Would greatly appreciate any helpful tips on how to make the most out of an Open Day. Will be attending my first one and I would love to be prepared pre/during/post open day. Thanks x
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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2026-27
- Thread starter Abbie Whitlock
- Start date
How do you answer the question: why do you want to attend an open day at X firm?
I feel like this has been discussed before but I am not able to find specific content on how to write about them.
I feel like this has been discussed before but I am not able to find specific content on how to write about them.
Hi!
Congratulations on securing your first Open Day!
A few things that I would recommend:
- Do a bit of research beforehand so that you have a good understanding of the firm's practice areas, strategy, and recent work. This will help you ask more thoughtful questions, and get more out of the sessions.
- Come prepared with a few questions, but don't feel like you need to ask loads. It is much better to ask one or two questions that you are genuinely interested in than to ask something just for the sake of it. It is good to be engaged with the sessions, but there is no need to try and talk at all times.
- Speak to as many people as you can, including trainees, associates and members of the graduate recruitment team. They all have different perspectives and can give you valuable insights into the firms in different areas.
- Related to point two, but be engaged throughout the day. Participate in discussions, introduce yourself to people and show genuine curiosity about the firm and its work. I always liked to prepare a semi-elevator pitch before attending open days - for example, my name, current stage, and motivations.
- Afterwards, spend a bit of time reflecting on what you learned. Make a note of anything that stood out to you, conversations you had, and specific examples that reinforced your interest in the firm. Those details can be incredibly useful when it comes to writing a vacation scheme or training contract application later on, and it can be easy for smaller things to slip your mind.
I hope you have a great time!
Hey!
A good way to approach this question is to explain why the Open Day is the right next step in your research, rather than simply repeating why you want to work at the firm.
I would usually structure it like this:
1. Briefly explain what attracts you to the firm (e.g. its culture, practice areas, strategy, or a particular initiative).
2. Explain what you hope to gain from attending the Open Day. For example, you might want to learn more about the firm's work, speak to trainees about their experiences, or better understand what makes the firm's culture unique. This is typically the biggest chunk of your answer, and is what distinguishes an Open Day application from a VS one.
3. Finish by explaining how attending the Open Day will help you submit a stronger future application. For example, you could say that speaking to trainees about their experiences in a particular practice area or learning more about the firm's approach to client work will allow you to better understand what distinguishes the firm and why it aligns with your own interests and career goals.
The key thing is to be as specific as you can. Rather than saying you want to "learn more about the firm", explain what you want to learn and why that is important to you. Showing that you have researched the firm and have a genuine reason for wanting to attend will make your answer much stronger.
I hope that assists!
Thank you so much Abbie! Really helpful xHi!
Congratulations on securing your first Open Day!
A few things that I would recommend:
Most importantly, I would try to enjoy it!! Open days are just as much about you getting to know the firm as they are about the firm getting to know you, so make the most of the opportunity.
- Do a bit of research beforehand so that you have a good understanding of the firm's practice areas, strategy, and recent work. This will help you ask more thoughtful questions, and get more out of the sessions.
- Come prepared with a few questions, but don't feel like you need to ask loads. It is much better to ask one or two questions that you are genuinely interested in than to ask something just for the sake of it. It is good to be engaged with the sessions, but there is no need to try and talk at all times.
- Speak to as many people as you can, including trainees, associates and members of the graduate recruitment team. They all have different perspectives and can give you valuable insights into the firms in different areas.
- Related to point two, but be engaged throughout the day. Participate in discussions, introduce yourself to people and show genuine curiosity about the firm and its work. I always liked to prepare a semi-elevator pitch before attending open days - for example, my name, current stage, and motivations.
- Afterwards, spend a bit of time reflecting on what you learned. Make a note of anything that stood out to you, conversations you had, and specific examples that reinforced your interest in the firm. Those details can be incredibly useful when it comes to writing a vacation scheme or training contract application later on, and it can be easy for smaller things to slip your mind.
I hope you have a great time!
Thank you Abbie! This is immensely helpful!Hey!
A good way to approach this question is to explain why the Open Day is the right next step in your research, rather than simply repeating why you want to work at the firm.
I would usually structure it like this:
1. Briefly explain what attracts you to the firm (e.g. its culture, practice areas, strategy, or a particular initiative).
2. Explain what you hope to gain from attending the Open Day. For example, you might want to learn more about the firm's work, speak to trainees about their experiences, or better understand what makes the firm's culture unique. This is typically the biggest chunk of your answer, and is what distinguishes an Open Day application from a VS one.
3. Finish by explaining how attending the Open Day will help you submit a stronger future application. For example, you could say that speaking to trainees about their experiences in a particular practice area or learning more about the firm's approach to client work will allow you to better understand what distinguishes the firm and why it aligns with your own interests and career goals.
The key thing is to be as specific as you can. Rather than saying you want to "learn more about the firm", explain what you want to learn and why that is important to you. Showing that you have researched the firm and have a genuine reason for wanting to attend will make your answer much stronger.
I hope that assists!
(Apologies for the name error, sorry!)
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hey!! for the work exp section im rlly struggling how in depth to do it/whether to show competencies of examples when i did something specific, is there a way to go about this @Abbie Whitlock
Hey!
I would definitely recommend using a few specific examples where you can, rather than just listing your general responsibilities. You don't need to explain every task in huge detail, though - the key is to give enough context to show what you did, how you did it and what skill/competency that demonstrates.
For example, instead of: "Assisted with legal research and drafted documents", you could say something like: "Researched case law on X and summarised my findings for the associate, identifying key authorities that could be used to support the client's position. I then assisted with drafting the relevant section of the advice".
This gives the graduate recruitment team a much better idea of what you actually did, while naturally demonstrating skills like legal research, attention to detail and communication.
I would prioritise the examples that show the most responsibility, initiative, or transferable skills, rather than trying to cover absolutely everything you did. A few well-chosen specific examples will generally be much stronger than a long list of tasks!
thank you!Hey!
I would definitely recommend using a few specific examples where you can, rather than just listing your general responsibilities. You don't need to explain every task in huge detail, though - the key is to give enough context to show what you did, how you did it and what skill/competency that demonstrates.
For example, instead of: "Assisted with legal research and drafted documents", you could say something like: "Researched case law on X and summarised my findings for the associate, identifying key authorities that could be used to support the client's position. I then assisted with drafting the relevant section of the advice".
This gives the graduate recruitment team a much better idea of what you actually did, while naturally demonstrating skills like legal research, attention to detail and communication.
I would prioritise the examples that show the most responsibility, initiative, or transferable skills, rather than trying to cover absolutely everything you did. A few well-chosen specific examples will generally be much stronger than a long list of tasks!
Late night thoughts with Novaa... Does anyone know anyone who has got a TC at Clifford Chance WITHOUT being on Spark? Like I know they exist, but I just need the hope LOL
it's 50% non spark and spark! and yes, I know of people who got it through the TC route :>
omg shes back - congrats on the tc!!
I'm currently in the process of re-drafting my work experience for applications. For context, I'm a recent grad, RG uni with 1st class honours, and did an app cycle last year but was unsuccessful (though i did make it to a fair few VIs, nothing beyond that). I'm now worried that since I've not been able to secure a TC and my search for work experience in the meantime hasn't worked out so far, there's a gap in my work ex that grad rec will not look favourably on. I'm currently a research assistant under one of my professors but that's about it. Any tips or advice on how to tackle this cycle? I'd really appreciate it! @Abbie Whitlock
Trying to apply for the A&O Open Day on 17th September but it seems that the earliest graduation year you can enter is 2025 (then 2026, 2027 etc.). Does this mean they don't accept applications from those of us who graduated before 2025? The form literally doesn't let me proceed unless I put something in.
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Elle Woods cameo!
But that’s so reassuring, let me keep them on my tracker. Thank you!!!
Hey @Abbie Whitlock
I’d like to pick your brain about extracurricular activities questions. They give me so much trouble, as I haven’t taken a leadership role in any society in uni, or do not have a “cool” or “out of the norm” hobby. Is there a way to answer these questions without sounding boring or uninteresting?
I’d like to pick your brain about extracurricular activities questions. They give me so much trouble, as I haven’t taken a leadership role in any society in uni, or do not have a “cool” or “out of the norm” hobby. Is there a way to answer these questions without sounding boring or uninteresting?
Apps it’s an error in the form cos someone asked grad rec and they said grads can apply. So they said to put in the earliest date from the drop down list and then enter your actual grad date in one of the manual text boxes and you’ll be good to go.
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