Open Days & Office Drop-Ins
Explore our opportunities, learn something new, and meet our lawyers at Bird & Bird.
Open Days
Our Open Days offer a unique insight into life at an international law firm and the work we do. You will experience insight sessions, network with our lawyers, learn application tips, and have the opportunity to ask questions to our expert lawyers and the Early Careers team. Our Open Days are held virtually.
We will be hosting an ‘Open Day – Trainee Solicitor’ and ‘Open Day – Solicitor Apprentice’ in Autumn 2024. Applications for both of these Open Days will open in September 2024.
Applying to us
To apply to our ‘Open Day – Trainee Solicitor’, you must be eligible for a training contract, and therefore, in your penultimate-year of a law degree, final-year of a non-law degree, or a graduate. To apply to the ‘Open Day – Solicitor Apprentice’, you must be in Year 13 or a recent school leaver. You can only apply to one Open Day opportunity.
We operate rolling recruitment, which means we screen applications as they are received, rather than after our deadline. We encourage you to apply as early as possible.
Build your employability skills, search for events and law fairs, and take part in online work experience before applying by visiting our online resources here.
Office Drop-Ins
Our Office Drop-In is the chance for you to meet our lawyers, Early Careers team, and fellow aspiring lawyers in-person at our London office. Come and learn about our firm, the work we do, and our opportunities available to you.
Register to attend an Office Drop-In when applications open in Autumn 2024.
We operate rolling recruitment, which means we screen applications as they are received, rather than after our deadline. We encourage you to register as early as possible.
Inclusivity is integral to us.
From attraction and marketing to recruitment and selection, and HR and development, the Early Careers team is committed to diversity and inclusion, social mobility, and equality. We know an inclusive culture, alongside a diverse workforce, makes us more innovative and agile as a firm. We are keen to create a recruitment process where everyone feels supported to succeed, to ensure that we recruit the top candidates onto our programmes, no matter their background or circumstance. It is also the right thing to do.
Our highlights:
- To minimise bias, we operate blind screening and blind interviewing, so all identification details and previous assessments are hidden from our assessors and interviewers.
- To increase support, we offer confidential advice to candidates with a disability, neurodiversity, mental health, and long-term health problems on adjustments at each stage of the recruitment process to ensure they have a barrier-free recruitment experience. If you require adjustments, you can email our Early Careers team.
- To increase accessibility, we’re recruiting the majority of our candidates online, with online application forms, online Watson-Glaser tests, online video interviews, and (some) virtual assessment centres. Our Flying Start Programme, Virtual Experience Programme and Open Days are entirely online.
- To increase diversity in underrepresented groups, we introduced a Contextual Recruitment System (CRS) into our recruitment process. Since August 2018, we have used contextual data to help us identify candidates with the greatest potential despite their significant academic, personal or socio-economic disadvantage. We can recognise the achievements of candidates in the context in which they were gained.
- To increase diversity in the legal professional, we partner with a number of platforms, networks and initiatives to educate and equip aspiring lawyers with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. For example, we work with 10,000 Black Interns, Aspiring Solicitors, and Vantage.
Sustainability is a core strategic initiative for us – it is vital to our people, our clients, and our planet.
From paper brochures to tote bags, plastic bottles, and travelling across the country, we recognise the impact of recruitment on the environment, and we’re committed to making a greener way of recruiting. The Early Careers UK team are transforming the way in which they recruit, with sustainability in mind.
Early Careers UK highlights:
- We are using digital brochures and/or QR codes for people to access our information. You can access all our early career opportunities online, via our social media or website.
- We no longer travel across the UK to universities to participate in in-person law fairs or events, as part of our sustainability and diversity and inclusion initiative. Instead, we are adopting a hybrid approach by hosting online events and ensuring that any in-person events are accessible by public transport or are hosted at our London office.
- We are reducing our production of merchandise in Early Careers UK, and anything we do produce will be from a sustainable, ethical source.
- We are recruiting the majority of our candidates online, with online application forms, online Watson-Glaser tests, online video interviews, and (some) virtual assessment centres. Our Flying Start Programme, Virtual Experience Programme and Open Days are entirely online.
- We are reducing the amount of meat served at our events and offering more meat-alternatives for vegetarians, vegans, and those with dietary requirements.