Southampton Law School offers a range of opportunities in which both legal and non-legal employers and other organisations can raise their profile, promote their job opportunities and engage with our students and graduates.
Law Careers Fair
This highly successful annual event is attended by Law students from all years, including postgraduate students. University of Southampton non-Law students interested in Law are also invited. Typically, over 200 students attend.
A range of employers and organisations, including global and regional law firms, Chambers and postgraduate training providers compete for the opportunity to come and engage with our students.
Team building
The Team Building Programme at Southampton Law School takes place at the start of the academic year and is the initial opportunity for our first year students to meet in an informal setting and engage with their tutorial group. Students participate in a number of practical activities which emphasise the benefits of an effective learning group and the need for strong team working skills, problem solving, organisation and planning - essential for their future careers.
During the activities, students also meet lecturers and their Law mentor. Students carry forward their team skills into their LLB programme through the Womble Bond Dickinson Challenge. This involves each group researching, preparing and delivering a presentation on a specific legal topic and culminates in an evening reception in which students can network with legal professionals from Womble Bond Dickinson, who generously support the event.
Year in Employment opportunities
Southampton Law School is delighted to offer a Year in Employment programme with the international law firm Reed Smith. This gives successful applicants from Southampton Law School an unrivalled opportunity to apply to spend a year gaining practical legal experience as part of their LLB degree programme.
The programme launched in 2021 and three students who completed their placement were all offered Training Contracts.
Students can also apply for the University Year in Employment placements through the Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise.
Employability Skills Lectures
These lectures have been carefully chosen to provide students with the essential skills and knowledge to successfully apply for vacation schemes, mini-pupillages, Training Contracts, Pupillages and non-legal graduate jobs.
These lectures are delivered primarily by a Careers Consultant for Southampton Law School from the Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team, who is an expert in these skills and supporting our students in making a successful transition into employment or further study.
The Careers Programme
The Careers Programme is a unique programme designed specifically for Southampton Law School students to improve their understanding of the range of careers open to them following their degree course.
Many of the sessions are led by graduates of Southampton Law School and students not only learn from their experience but also get the opportunity to network and broaden their range of contacts. Examples of sessions include: Careers in Commercial Real Estate with a City law firm, Careers at the Law Commission, The Local Government Lawyer.
Student Societies
Our student law societies are very active and run an excellent range of events throughout the year including workshops, talks, moots and drop-in sessions from law firms, Barristers Chambers and other legal organisations and employers.
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Marshalling
Marshalling schemes provide students with an unrivalled opportunity to gain first-hand insights into the work of leading judges. Previous successful applicants have benefited from the opportunity to spend time with barristers and judges, to attend court cases, to discuss cases with judges and to attend ceremonial events such as the swearing in of the Lord Chancellor.
Mooting
All our first year students undertake a Moot as part of their Legal Skills module, judged by regional and city lawyers, judges and barristers. Mooting competitions are also run by our student societies and they have benefitted from support from individuals as well as firms and Chambers. This has helped to ensure the success of our students in regional, national and international mooting and negotiation competitions.
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Law School Prizes
Employers and organisations regularly offer a range of different prizes to students. These include, for example, best performance/runner(s) up in each academic year and module specific prizes.
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Ambassadorial Roles
Ambassadorial roles are designed for second and final year students to gain a greater insight into a prospective employer while also refining a number of important employability skills.
Guest Speakers and Seminars
High profile guest speakers are invited to discuss and debate the most important legal issues of the day. Past speakers include Baroness Lady Hale, Lord Neuberger, Lord Justice Briggs, Dame Jennifer Roberts, and the former Chair of the England and Wales Parole Board, Professor Nick Hardwick. Alumni and connections from local, national and global firms, chambers and business organisations also join us to offer insight into their fields of expertise.