.

Rachel and Kyle will focus on the following areas:

• Laying down the core principles of how a deal functions, drawing upon examples from the types of large private equity transactions that they work on.
• Sharing their experiences working with leading international clients.
• Giving an appraisal of the qualities future lawyers need to excel in this area.
• Explaining why they are more drawn to transactional work than contentious matters.
• Providing an insight into what it’s like to work at the London office of an elite US law firm and the journeys they have taken to get there.

Following the talk there will be an audience Q&A, hosted by a Legal Cheek journalist, to ensure full understanding of the topic.

This is the third and final session of The Legal Cheek Commercial Awareness Academy 2023-24, which is now closed. 

Tuesday 19 March, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

Join us on the afternoon of Tuesday 19 March for a virtual student event with White & Case.

The event theme is ESG and M&A.

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations have significantly increased in importance in recent years, as businesses strive to address sustainability and climate change as well as confront wider social concerns. This shift has profound implications for mergers and acquisitions (M&A), with companies facing heightened scrutiny from buyers, regulatory bodies, governments, and the public.

In this context, Lachlan Low, counsel at White & Case’s global M&A and Corporate practice, will delve into the evolving priorities of the firm’s high-profile clients, the impact of regulatory changes on cross-border M&A transactions, and the various stages of the deal cycle influenced by ESG factors.

Lachlan will also be joined by Clare Connellan, partner in the International Arbitration and Construction and Engineering Groups, Janina Moutia-Bloom, commercial litigation associate, and Rachel Chow, trainee solicitor in the firm’s M&A and Corporate practice, to collectively reflect on their career journeys and offer advice to students aspiring to follow a similar path.

After the presentation and panel discussion there will be an opportunity to meet the firm’s trainees and members of its early careers team.

Apply to attend. You will be asked to submit two questions for the panel.

Thursday 6 June, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

All Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) candidates strive to maximise their chances of passing the assessments first time, which starts with choosing the right prep course.

Join us on the afternoon of Thursday 6 June for our latest virtual SQE-themed event run in partnership with BPP University Law School, where we’ll be delving into the different factors to consider when making this crucial decision.

The session will be hosted by BPP’s head of outreach and former City law firm partner Jonny Hurst, alongside SQE1 Award Leader Julie Harris. They will be joined by students who have been through the process themselves, including Anastasia Stepanova, trainee solicitor at Norton Rose Fulbright, Mikaela Hristova, future trainee solicitor at Stephenson Harwood, and Ifeoluwa Aderibigbe, trainee solicitor in BPP’s Social Impact Team. Together, they will examine the key factors that aspiring solicitors must take into account when choosing an SQE prep course, including costs, pass rates, reputation, content and more. The speakers will also share their experiences of preparing for the exams, as well as offering advice to those considering this route to qualification as a solicitor.

After the panel discussion there will be virtual networking with the BPP University Law School team for follow-up questions and further careers advice.

Apply to attend. You’ll be asked to submit two questions for the speakers.

Tuesday 16 January, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

Join us on the afternoon of Tuesday 16 January for a virtual student event with Hill Dickinson.

The theme is the future of the global economy. As 2024 gets underway we’ll be looking at the opportunities and challenges facing the world – and what they mean for businesses, law firms and students as they apply for training contracts.

Lawyers from Hill Dickinson’s three main divisions – business services, marine and global trade, and healthcare – will give their takes on what to expect. They will explore key commercial awareness themes such as inflation and interest rates, geopolitics, and the effect of new technology including generative artificial intelligence. They will also reflect on their career journeys and give advice to those hoping to follow a similar path.

The speakers

• Richard Capper, head of banking and finance and training principal
• Alex Bramwell, shipping partner and lead for marine trainees
• Emma Roche, partner in the real estate team
• Jamie Foster, healthcare commercial partner

After this panel discussion section of the event there will be virtual networking with the speakers, Hill Dickinson trainees and members of the firm’s graduate recruitment team.

Apply to attend. You’ll be asked to submit two questions for the firm.

Tuesday 25 June, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

It’s no secret that the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) has got off to a rocky start. Hopefully, though, as it beds in the advantages of this new training regime should come to the fore – with the big plus of the SQE being flexibility. Now students have many more options about how and when they qualify as solicitors; they can front load study should they wish, or they can spread it out and earn while they learn.

Join us on the afternoon of Tuesday 25 June for a virtual student event in partnership with The University of Law (ULaw), where we’ll be hearing the testimonies of students, law firms and course providers who’ve had first-hand experience administering and undergoing the SQE.

At the virtual event, ULaw’s SQE National Programme and Student Affairs Director Jill Howell-Williams will share her insights and top tips for passing the assessments. She will also be joined by current SQE students and future trainee solicitors Freya Patten (DLA Piper), Ozdemir Baruc (Pinsent Masons) and Anya Brown (undisclosed elite global law firm). Giving the law firm perspective will be Alison Burd, learning and development advisor at Burges Salmon.

After a Question Time-style panel discussion chaired by a Legal Cheek journalist, there will be virtual networking with the speakers and ULaw’s SQE team for follow-up questions and further careers advice. This is a great opportunity to find out more about ULaw’s LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) course, geared towards those who are looking to qualify via the new SQE route whilst also gaining a Master’s qualification.

Apply to attend. You’ll be asked to submit two questions for the speakers.

Thursday 11 July, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

Join us on the afternoon of Thursday 11 July for a virtual student event with BPP University Law School that’s all about how to get Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).

QWE is a central pillar of the new SQE regime. It opens the door to a much greater degree of flexibility to how students qualify as a solicitors.

We’ll be exploring how students can acquire QWE through three key pathways:

• Building a QWE portfolio at multiple employers
• Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeships
• Getting sponsored for a two-year QWE training contract at a single employer

Speakers will include SQE candidates at various stages of their SQE and QWE journeys, with the session chaired by Jonny Hurst, BPP’s head of outreach and former City law firm partner.

The speakers

• Kelechi Angel Nwichi-Holdsworth, graduate solicitor apprentice at The Limehouse Project
• Chloe Hayes, undertaking QWE in BPP’s Social Impact Team
• Henry Davine, trainee solicitor at Accutrainee

After the panel discussion there will be virtual networking with the BPP University Law School team for follow-up questions and further careers advice.

Apply to attend. You’ll be asked to submit two questions for the speakers.

Tuesday 16 July, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

Join us on the afternoon of Tuesday 16 July for a virtual student event on artificial intelligence (AI) and the law, run in partnership with The University of Law (ULaw).

We’ll be hearing from lawyers at three leading firms, A&O Shearman, Macfarlanes and Osborne Clarke, about how the boom in generative AI is reshaping the commercial environment for their clients – and the types of legal work this is generating.

They’ll also discuss internal initiatives they are pioneering that apply the power of AI to data-heavy aspects of legal practice like document review. Joining them will be a legal tech specialist from The University of Law, to provide a perspective on how students need to be thinking about AI as they prepare for the new training contract application cycle.

The speakers

• Amy Ricketts, solutions analyst at A&O Shearman
• Thomas Gawda, legal technology and innovation officer at Macfarlanes
• John Buyers, partner and head of artificial intelligence at Osborne Clarke
• Patrick Grant, ULTRA project director at The University of Law

After an hour-long panel discussion chaired by one of the Legal Cheek team, there will be virtual networking with the speakers, members of the firms’ graduate recruitment teams, as well as ULaw’s employability team (for postgraduate students looking to further develop their knowledge of legal tech, this is a great opportunity to find out more about ULaw’s MSc in Legal Technology, LLM in Data Protection and Intellectual Property, and the Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate in Legal Technology).

Apply to attend. You’ll be asked to submit two questions for the speakers.

Thursday 18 July, 4pm to 5pm, taking place virtually

Join us on the afternoon of Thursday 18 July for a series of virtual short talks, delivered in partnership with COMBAR, The Commercial Bar Association.

We’ll be joined by COMBAR members and practising barristers who will be providing students with their top tips for pupillage applications to commercial sets, as well as sharing anecdotes and insights into their personal experience accessing a career at the Bar.

The speakers will also explore COMBAR’s mentoring scheme, which pairs individuals from groups who are under-represented at the Bar with practitioners from COMBAR member sets, and how the scheme can help you to secure a commercial pupillage.

The speakers

• Alex Wright KC, barrister at 4 Pump Court and Chair of the COMBAR Social Mobility Mentoring Scheme
• Isobel Kamber, barrister at Keating Chambers
• Sheriar Khan, barrister at Atkin Chambers
• Adam Brown, future pupil at One Essex Court and former COMBAR mentee

The short talks will be followed by an audience Q&A.

Apply to attend. You’ll be asked to submit two questions for the speakers.

Wednesday 31 July, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

Embarking on the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route is an exciting yet challenging endeavour. In the context of worrying headlines about the regime, and with so many prep course options available, finding the right approach and knowing when to start your preparation can be overwhelming.

Join us on the afternoon of Wednesday 31 July for a virtual student event in partnership with The College of Legal Practice, where we’ll delve into the various factors you need to consider before choosing your SQE preparation journey, including your legal knowledge, budget and timeline.

We’ll be joined by expert speakers from the College, including Head of Curriculum Jane Waddell (previously a partner at TLT and Eversheds Sutherland), alongside Courtney Wilbor (trainee solicitor at Acuity Law) and Nayla Chowdhury (specialist legal advisor at Health Assured), who have both prepared for and sat the exams, to share their first-hand experience and top tips to help you navigate this crucial decision-making process.

After a panel discussion, there will be virtual networking with the speakers and other SQE experts from The College of Legal Practice for follow-up questions and further careers advice.

Apply to attend. You’ll be asked to submit two questions for the speakers.

Thursday 7 September, 4pm to 6:30pm, taking place virtually

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED. Check out our upcoming Fairs and student events. 

Join us on the afternoon of Thursday 7 September for a virtual student event with Clifford Chance.

The event explores the impact of generative artificial intelligence on our society, businesses and professionals, including the legal and commercial challenges and opportunities this pioneering technology is generating.

Lawyers from across Clifford Chance’s sector teams and tech practice will share experiences of how generative AI systems like ChatGPT – based on large language models, are changing the way their clients, governments and regulators work.

They will also explain their role as lawyers facilitating the process of new technology adoption and give insights into the sort of advice that is required.

The speakers will discuss, too, their career journeys that have led them to this point and reflect on some of the qualities necessary for success.

The speakers

• Jonathan Kewley, partner in the Tech//Digital team
• Don McCombie, partner in the Intellectual Property (IP) team
• Arnav Joshi, senior associate in the Tech//Digital team
• Cintia Aguilar Flores, senior associate in the Antitrust team
• Adam Hunter, associate in the Tech//Digital team
• Ioana Burtea, associate in the Tech//Digital team
• Farhan Shahid, associate in the Antitrust team
• Lucy Cole, trainee solicitor in the Tech//Digital team

After short talks and a panel discussion, there will be the opportunity to chat with Clifford Chance lawyers, trainees and members of the firm’s graduate recruitment team.

This event is now fully booked.

When registering for the event you can select to join us in-person or virtually. Both options will include post-event networking with trainees and members of the graduate recruitment team, allowing you to dive deeper into the themes discussed and to build your Clifford Chance network. Rest assured there is no material difference in terms of content or exposure to our people should you decide to attend in-person or virtually.

Tuesday 12 September, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED. Check out our other upcoming fairs and student events. 

Join us on the afternoon of Tuesday 12 September for a virtual student event with Hogan Lovells.

The theme is technology and the law. Lawyers from the global firm will explain how advances in areas like AI are shaping the way in which the firm operates and changing the type of work being generated by clients.

James Sharp, an associate in Hogan Lovells’ London commercial technology team with a focus on emerging technologies, will lead a presentation on this topic.

Afterwards there will be a Q&A followed by virtual networking with lawyers, trainees and members of Hogan Lovells’ UK graduate recruitment team.

This event is now fully booked.

Wednesday 13 September, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED. Check out our other upcoming fairs and student events. 

Join us on the afternoon of Wednesday 13 September for a virtual student event with Clyde & Co.

Lawyers from the global law firm will explore the way that several innovative sectors – from generative AI to fintech to drones – balance growth with managing the risk associated with pioneering work.

They will explain the risk management principles that date back centuries to the first insurance products developed to protect sailors from loss as they embarked on new trade voyages — and give insights into how they are applied today to clients working at the cutting edge of emerging industries.

The speakers will also reflect on their career journeys, typical days and reveal what they most enjoy about their jobs, while giving advice to those hoping to follow a similar path.

The speakers

• Mark Wing, senior equity partner in the property and liability insurance team
• Lee Bacon, senior equity partner in the energy, marine and natural resources (EMNR) team
• Neide Lemos, trainee solicitor in the aviation team

After short talks and a panel discussion there will be virtual networking with the lawyers, Clyde & Co trainees and members of the firm’s graduate recruitment team.

This event is now fully booked.

Thursday 14 September, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED. Check out our other upcoming fairs and student events. 

Join us on the afternoon of Thursday 14 September for a virtual student event with leading global law firm Ashurst.

The focus is on digital economy – which is increasingly blurring with the physical economy – and the associated need for businesses to keep pace with the sweep of technological change across society and exploit new opportunities in this area.

Leading the session will be Ashurst’s head of intellectual property, Sunny Kumar. He will deliver a talk exploring the firm’s digital transformation practice, which involves advising clients ranging from established listed companies to innovative start-ups looking to disrupt the market.

After the presentation, Sunny will be joined by Chelsea Kwakye, a newly qualified lawyer, and Saba Nasrolahi, a trainee solicitor in his team.

There will then be virtual networking with the speakers, Ashurst’s Early Careers team and some of the firm’s trainees.

This event is now fully booked.

Tuesday 19 September, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED. Check out our other upcoming fairs and student events.

Find out what a world of difference looks like at Slaughter and May, including an insight into the culture at the firm, the people and its way of working.

You will hear from a panel of partners and associates at Slaughter and May talking about their personal career journeys and giving advice to students hoping to follow a similar path. The panellists will share insights on a range of topics including work-life balance, well-being, inclusivity, social mobility and employee networks to provide an inside view of the firm’s culture and working life.

The speakers

• Jane Edwarde – Jane is one of the firm’s two diversity and inclusion partners (D&I), is involved in trainee recruitment, and is a sponsoring partner for Collaborate, Slaughter and May’s legal tech programme. Jane’s role as one of the firm’s D&I partners entails responsibility for the firm’s overall D&I strategy, working closely with a dedicated team to implement this.
• Liam Reynolds – Liam is an associate in the Financing team at the firm
• Stephanie Schiller – Stephanie is a Corporate associate
• Nida Naqvi – Nida is a trainee solicitor, and has just started her third seat on secondment in the firm’s Brussels office.

After short talks and a panel discussion there will be virtual networking with the speakers, Slaughter and May trainees and members of the firm’s trainee recruitment team.

This event is now fully booked.

Wednesday 20 September, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED. Check out our other upcoming fairs and student events.

Students will hear from Patrick Brendon, a partner in Weil’s London finance practice who advises financial institutions, private equity sponsors and funds on a wide range of financing transactions.

Brendon, who trained at Weil, will offer insights into the world of leveraged finance and the wider market trends impacting his practice area. He will be joined by Weil banking and finance associates Tanya Jain and Anthony Nwokenna.

The panel of speakers will then answer questions from the audience and consider how they came to work in the finance space, the lessons learnt along the way, and some of the key skills that students seeking to follow in their footsteps should be developing.

Afterwards there will be virtual networking with lawyers, trainees and members of Weil’s UK graduate recruitment team.

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED.

Thursday 21 September, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED. Check out our other upcoming fairs and student events. 

Join us on the afternoon of Thursday 21 September for a virtual event with Allen & Overy.

We’ll be hearing from Allen & Overy lawyers about their experiences working globally and completing international secondments across the firm’s cross-border network.

These fast-growing locations include the US, as the firm puts the final touches on its groundbreaking transatlantic merger with Shearman & Sterling, as well as key business hubs across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

The speakers will share their experiences about what it is like to work abroad on truly global deals. They will give insights into the wider Allen & Overy culture, explain what life is like around the Allen & Overy network and give advice to students hoping to secure a training contract at the firm.

The speakers

• Elizabeth Leckie, partner in the leveraged finance team in the firm’s New York office
• Pranay Lekhi, associate in the international arbitration team in the firm’s London office
• Gabriella Masding, associate in the banking team in the firm’s Paris office

After a series of short talks and a panel discussion, there will be virtual networking with the speakers, other lawyers from the firm and members of the Allen & Overy graduate recruitment team.

This event is now fully booked.

Tuesday 26 September, 4pm to 6pm, taking place virtually

Join us on the afternoon of Tuesday 26 September for a virtual student event with Osborne Clarke.

The technological revolution is bringing huge opportunities to law firms. But it’s not just clever use of technology that will give firms the edge. One of the most important outcomes of this advancement is that lawyers are being freed up to work in smarter ways that fully realise their human potential. That means more time for lawyers to use their brains, to think about problems creatively, to apply commercial savvy to legal problems and to build deeper relationships with clients.

Osborne Clarke lawyers of varying levels of seniority will use case studies to explore how deals and client relationships looked ten years ago in comparison to today, considering how their role has changed and what skills are becoming increasingly more essential.

The speakers

• Gereon Abendroth, partner in the firm’s Cologne office and head of innovation
• Olivia Sinfield, partner in the employment and GDPR team
• Sheila Bamugemereire, trainee solicitor

The speakers will also give insights into their practice areas and sectors, and reflect on key commercial awareness issues.

After short talks and a panel discussion there will be virtual networking with the speakers, members of Osborne Clarke’s graduate recruitment team and trainees from the firm.

Apply to attend. You’ll be asked to submit two questions for the firm.