Law firms 'to increase campus visits'

Several top law firms are planning to increase the number of universities they target during for graduate recruitment, according to reports.

Legal Week said that practices including Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer will visit more campuses from September, partly in a bid to improve the diversity of their talent pools.

Other firms, like Hogan Lovells, are increasing their university visits after cutting back during the economic downturn.

The publication noted that recruiters are looking to cast their nets wider as impending changes to the tuition fees system in England are expected to encourage more students to go to universities nearer their home in order to keep down costs.

Several high-profile firms, including Pinsent Masons and Slaughter & May, had already increased their campus visits during last year's recruitment round, it added.

However, one top 20 law firm - Simmons & Simmons - has actually reduced the number of universities it visits in the past two years.

Anna King, the company's graduate recruitment and development manager, said, "Working with a smaller number of universities enables us to go to them more frequently and develop strong ties with a wider pool within each institution."