Exhibitor Area: Making the most of the fair

Come along to our informal info session on the day

Image

11.45am - Make the Most out of the Fair Session

At 11.45am on the day, we will be hosting an informal session on how you can make the most out of the fair. Come for an informal chat over tea and coffee with Careers Service staff. We’ll tell you a bit more about which students are likely to be coming to the Fair, what they might ask and what you might want to think about in terms of next steps after the Fair. If you can’t make it to our information session, please keep reading for an oversight on who you are likely to meet at this event.

Who am I going to meet at this event?

We expect the Fair to be attended by over 400 students. Attendees at the Law Fair will predominantly be our Scots Law LLB/Diploma students from the School of Law, the majority of whom will seek a Scots Law Traineeship. However, some will be interested in converting to another jurisdiction. The Law Fair will also be promoted to non-law students interested in a career in law, and is most likely to attract a small proportion of those already wishing to explore this option. This fair also welcomes students from other universities such as Edinburgh Napier, Stirling and Heriot-Watt. To see more information about our world class School of Law, please visit the school’s webpage or get in touch to discuss further. To see the range of disciplines offered at the University of Edinburgh, please visit our College and School webpage.  

We are proud to have a very diverse student population – our international students make up over 44% of our student population and come from 167 countries. 31% are from non-EU countries and you may find they have questions about visas, so give thought as to how you will handle these enquiries on the day. Recruiting international students can be easier than you think. Read through our guidance and familiarise yourself with your organisation’s procedures.

We provide a useful insight into our student body on our website – it is worthwhile reading this to get a feeling for the range of students you may meet.

Preparation you can do

Image

We will be sharing resources with students in advance, and on the day, to help them navigate the fair, and work out which exhibitors are most relevant for them to talk to, but it is likely that you will get a range of enquiries at your stand.  Some examples could be:

• I am a final year LLB student looking for a traineeship in Scotland - I am particularly interested in Commercial Litigation…
• I have just started my diploma here in Edinburgh and would love to have a Scots Law Traineeship lined up to start in 2020 - are you still recruiting for 2019 places?
• I am in my third year* studying History and I’m interested in a Legal Career - do you recruit many students like me who don’t have a law degree? *NB 4 year degrees in Scotland
• I am in my final year studying Economics and would like to apply for work experience in the legal sector - would your Summer Internships be an option for me?
• I have just started my 3^rd year of my LLB and I am keen to apply for work experience
• I am in my first year of my LLB and just wanted to come today to have a look around and get a feel for different firms.
• I have just started my LLM in European Law - I did my undergrad in Spain - do you have any opportunities I could apply for?
• The Information in the Fair Guide indicates that you have international opportunities – what are these? Are they post-qualifying?
• I’m a first year Classics student thinking about becoming a solicitor after my degree. How will the new SQE that is being developed in England/Wales affect this law firm? Do I still apply for the training contract?
• I am in the first year of the 2 year LLB (graduate entry). I want to apply for your work experience scheme but I won’t know my grades when I apply. Will this count against me?
• I am in the second year of the LLB (graduate entry). I will be applying for your training contract in 2 weeks’ time. I only have my grades from the first year of the grad LLB. Will this affect my application?
• Are there other ways to gain experience in your firm, apart from the formal routes promoted today?
• I’ve only just started Uni and not sure if I definitely want to be a solicitor yet – do you offer any insight days or taster experiences that could help me decide?
• How accessible is a legal career in your firm to someone with a disability?

In general:

• Be prepared to answer a wide range of questions - take note of any insight days you may have coming up, as well as work experience and traineeship roles.
• Be open to giving students a general picture of how your organisation recruits.
• Talk on a personal level- share detail of your own career path and what you are working on. This gives students an insight that your website won’t be able to articulate.
• Avoid jargon or acronyms
• Please speak clearly and directly to students. A proportion of our students have accessibility needs and may find the noise of the fair difficult to hear or focus.

Other

Read our FAQ website for all the logistical information you need for the Law Fair.  

Further questions?

Please contact us on employers@ed.ac.uk or 0131 650 6688.