Hey!
That's a great question - it can feel a bit unclear at first, but the way that it is worded suggests that Farrer & Co is looking for anything you've done beyond academics and formal work experience that shows initiative, genuine interest in law, or development of relevant skills.
You are not limited to legal events - you can include both law-related engagement and extracurricular activities that helped you build qualities valuable to a future solicitor.
As such, I would break it down into two parts:
1. What you have done outside education / work experience
Examples could include:
- Open days, law firm events, webinars
- Mooting / negotiation / debating
- Legal podcasts, newsletters, books you have read
- Volunteering, clinics, pro bono
- Societies, sports teams, leadership positions
- Hobbies that show discipline, teamwork, resilience, communication, etc.
2. Why those experiences helped prepare you for a legal career
Focus on the skills or insights that you developed, such as:
- Legal research, advocacy, and commercial awareness
- Teamwork, time management, and organisations
- Exposure to the legal profession and understanding of different practice areas
- Commitment, initiative, and curiosity about the profession
You might structure your answer as:
- Brief intro sentence
- One or two legal-focused activities and what you learned from them
- One or two extracurricular / hobby examples and the relevant transferable skills
- Make it clear why these position you well for training at Farrer & Co
From my time on the firm's vacation scheme, I really got the sense that Farrer & Co value individuality and want to understand what makes each candidate unique, rather than just seeing a checklist of legal experience. Therefore, if you have a hobby or extracurricular that's meaningful to you and has helped you develop transferable skills (e.g. teamwork, resilience, organisation, communication, etc.), it's definitely worth including it! It doesn't have to be strictly legal - the firm appreciates well-rounded applicants. Just make sure you explain why the activity helped prepare you for a career in law, rather than just listing it.
I hope that helps - best of luck with the application!
