Despite being back to university in ‘normal-ish’ style (if you forget the mask wearing and bigger classrooms), law fairs and pupillage fairs are still very much virtual. These give you a chance to sign up for workshops and webinars on all manner of subjects, from help with applications, insights to specific firms/chambers to guidance on funding assessment day masterclasses.

As you would at an in-person fair, there will be opportunities to meet trainees from different firms and gain insight into what it is really like to work in a particular area of practice.

All About Law’s Virtual Law Fair runs for a whole week – 18th-22nd October – with workshops and presentations to attend every day. Last year they had over 20,000 attendees and 100 exhibitors. Their special platform also offers lots of guidance pieces on helping you prepare for the fair, and what to do to get the most out of it. Have a look at the site and register for your place.

Legal Cheek also have a virtual law fair series running throughout this term, with one in October, November and December. They tell us how it works:

The Fairs feature a virtual expo hall divided between large, medium and small booths. There are also a number of breakout workshops running at scheduled times over the course of each Fair. Students wander between the booths while also attending any workshops they are interested in.

Inside the booths there is a livestream that allows students to join in video chats with lawyers, graduate recruitment experts and trainees. Students can also submit written questions in the live chats and browse custom firm content.

Might be worth listening to this podcast from LawCareers.net which offers great advice on how to prepare for law fairs, including what sort of questions to ask. You can also read this account of the Legal Cheek Law Fair last year by one of our students, Ibra Farooq.

For those interested in the Bar there is also a Virtual Pupillage Fair run by Legal Cheek – one in October (9th) and one in December. There will be around 40 virtual booths with chambers so attendees can have live video conversations or submit questions in the chat. There will also be a number of workshops on careers and commercial awareness to dip into. The big one though, is the Bar Council Pupillage Fair – Saturday 16th October.

With over 80 barristers chambers in attendance, the Pupillage Fair will give you the chance to get advice from barristers, discuss your prospects with representatives from a wide range of pupillage providers and other experts from across the Bar and hear how to build your CV and access sources of funding and support. There is also a wide range of advice and panel sessions to attend.

Finally, there is the National Pupillage Fair, run by TargetJobs, in November (27th), which is…wait for it…in person! This will be held at The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn. You’ll get the chance to speak to a wide range of chambers, gain insights from those working in the profession and get advice on a range of topics via the programme of talks. For an example of these, there is one available from last year’s event on the TargetJobs YouTube Channel.