Macfarlanes LLP

20 Cursitor Street, London EC4A 1LT 

Tel: 020 7831 9222 

Fax: 020 7831 9607 

Email: gradrec@macfarlanes.com 

Web: www.macfarlanes.com/careers/trainee-solicitors.aspx

Training Contract

Vacancies: up to 30 for September 2014/March 2015 intake

Deadline: 31 July 2012 

Minimum qualification: 2.1 - anticipated or achieved 

Starting salary: £38,000 

Sponsorship: We provide a maintenance allowance for CPE/GDL students, £7,000 for courses studied in London, Guildford and Oxford, and £6,250 for courses studied elsewhere.  We also provide a maintenance allowance for LPC students of £7,000.

Method of application: Online application form 

Applications to: Vicki Wood 

Vacation Schemes

Vacancies: up to 55 for our 2013 Vacation Schemes 

Applications: available online from 1 November 2012 and close on 31 January 2013

The Firm

Macfarlanes is a leading City law firm. We are recognised for the quality of our work, not just in dealing with the full range of corporate and commercial matters, but in advising our clients on their private affairs. They trust our judgement and we are in a unique position to advise on their most complex matters, while at the same time remaining smaller than our competitors. 

As advisers to many of the world's leading businesses and business leaders, we manage international matters in an effective and seamless manner. 

We give clients a single point of contact and co-ordinate advice across all relevant jurisdictions.

Work areas

Advertising & Marketing; Agriculture; Arbitration; ADR; Banking; Charities; Commercial Litigation; Commercial Real Estate; Company & Commercial; Computer & IT; Construction; Corporate Finance; Corporate Tax; Defamation; EC & Competition; Employment; Environment; Insolvency; Insurance/Reinsurance; Intellectual Property; Media & Entertainment; Mergers and Acquisitions; Multimedia; and Private Client. 

Training programme

Woven into every aspect of life at the firm is an enduring commitment to the development of trainees.  Training begins with tailored electives on the LPC at BPP and a week long induction course at the start of your training contract.

During the two-year training contract you will be working on real cases, doing real work for real clients.  As a trainee you will complete four six-month seats in different areas of practice; typically it is one seat in corporate and M&A, a seat in one of our specialised areas within corporate and then two seats within real estate, private client, corporate tax or litigation.  The precise allocation of seats is flexible so that we can offer you as broad a legal training as possible.  Support and guidance are, of course, vital and you will find your supervisor a valuable source of information and inspiration

Work Experience

A vacation scheme at Macfarlanes is about giving vacation students a two-week snapshot into life as a trainee. Vacation students will spend each week in a different department working alongside a partner, assistant solicitor or a trainee. Work can include being asked to draft a real letter - and then working through the draft with a solicitor or trainee - or carrying out some research on a live issue for a client.

Who should apply

We believe the strongest firm is achieved by choosing a mix of people reflecting different styles so as to meet the needs that we - and our varied range of clients - will have in the future. We look for a rare combination of intellectual curiosity, character and drive. We are looking for ambitious trainees who will thrive on responsibility and challenges who are ready to begin their careers on day one. We welcome applications from candidates with either a law or non-law background who expect, or have achieved a 2.1 degree classification.

Future Trainee Profile

Ravteg Dhesi

Joins as a trainee in September 2013

Studied European Politics and International Relations, University of Cardiff

I graduated from the University of Cardiff with a BScEcon (Hons) in European Politics and International Relations in 2009.  A career in law had always interested me, but I was never sure whether to pursue it immediately after completing my first degree, so I attended the law fairs at university to learn more about the options available.  Having looked at various routes, I decided to apply for a two-year graduate-entry LLB in Law at Queen Mary University of London, rather than study the GDL. 

Whilst I had been a student at Cardiff, I completed several internships in the political field, but had no previous experience in law.  I devoted a lot of time during the first year of my law studies to broadening my exposure outside of the lecture theatre.  I worked for the Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre in my first year which provided me with a fantastic opportunity to interact with solicitors from City law firms who were providing pro-bono legal advice to members of the public.  I also volunteered with my department’s Pro Bono Society and was a member of the Mooting Society.  The year culminated with being offered a funded legal research scholarship into constitutional law at the University of Cambridge during the summer holidays.  I am in no doubt that all of this ‘professional experience’ helped in my application to Macfarlanes.

Initially I decided to apply to a handful of firms for their summer vacation schemes in 2010.  After various assessment days and interviews with partners, I was offered a two-week paid vacation scheme placement with Macfarlanes.  The vacation scheme itself was by far the most beneficial experience to date.  It helped to provide an insight into the corporate legal world, broaden my understanding of the various practices and departments on offer and, more importantly, learn more about the firm itself.  

From the first day at Macfarlanes it was evident that a lot of time and resources had been invested to ensure we all gained as much exposure to the firm as possible.  I spent my first week shadowing a trainee solicitor in Mergers & Acquisitions.  I was able to help with a variety of work including due diligence and researching contracts for ongoing deals.  My second week was spent in Corporate Tax, shadowing another trainee solicitor as well as a senior associate, who was working with a client based in Italy.  My work included drafting letters to clients and researching and preparing summaries on recent case law.  Most evenings were spent getting to know the trainee solicitors and even the odd partner or two, through the various social events organised by the firm.  Speaking to people who had just began their professional careers with Macfarlanes over some informal drinks or a meal was a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the work on offer, the lifestyle and the ethos of the firm itself.

At the end of the two-week vacation scheme, we were offered the opportunity to make a formal application for a training contract.  The process culminated in two interviews, each with a Partner.  I was fortunate to be offered a training contract and, based on my experience in those two weeks, accepting the offer was a formality.  The quality of work undertaken by Macfarlanes as well as the atmosphere and ethos of the firm were the two overwhelming factors in my decision to accept.  Macfarlanes ticked all of the right boxes - investment in trainees, support and encouragement coupled with a higher level of responsibility from the outset, and varied practice areas that are amongst some of the leaders in the field. 

The support and interaction I have had with the firm since receiving my training contract has continued.  I decided to pursue an MA at University College London (UCL) last year, which meant deferring my training contract by one year to September 2013.  Macfarlanes were incredibly supportive of this and deferred my start date immediately, which means I shall be commencing my LPC with the rest of the 2013 cohort this September.  Based on my interaction with Macfarlanes to date, I am confident that it will be a productive and fruitful year.  

Solicitor Profile

Jaime Smith

Joined Macfarlanes as a Trainee in September 2009; qualified as a Solicitor in Employment, September 2011

Education: Law, University of Cardiff

I read law at Cardiff University from 2004 to 2007.  I was introduced to Macfarlanes at the Cardiff University law fair in my first year.  Following a two-week vacation scheme in the summer of my second year I was offered a training contract.  I started in September 2009 having taken a gap year between university and the LPC.  Starting work wasn’t as daunting as I imagined it would be.  Macfarlanes runs its own tailored LPC course at BPP Law School in London and so I knew my fellow trainees already.  Having 23 familiar faces on day one was a big advantage.

My four, six-month seats were in banking and finance, employment, mainstream corporate and private client property.  Macfarlanes is unusual in being a City firm with a private client department.  In practice it works well, providing great cross-selling opportunities.  

As a trainee at Macfarlanes you are given a lot of responsibility early on.  Macfarlanes uses small, partner lead deal teams with usually only one trainee, so you have an important role to play.  While this leaves you no where to hide, you receive lots of support and it means you learn very quickly.  During your training contract, trainees share an office with either a partner or a senior assistant in the department; observing them work and listening to them on the telephone is a useful part of the education.   

I qualified in September 2011 into the employment department.  As employees are widely protected by the European Union this area of law is heavily legislated with a large, ever changing body of case law which keeps it very interesting.  The work is varied being a mix of corporate support work which includes conducting employment due diligence into the companies our clients our looking to buy and negotiating the employment section of the share/business purchase agreement; independent advisory work which covers everything from one-off employment questions to running a redundancy or disciplinary process for a client and, finally, contentious work in the Employment Tribunals.  

One of the matters I am working on at the moment is for is a long standing pro bono client of the firm.  This charity has recently lost the re-tender of a services contract with the local council and we are advising on the potential transfer of the charity’s employees to the new contractor.  The client has a meeting with the council later this week and so I spoke to her this morning to help her prepare for the meeting, I then drafted the various letters which will be sent to the employees.  

I have found there is a fairly big jump from being a trainee to being newly qualified.  You look after your own clients and you are their first point of contact with the firm.  Whilst this is challenging at first, the support is still there and it makes the job all the more rewarding.  In answer to the question everyone asks, while there are some late nights, my hours (even when I was in Corporate) are not as bad as everyone imagines!

It’s not all work though.  I help run the firm’s netball team which plays in a league with other law and accountancy firms.  Macfarlanes also has successful football and touch rugby teams.  There is also a lot to get involved with for the firm’s charity of the year including an annual cabaret show which includes partner participation!