Open Day and Insight Scheme Deadlines 2025-26

[Ram Sabaratnam]

Hi everyone!

We've compiled a list of law firms that are currently accepting applications for open days and insight schemes (including those aimed at first year students). These events offer a great chance to get to know specific firms, especially if you're unable to apply for vacation schemes and can only apply using direct training contract routes. The list will be regularly updated throughout the application cycle, so keep checking back for the latest opportunities.

Good luck with your application cycle!

Open Day and Insight Scheme Deadlines 2025/26 ​

Firm Name	Opening Date	Closing Date	Event Date	Additional Comments
A&O Shearman (First Year Scheme)	5 January	9 February	31 March – 1 April 2026	Apply here.
Ashurst (First Year Insight Scheme)	5 January	27 February	9 April 2026	Application deadline is at 12 noon. Apply here.
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (Open Day)	1 August	20 September	8 Oct 2025	Apply here.
Forsters (First Year Insight Scheme)	4 September	24 April	TBC	Find more information here.
Forsters (Open Day 1)	4 September	16 October	TBC	Find more information here.
Forsters (Open Day 2)	17 October	21 November	TBC	Find more information here.
Freshfields (First Year Insight Scheme)	21 October	4 December	TBC	First-year undergraduate students from any discipline. Apply here.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (Virtual Open Day)	1 September	14 November	4 December 2025	Find more information here.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (First Year Scheme)	1 September	16 February	26 March 2026	Find more information here.
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (Open Day)	TBC	7 September	18 September 2025	Apply here.
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (Social Mobility Open Day)	17 August	7 September	25 September 2025	Apply here.
Kennedys (Coffee Morning)	31 July	6 October	27 October 2025	Apply here.
Latham & Watkins (First Year Spring Scheme)	6 October	25 January	7 – 9 April 2026	Find more information here.
Latham & Watkins (Open Day 1)	1 September	5 October	22 October 2025	Find more information here.
Latham & Watkins (Open Day 2)	1 September	19 October	13 November 2025	Find more information here.
Latham & Watkins (Black Lawyers Open Day)	1 September	19 October	6 November 2025	Find more information here.
Latham & Watkins (LGBT+ Lawyers Open Day)	1 September	19 October	27 November 2025	Find more information here.
Macfarlanes	11 August	5 December	30 March – 2 April 2026	Apply here.
Mayer Brown (Open Day)	1 September	8 October	Date 1: 23 October 2025; Date 2: 30 October 2025.	More information here.
Paul, Weiss (Open Day 1)	4 September	TBC	24 September 2025	Find more information here.
Paul, Weiss (Open Day 2)	4 September	TBC	15 October 2025	Find more information here.
Paul, Weiss (Open Day 3)	4 September	TBC	19 November 2025	Find more information here.
Slaughter and May (Spring Open Day)	6 October	7 January	Date 1: 31 March 2026; Date 2: 8 April 2026; Date 3: 16 April 2026	For first year students and second year students on a four-year degree. Find more information here.

 

[HJoachim]

Has anyone heard back from A&O shearman for the open day

 

[Shahenshah]

Has anyone heard back from A&O shearman for the open day

I have, I got the email confirming my place yesterday, applied a few days late on 8 August.

 

[Shahenshah]

Has anyone who applied for the Jones Day open evening heard back? I vaguely remember seeing "place confirmed" when I applied but haven't received any emails and am worried I hallucinated the confirmation on their website.

 

[confusedbird]

I have, I got the email confirming my place yesterday, applied a few days late on 8 August.

Thank you for this. Seems like they're responding in about 10 days rather than within a week (which is what the application said).

 

[JasmineM9]

Has anyone who applied for the Jones Day open evening heard back? I vaguely remember seeing "place confirmed" when I applied but haven't received any emails and am worried I hallucinated the confirmation on their website.

The same happened to me. I genuinely thought I put the wrong email in😆

 

[JasmineM9]

Anyone know when we will likely hear back after applying to the TCLA Willkie Open Day? @Ram Sabaratnam @Jaysen

 

[Shahenshah]

The same happened to me. I genuinely thought I put the wrong email in😆

Can't even go back to check what I entered! Just suppose it's a waiting game now - which one did you apply for? I applied for Tuesday so I'm guessing they'll send the details for the Tuesday one soon?

 

[JasmineM9]

Can't even go back to check what I entered! Just suppose it's a waiting game now - which one did you apply for? I applied for Tuesday so I'm guessing they'll send the details for the Tuesday one soon?

Same! Yes we will wait and see 😌

 

[HJoachim]

Thank you for this. Seems like they're responding in about 10 days rather than within a week (which is what the application said).

I applied on the 6th August so seems like I've been rejected lmao
Still not heard a peep

 

[berocca567]

Does anyone know if you can apply to a firm's Open Day and its Vacation Scheme in the same cycle? I'm sure it probably depends on the firm, but is there a more common answer?

 

[OliviaPope]

Does anyone know if you can apply to a firm's Open Day and its Vacation Scheme in the same cycle? I'm sure it probably depends on the firm, but is there a more common answer?

Yes you can apply to both

 

[noahsmiit01]

Has anyone heard back from A&O shearman for the open day

Where did you apply? There’s nothing on their website neither on this table above

 

[JasmineM9]

Hello, did anyone receive confirmation from Jones Day for the open evening on the 26 August? I can no longer attend but I am not sure how to contact them to withdraw my place

 

[confusedbird]

I applied on the 6th August so seems like I've been rejected lmao
Still not heard a peep

same. I heard back today letting me know that they no longer have places for the day and that we could apply to another one they plan to host further into the application cycle.

 

[LawbeginnerSeptember2025]

Hi everyone!

We've compiled a list of law firms that are currently accepting applications for open days and insight schemes (including those aimed at first year students). These events offer a great chance to get to know specific firms, especially if you're unable to apply for vacation schemes and can only apply using direct training contract routes. The list will be regularly updated throughout the application cycle, so keep checking back for the latest opportunities.

Good luck with your application cycle!

Open Day and Insight Scheme Deadlines 2025/26 ​

Firm Name	Opening Date	Closing Date	Event Date	Additional Comments
A&O Shearman (First Year Scheme)	5 January	9 February	31 March – 1 April 2026	Apply here.
Ashurst (First Year Insight Scheme)	5 January	27 February	9 April 2026	Application deadline is at 12 noon. Apply here.
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (Open Day)	1 August	20 September	8 Oct 2025	Apply here.
Forsters (First Year Insight Scheme)	4 September	24 April	TBC	Find more information here.
Forsters (Open Day 1)	4 September	16 October	TBC	Find more information here.
Forsters (Open Day 2)	17 October	21 November	TBC	Find more information here.
Freshfields (First Year Insight Scheme)	21 October	4 December	TBC	First-year undergraduate students from any discipline. Apply here.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (Virtual Open Day)	1 September	14 November	4 December 2025	Find more information here.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (First Year Scheme)	1 September	16 February	26 March 2026	Find more information here.
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (Open Day)	TBC	7 September	18 September 2025	Apply here.
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (Social Mobility Open Day)	17 August	7 September	25 September 2025	Apply here.
Kennedys (Coffee Morning)	31 July	6 October	27 October 2025	Apply here.
Latham & Watkins (First Year Spring Scheme)	6 October	25 January	7 – 9 April 2026	Find more information here.
Latham & Watkins (Open Day 1)	1 September	5 October	22 October 2025	Find more information here.
Latham & Watkins (Open Day 2)	1 September	19 October	13 November 2025	Find more information here.
Latham & Watkins (Black Lawyers Open Day)	1 September	19 October	6 November 2025	Find more information here.
Latham & Watkins (LGBT+ Lawyers Open Day)	1 September	19 October	27 November 2025	Find more information here.
Macfarlanes	11 August	5 December	30 March – 2 April 2026	Apply here.
Mayer Brown (Open Day)	1 September	8 October	Date 1: 23 October 2025; Date 2: 30 October 2025.	More information here.
Paul, Weiss (Open Day 1)	4 September	TBC	24 September 2025	Find more information here.
Paul, Weiss (Open Day 2)	4 September	TBC	15 October 2025	Find more information here.
Paul, Weiss (Open Day 3)	4 September	TBC	19 November 2025	Find more information here.
Slaughter and May (Spring Open Day)	6 October	7 January	Date 1: 31 March 2026; Date 2: 8 April 2026; Date 3: 16 April 2026	For first year students and second year students on a four-year degree. Find more information here.

I’m beginning my first year of Law at Exeter in September 2025, can I apply to these or do I need to have completed my first year of university before doing so?

 

[Jaysen]

Anyone know when we will likely hear back after applying to the TCLA Willkie Open Day? @Ram Sabaratnam @Jaysen

We'll be coming back to everyone by the 9th September

 

[Shahenshah]

Where did you apply? There’s nothing on their website neither on this table above

It was on their website! I'm a postgraduate so not eligible for any of their vacation schemes so hoping the Open Day, along with a strong direct TC application, this cycle will result in an interview. The applications opened earlier this month for the Open Day and are rolling so I'm guessing they've closed it now.