How to make the most of the workshops at LawCareersNetLIVE

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Aspiring solicitors don’t get the chance to interact directly with lawyers and partners from leading law firms often. Law fairs and many virtual events usually provide brief encounters with recruiters or trainees, while vacation schemes and internships remain fiercely competitive. LawCareersNetLIVE bridges this gap.

Successful LawCareersNetLIVE applicants will attend two interactive, firm-led workshops, which offer unique opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of legal practice areas and experience what it’s like to work alongside the people shaping the profession.

But how can you make the most of these sessions? Having spoken with past LawCareersNetLIVE delegates, here are some strategies to maximise your workshop experience.

1. Embrace interactivity

Whether it’s through case studies, group discussions or simulated client tasks, you’ll learn far more from LawCareersNetLIVE’s firm-led workshop by actively engaging where you can, rather than by just passively listening. The interactive workshops give you the chance to apply your knowledge in real time, helping you to better understand how legal concepts work in practice.

Previous LawCareersNetLIVE 2024 delegate Emily Forster attended Ward Hadaway’s ‘Legal due diligence’ workshop and found the interactive nature of it helped to boost her understanding of this area of law. Speaking to LawCareers.Net about the experience, Emily says: “Everything [the workshop leaders] did – we were involved in. We did about four tasks within the hour and 20 minutes in five groups, so it was really interactive and I got so much out of it.”

Tip: Don’t hang back. Volunteer, share your perspective and contribute to group work. These are the right spaces to test your legal reasoning, commercial awareness and to demonstrate to the law firms that you can work in a team.

2. See the bigger picture

Workshops aren’t just about technical law. They showcase how practice areas intersect with client needs, business realities and even non-legal specialisms.

Senior product manager at Trowers & Hamlins LLP and workshop leader for the firm, Gagandeep Dadial explains: “The idea was more focused on telling students that in a law firm, law is not the only career available. We focused on legal tech and innovation, and how as a team we help our lawyers and support our clients with the work that they do […] to give [attendees] a bit of an idea that if you want to work for a law firm, there are other departments as well.”

Tip: Keep an open mind. Even if the practice area or topic isn’t your first choice, the insight into how law firms adapt to challenges – whether global disputes, technology and innovation or employment issues – will broaden your commercial awareness. It may even inspire you to pursue a career path you haven’t yet considered.

3. Ask questions (and listen closely)

The LawCareersNetLIVE workshops provide a rare opportunity to get direct access to associates, partners and legal professionals. The Q&A segments are especially valuable for clarifying complex topics, gaining insight into real-life legal work and getting tailored advice from experienced lawyers. After taking part in interactive group discussions during Jones Day’s ‘How do you solve a global dispute’ workshop, 2024 delegate Zuzana Kucerková appreciated receiving feedback from the lawyers leading the session.

Tip: Prepare thoughtful questions in advance about the firm’s approach, culture or practice area and think about how you can apply them during the session. Listening to how professionals respond will give you insider knowledge that you can’t find on a firm’s website.

4. Connect the experience to your career goals

For many, LawCareersNetLIVE workshops provide clarity about future career paths. For Loveday Binsley, Squire Patton Bogs (UK) LLP’s ‘Curious about employment law?’ workshop “actually made me even more sure that that was something I wanted to pursue”.

Meanwhile, others discover new interests. Addleshaw Goddard’s ‘Do you have an appetite to innovate?’ workshop opened Michelle Daniels’ eyes to creativity in legal practice. “It taught me a lot about being innovative, being creative and being imaginative – especially in the dynamic world we’re living in today,” Michelle explains.

Tip: Take notes during the workshop, not just about the tasks but also how the experience shapes your thinking. These reflections can guide you when it’s time to demonstrate your interests and motivations in your vacation scheme and training contract applications.

5. Engage before and after the session

Some firms may choose to share materials with delegates in advance. For example, ahead of its ‘Health and social care’ workshop, Hill Dickinson LLP emailed attendees a mock inquest case study about a patient’s hospital admission, deterioration and eventual death, which helped them to engage with the session on the day.

Others may prefer to keep things spontaneous, giving you the chance to demonstrate your ability to think on your feet and respond to new information. Firms may also leave you with resources to take home and review – a great opportunity to consolidate your learning and do some post-event reflection.

Tip: If you receive prep materials, review them thoroughly. After the workshop, jot down key takeaways and follow up with the firm’s representatives on LinkedIn using #LCNLIVE25. If you don’t receive materials beforehand, read the workshop description carefully and prepare some talking points.

6. Treat it like a professional environment

Workshops often replicate the kind of collaborative exercises you’ll encounter as a trainee solicitor. They may include group problem solving, client scenarios or even mini presentations. Think of it as practice for the workplace.

As Loveday notes, the group tasks during the workshop mirrored the dynamics of a law firm team: “The interactive task was really helpful for getting to know a group dynamic that might be somewhat replicated in the workplace.”

Tip: Demonstrate professionalism by being punctual, respectful and collaborative. The sponsor firms are observing how you engage just as much as what you say. The impression you leave on the day can prove to be beneficial if you choose to apply to the same firm in the future.

7. Don’t just attend – participate fully

Securing a spot at a LawCareersNetLIVE conference is a competitive process. The workshops aren’t simply tasters; they’re opportunities to showcase your curiosity and initiative. Past attendees often leave with a firmer sense of purpose and sometimes even a clearer link to specific firms they want to apply to.

By engaging with all elements of Ward Hadaway’s interactive workshop and gaining a great understanding of legal due diligence, Emily discovered that she was “really keen to join that firm in the future”. Meanwhile, for Jimena Almudena Izquierdo Rodríguez the workshops strengthened her interest in dispute resolution and arbitration and helped to develop a clear strategy for training contract applications.

Read more about Jimena’s experience at LawCareersNetLIVE.

Tip: Remember, you’ve already done the hard part by securing your spot. Now maximise it by leaning in fully to the experience: before the workshop, during it and afterwards.

Workshops that work for you

LawCareersNetLIVE workshops aren’t about passively receiving information. They’re your chance to immerse yourself in the realities of legal practice through hands-on experiences that reflect the teamwork, problem solving, client focus and innovation driving the profession forward.

By embracing interactivity, asking questions, connecting the experience to your career journey and engaging before and after the session, you’ll not only gain insight into life at top law firms, but also sharpen the skills that will carry you through future applications and interviews.

If you want to take part in these interactive workshops – plus attend panel discussions with partners and trainees, and network with top commercial law firms – don’t miss your chance! Apply now for the exclusive LawCareersNetLIVE conferences. Applications close on Thursday 30 October 2025.