Open Days & Drop-Ins
Explore our opportunities, learn something new, and meet our lawyers at Bird & Bird.
Drop-Ins
Our Drop-In is the chance for you to meet our lawyers, Early Careers team, and fellow aspiring lawyers in-person at our London office. You’ll be welcomed with free sandwiches, hot drinks and snacks, as you learn about our firm, the work we do, and our opportunities available to you.
Come and chat to us on Thursday 13 October 2022 from 12:00 – 14:00.
Sign up to our Drop-In from Thursday 15 September to Friday 7 October 2022, limited spaces available.
Open Days
Our Open Days offer a unique insight into life at an international law firm and the work we do. You’ll 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.
All Degrees Open Day: Tuesday 8 November 2022, 10:00 – 15:00
STEM Open Day: Thursday 10 November 2022, 10:00 – 15:00
Applying to us
Applications to our Open Days open on Thursday 15 September and close on Friday 28 October 2022 at midnight.
The application process includes an online application form. Once you have applied, you’ll receive a confirmation of your received application form. Then, you’ll be notified if your application has been successful or unsuccessful.
We operate rolling recruitment, which means we screen applications as they’re received, rather than after our deadline. We encourage you to apply as early as possible.
Apply now
Inclusivity is integral to us
We know an inclusive culture, alongside a diverse workforce, makes us more innovative and agile. 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’s also the right thing to do.
Early Careers UK 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 and adjustments to disabled and neurodiverse candidates 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 the Rare Recruitment Contextual Recruitment System (CRS) into our recruitment process. Since August 2018, we’ve 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, Forage.
Sustainability is a core strategic initiative for us – it’s 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’re 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’re 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’re reducing our production of merchandise in Early Careers UK, and anything we do produce will be from a sustainable, ethical source.
- 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.
- We’re reducing the amount of meat served at our events and offering more meat-alternatives for vegetarians, vegans, and those with dietary requirements.
- You can read more about our firmwide sustainability programme, including our commitment to set science-based net zero targets here.