ULaw campus director Zoe King on nailing the first introduction, asking better questions and building a career in the southwest
Hanging back at a law fair, or grabbing the freebies and leaving, is a wasted opportunity. That is the view of Zoe King, campus director at The University of Law (ULaw), who looks after its Bristol, Exeter and Oxford Brookes campuses. Ahead of Legal Cheek Live in Bristol, she spoke to Legal Cheek Careers about getting the most out of recruitment events and why the southwest is a great place to start a legal career.
King is a non-law graduate who did a conversion course and the LPC before starting work at a Bristol firm doing commercial work. About 15 years ago, she moved to ULaw, initially to teach. Her time in practice, she says, taught her to focus on achieving the client’s objectives, a lesson she has passed on to students. “You’ve got to consider client objectives, meeting deadlines, and maintaining relationships with other stakeholders as part of the overall picture,” she explains. It is a commercial mindset that she tries to bring into workshop discussions, with an emphasis on being concise, precise and focused on what the client needs.
That mindset is useful at careers events too. While virtual recruitment is convenient, King says it is good to have the choice of both, since virtual and in-person options suit different schedules. Still, she believes “many people find in-person events easier and more memorable for establishing interactions and having high-quality conversations”. Those personal interactions, she adds, matter to recruiters and applicants alike.
For many students, walking up to a stand is the hard part. King is sympathetic. “Most people, if not everyone, feel that intimidation”, she says, and “it is certainly something I felt when going to recruitment events”. Her advice is to treat it as a natural conversation. Introduce yourself, share a brief detail about where you are in your studies, and ask for the person’s name and role at the firm. Knowing their role “helps you tailor subsequent questions”, she says, so those short opening exchanges build rapport from the start.
Tailoring is also the key to asking a good question. With a trainee or newly qualified lawyer, King suggests asking “what attracted them to the firm, what they do in their current seat and how they find the day-to-day tasks”. With recruiters, “ask what they look for, typical qualification areas or how the recruitment process works”. For partners, questions can focus on strategy and clients.
What should you avoid? Anything “very obvious on the website or overly general”, such as asking what practice areas a firm covers, because “that signals a lack of research and interest”. Instead, she recommends preparing a target list of firms beforehand and using the event to get beneath the surface, perhaps by asking about day-to-day firm life or past and upcoming secondments. “An informed question achieves a double purpose: you obtain valuable insights while demonstrating genuine research and interest,” she says.
Given how busy law fairs get, King says students need to be realistic about the limited time on offer: “A clear introduction, speaking clearly and asking well-researched questions will make the strongest impression”. She also recommends bringing a pen and notepad to jot down the names of the people you speak to and brief details of the conversation. That lets you follow up later and reference specific insights. “Because representatives speak with many people, a thoughtful follow-up helps keep you in their mind”, she explains.
When it comes to timing, “if a representative shares their contact details, that is an invitation to get in touch”, and students should not wait months until the conversation is forgotten. If they have not offered contact details but you have had a good conversation, King suggests asking whether they mind connecting on LinkedIn and thank them for their time. In applications, she says, the key is “to link the conversation directly to the specific application question”. Whether the prompt is about firm culture, legal technology or a particular practice area, “mention that you spoke with a specific representative, summarise what they shared and explain why it resonated with you”.
At these events, King sees two common mistakes. The first, driven by nerves, is hanging back without speaking or simply taking promotional freebies and leaving, which “wastes an opportunity to learn what cannot be found on a website”. The second is failing to research beforehand and asking basic questions that show a lack of prior engagement.
Turning to Bristol, King is an enthusiastic ambassador. “Bristol is a fantastic city to study, live, and work in, with a collaborative, relaxed feel and beautiful surroundings,” she says. ULaw students also have access to pro bono and mentoring opportunities, and the opportunity to experience high-quality legal work across the city.
The wider market is, in her words, “expanding”, with regional firms “eager to attract lawyers who will remain in the southwest long term”. There has long been strong demand in corporate, commercial, real estate, infrastructure, energy and renewables, but she describes the market as broad and innovative. “Bristol has also become a significant hub for legal tech innovation, featuring active collaboration between firms,” she adds.
How does it compare with London? Individual experiences vary by firm, King says, but “Bristol generally offers a better work-life balance”. She adds that there is often potential for greater client exposure and earlier responsibility within smaller teams, while “the quality of work and clients across diverse practice areas remains top-tier”.
Newcomers need not worry about finding their feet either. Building a network in the region is “very straightforward”, she says, and one of the standout benefits of the regional market. She points to strong inter-firm interaction, an active Law Society, a vibrant Junior Lawyers Division and regular events such as legal walks and speed networking, which foster a close-knit community.
For applicants who are not originally from the southwest, the message is to be upfront. “Firms want to know you intend to stay post-qualification, so applications should explicitly articulate your reasons for choosing the region,” King says. That means explaining any prior connections to the area or what specifically attracts you to living and building a long-term career there.
Her top tip for anyone heading to Legal Cheek Live in Bristol is to do the groundwork. “Conduct thorough research beforehand and enter the event with a clear plan regarding who you want to speak with and what specific information will support your vacation scheme or training contract applications.”
Finally, King ponders what she would tell her student self. “Keep an open mind about practice areas,” she says. Students may envision qualifying into a particular field, but “attending insight days, speaking with practitioners, and experiencing different seats can completely shift your perspective”. Her second tip applies to anyone who is naturally softly spoken: “practice speaking up so you can be heard clearly in busy event spaces”.
Zoe will be giving a workshop at Legal Cheek Live in Bristol, an in-person student event taking place at M Shed TOMMORROW (Tuesday 20 October). Secure your place now.
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