As a law student working towards my goal of becoming a practising solicitor, networking events and firm meet-ups have become regular fixtures in my life. When I signed up to cover a recent Meet & Greet event at City University, I anticipated a typical experience – a valuable, albeit routine, opportunity for students to connect with firms. But to my surprise, this small gathering of just five firms turned out to be one of the most insightful and genuinely engaging networking events I’ve attended as a prospective solicitor.

What truly set this event apart was the nature of the conversations. Networking events often follow a formula: firms highlight their unique selling points, students share a bit about their background, questions are asked, and business cards or QR codes are exchanged before moving along. Yet, this Meet & Greet had a more personal, almost refreshing quality to it. Of course, there was still a structure to each conversation, but the firm representatives genuinely seemed to care about what they were discussing.

One conversation, in particular, stood out to me. I spoke with a representative from a firm of just four solicitors – a small size by any standard. Which meant that while they had no training contracts or work experience to offer, it turned into the longest and most rewarding exchange of the event. There was no transactional element; instead, I felt like I was talking to someone who truly cared about the law and wanted to share their knowledge, purely for the sake of it. This genuine interest felt rare in a space where interactions often carry the weight of career progression.

While I found the event incredibly valuable, it was disheartening to see it quite underutilised. The room felt emptier than I’d expected, given how accessible and beneficial this gathering was for City St George’s students. Whether this was due to a lack of awareness or perhaps low student engagement, it seemed like a missed opportunity. Highlighting this underutilisation; at one point, I even noticed one firm’s table empty for over 15 minutes.

This experience highlighted the importance of not overlooking smaller events. Larger events often draw larger numbers of student with their bigger names and numerous firms, but smaller meet-ups like this one provide unique insights and meaningful connections that students might not find elsewhere. In retrospect, I’d encourage fellow students to attend more of these intimate gatherings; sometimes, it’s these smaller conversations that leave the biggest impact on your journey toward a legal career.

Jack Dickinson is a current GDL student hoping to practice as a Solicitor in the future. He has a particular interest in Financial and Intellectual Property law and hopes to progress into these practice areas in the future. You can find out what he’s currently up to at his LinkedIn.

For a view on the Meet and Greet from a bar perspective, take a look at J’s post.