Macfarlanes

Next deadline

Spring Vacation Scheme 2027 · 30 Oct 2026

(4 days)

Apply now

In their own words

Snapshot

Firm type

Silver Circle

UK offices

London

International offices

Brussels, New York

Training contract places

Vacation scheme places

First-year salary

£60,000

Second-year salary

£65,000

Newly qualified salary

£150,000

Trainee retention

83%

SQE support

Full funding

Visa sponsorship

Not disclosed

International secondment

Client secondment

Guaranteed secondment

Recruitment route

Vacation Scheme and Direct Training Contract

Rolling recruitment?

Seat structure

4 six-month seats

Can trainees repeat a seat?

Can trainees express seat preferences?

Yes, this is taken into consideration

Trainee salary basis

Reviewed annually

Non-law applicants

Actively welcomed

Career changers

Actively welcomed

Office attendance policy

Minimum 4 days per week

Remote working

Yes, formal flexible working policy

Minimum academic requirements

No minimum A-Level requirements; predicted or achieved 2:1 at undergraduate degree level (mitigating circumstances are taken into account)

Wellbeing support

Includes private healthcare, 24/7 virtual GP service, health assessments, cancer and mole screenings, confidential counselling, Employee Assistance Programme, on-site gym, Pilates and yoga classes, fitness allowance, contemplation and wellbeing rooms, back-up care, parental support and wellbeing networks

SQE and PGDL maintenance grant

£20,000 for SQE and £17,000 for PGDL

PGDL funding

Full funding

Retrospective funding

Yes

Diversity networks and partnerships

Internal: Macfarlanes Legal Academy, Macfarlanes Training Scholarship, Macfarlanes Bursary, People Networks: Balance, DAWN, Pride, REACH and SEEN; External: Bright Network, Business Disability Forum, Disability Confident Leader, Inspire Mentoring, InterLaw Diversity Forum, Legal CORE, PRIME, Rare Recruitment, Social Mobility Foundation, The 93% Club, upReach

Before you apply

Before you apply, ask yourself:

Would you thrive in small teams where early responsibility and close involvement with partners and senior lawyers are part of the training model?

Does Macfarlanes’ distinctive mix of Private Capital, Private Wealth, M&A and Disputes align with the areas of commercial law you want to explore?

Would you value sophisticated international work from a predominantly London-based firm, rather than training across a large network of overseas offices?

Would you value spending at least four days per week in the office as part of a training model built around close collaboration and supervision?

Would you value gaining international exposure through cross-border matters and relationships with overseas clients and advisers, rather than through an international or client secondment?

Next deadline

Spring Vacation Scheme 2027

30 Oct 2026

(4 days)

View job

Deep dive

Explore this firm in detail

What makes it different

Best-in-class training

What this could mean for you

The two-year programme combines hands-on client work with partner and senior associate-led seminars. Trainees have two dedicated supervisors in each seat, a Partner Principal overseeing their training, and formal mid-seat and end-of-seat reviews. You could combine learning through live matters with structured supervision, regular feedback and formal training throughout each seat.

Early responsibility from day one

What this could mean for you

Macfarlanes links its relatively small trainee intake and smaller teams to early involvement in substantive matters, with trainees working closely with partners and senior lawyers rather than several layers removed from them. You could make a visible contribution to matters and work closely with senior lawyers from an early stage, building confidence and practical experience through hands-on involvement in live work.

A distinctive blend of elite Private Capital, Private Wealth, M&A and Disputes work

What this could mean for you

The practice mix brings together institutional private capital and M&A work with private wealth and high-stakes disputes. This means the firm advises both global businesses and investment clients, as well as entrepreneurs, families and private wealth clients. You could experience an unusually broad mix of commercial and private client work, rather than training at a firm focused predominantly on large corporate clients.

Practice area strengths

Private Capital

Private Capital has been at the heart of Macfarlanes for decades, with the firm advising private capital managers across their legal and broader commercial needs. The practice spans private equity transactions, fund formation, fund finance, secondaries and related investment work, with particular strength in mid-market private equity and investment funds. It acts for sponsors, investment managers, funds and other private capital participants across the investment lifecycle.

Private Wealth

Macfarlanes is a leading global Private Wealth practice, providing strategic counsel to entrepreneurs, trustees, family-controlled businesses and family offices. The team advises on personal tax, trusts, succession and contentious private wealth matters, including complex disputes involving substantial trusts, estates, businesses and property holdings.

Mergers and acquisitions

Macfarlanes advises on complex and cross-border public and private M&A, including substantial private equity transactions. Its corporate lawyers work alongside specialist teams in finance, tax, competition and regulation, with particular strength in the mid and upper-mid market and experience across larger premium transactions and cross-border deals.

Disputes

Macfarlanes’ Disputes practice is renowned for its quality and breadth, advising on complex litigation, arbitration and investigations across a range of specialisms. There is significant overlap between the Disputes practice and the firm’s other areas of focus, giving them deep experience in litigation, arbitration and investigations in the Private Capital and Private Wealth contexts.

All practice areas

Beyond legalCommercialBrandsIntellectual propertyICTCompetitionAntitrustDisputes and investigationsEmploymentFinanceFinancial services and regulationFundsMergers and acquisitions (M&A)PensionsInsurancePrivate capitalPrivate wealthReal estateRewards and incentivesSponsor solutionsTax

Who it may suit

Before you apply, ask yourself:

Would you thrive in small teams where early responsibility and close involvement with partners and senior lawyers are part of the training model?
Does Macfarlanes’ distinctive mix of Private Capital, Private Wealth, M&A and Disputes align with the areas of commercial law you want to explore?
Would you value sophisticated international work from a predominantly London-based firm, rather than training across a large network of overseas offices?
Would you value spending at least four days per week in the office as part of a training model built around close collaboration and supervision?
Would you value gaining international exposure through cross-border matters and relationships with overseas clients and advisers, rather than through an international or client secondment?

This firm may suit candidates who…

Want early responsibility and close exposure to partners and senior lawyers within relatively small teams.
Are interested in Macfarlanes' distinctive combination of Private Capital, Private Wealth, M&A and Disputes.
Want sophisticated, often international work while training primarily within a concentrated London-based platform.
Value structured supervision and regular access to senior lawyers alongside hands-on learning.
Prefer spending most of their working week in the office and learning alongside colleagues in person.

Things to consider

A training model built around early responsibility may particularly suit candidates who are comfortable taking ownership of their work as they develop.
The firm's practice mix is relatively distinctive, so candidates should consider whether these areas align with their longer-term interests.
International exposure comes primarily through cross-border matters and working with overseas clients and advisers, rather than through international trainee secondments.
The training model places significant emphasis on learning through live client work, alongside formal seminars and feedback.
Trainees are expected to attend the office at least four days per week, reflecting the firm’s emphasis on in-person collaboration, supervision and learning.

Work-life reality

Work-life balance varies by team, seat and transaction cycle. This section is designed to help you understand the pattern, not reduce the experience to a score.

Seat variation

Four six-month seats across a range of departments, with trainees able to submit seat preferences every six months.

Flexibility

A formal flexible working policy is available, within the expectation that trainees attend the office at least four days per week.

Office attendance

Minimum four days per week in the office.

Culture & support

Supervision style

Each trainee has two dedicated supervisors in every seat, with a Partner Principal overseeing their training throughout the programme. Formal feedback is provided through mid-seat and end-of-seat reviews.

Relationship with partners

The training model is designed to give trainees direct access to partners and senior lawyers, with partner and senior associate-led seminars alongside hands-on client work.