IE University Hosts Legal Talent Fair Connecting Law Students with Spanish Firms

IE University hosted the Feria de Talento Jurídico at IE Tower, bringing together undergraduate law students and master’s candidates with recruiters from Spanish law firms as part of Talent & Careers’ ongoing employer engagement efforts.

The on-campus event, held in Spanish, welcomed students in the final years of undergraduate law degrees, as well as candidates from the Máster de Acceso a la Abogacía, offering them direct access to firms actively recruiting for open selection processes.

A targeted gateway to the Spanish legal market

Designed as a focused recruitment event, the Legal Talent Fair (Feria Juridica) aimed to provide students with a clearer understanding of the Spanish legal market while facilitating direct interaction with human resources representatives from participating firms. The fair emphasized early engagement, as many of the attending organizations already had selection processes underway.

"For the Feria de Talento Jurídico we welcomed 55 recruiters from 20 leading law firms, including 6 IE alumni, who engaged with 83 highly motivated students throughout the event. The energy in the room was fantastic, with thoughtful exchanges that are already opening doors to future opportunities. Moments like these remind us of the impact we can achieve through strong cross-team collaboration," said Silvia Martinez Ruiz, organizer Feria Juridica.  

Students attended the event in two time slots throughout the day, allowing for structured engagement and one-on-one conversations with recruiters.

Firms across practice areas and formats

The fair featured a broad lineup of law firms and professional services organizations operating in Spain. Participating employers included Augusta Abogados, BDO Abogados, Broseta, Bufete Choclán, Clarke Modet, Ecija, FinReg360, Forvis Mazars, Hive Legal, LetsLaw, Ramón y Cajal Abogados, RCD, Auren, Act Legal, Clyde & Co, Garrido Asesores Fiscales, Lener, Mavens, Seegman, and UHY Fay & Co.

Recruiters engaged with students throughout the day, discussing open roles, desired profiles, and selection processes, while offering insight into different career paths within the legal sector.

Cayetana Padró López-Tapia, Corporate & Private Equity Director at Hive Legal, emphasized the importance of mindset alongside technical preparation.

"You need three super important things. Attitude is what we value most in people. Effort, which is closely tied to attitude," she said.

She added that while technical preparation matters, it is often attitude that makes the difference in recruitment decisions.

"Knowledge and skills add up, but attitude multiplies," Padró López-Tapia said. "The success formula is attitude multiplied by knowledge and skills."

During her interaction with students, she encouraged candidates to think carefully about how they present themselves in competitive selection processes.

"If you only had the opportunity to sell yourself and get hired with one sentence, what would it be? That’s my signature phrase in every interview."

Preparing students for early recruitment

Ahead of the event, students were encouraged to prepare by reviewing company information related to vacancies, profiles, and recruitment timelines, reinforcing the importance of readiness in a competitive hiring environment.

Recruiters also highlighted the importance of motivation and attitude over purely academic criteria when assessing early-career candidates.

Eva Alonso, an HR representative at BDO Abogados, said the firm looks primarily for candidates who show enthusiasm and a clear desire to grow professionally.

"We’re not looking for anything specific academically," Alonso said. "We look for people who are motivated, who are looking for their dream job, and who are enthusiastic about working and growing in their roles."

She noted that BDO has previous experience hiring IE students and alumni, including former students who now hold managerial positions within the firm, and that this year marked the company’s second participation in the Legal Talent Fair.

Building Professional Presence and Practical Insight

In addition to networking opportunities, a professional photographer was present during both the morning and afternoon sessions, allowing students to update their professional headshots for use on platforms such as LinkedIn.

Claudia Montan, a PPLE-ELMB student, highlighted the importance of seeing how academic learning translates into real-world legal work.

"We study a lot of law, but events like this help you see how what we’re learning is actually applied in practice," she said. "I’m looking to get to know firms that can show me that."

The Feria de Talento Jurídico forms part of IE Talent & Careers’ broader strategy to connect students with employers through structured, market-specific recruitment initiatives that reflect current hiring practices in the legal sector.