When can I apply for a vacation scheme, and when can I apply for the training programme? If you studied a non-law subject at undergraduate level, you have to complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) at BPP. What makes a successful application to Macfarlanes, Pride Matters: Striving for actual equality, Types of student and graduate opportunities, Essential cookies to make this website work, Third party cookies used for personalised ads and content, Well rounded candidates who will make the most of our varied seat rotations, Great teamwork skills, which include being kind and considerate, Resilience that is a grit and ambition to take on real responsibility, Brain power clever people who can think on their feet. Tech and the future of legal services: implementing change. The Corporate Law Academy (TCLA) was founded in 2018 because we wanted to improve the legal journey. All content 2023 Macfarlanes LLP. The scheme is a great opportunity to find out whether Macfarlanes is right for you. Please describe the interview process at Macfarlanes. We want to recruit the best candidates regardless of their background or where they were educated. Read through the documents quickly but try to highlight the key problems. The process took 2+ months. Join Bright Network and Aspiring Solicitors Make sure you are aware of our opportunities and on-top of all the deadlines by joining these careers service organisations. Be clear on your competencies, and think about obscure traits that they could ask you about. That said, everyone is encouraged to keep business attire at the office in case they need to attend an event or meeting where dress down would be inappropriate. We do, however, give feedback to candidates who attend an assessment day. When is the deadline for the first year insight scheme? We would really encourage anyone with disabilities and long-term or mental health conditions to share as much information as they can during the application process. Its really important that your application isnt just generic if you want to make it through to the interview stage. DAWN (disability and wellbeing network) is a forum for networking and peer support between people who have direct experience of, or support others with, long-term health conditions. I wrote my letter to the wrong person and I think this was the single biggest challenge to my chances of success. Was very interesting . Many of our trainees and associates applied for our programmes after they graduated. But note: some of your interviewers may dress down. Opens the Fishbowl by Glassdoor site in a new window. Comp and culture? How many first year scheme participants do you recruit each year? Thanks! Come to a consensus with your team together and consider multiple opinions, To echo the above, it's not about prior legal knowledge but knowing what is usually involved in this kind of deal might be really helpful, as it was for me, You can show your commercial knowledge in the negotiation by mentioning the value of the deal in brand/reputation terms, For the partner interviews, your opinion might be pushed at times. Macfarlanes interview details: 23 interview questions and 24 interview reviews posted anonymously by Macfarlanes interview candidates. Thoughts on Wilson Elser? However, if you do not meet these requirements and you have extenuating circumstances, you may still apply. A firm handshake is best, but try not to break any bones. As regards the former, in my case it involved basic questions such as tell me about a time you faced a challenge how did you overcome it and tell me about a time you showed initiative. Bar Course /BVS / BPTC 2023-2024 : what are everyone's plans? We advise on procurement strategies, development agreements, building contracts, professional appointments, warranties, guarantees and bonds, risk and project management and dispute avoidance. Pleasant. You will spend an afternoon work-shadowing one of our trainees as well as being assessed for a place on the vacation scheme itself. This will be in the year between receiving your training programme offer and starting your studies for the SQE. Yes, but any training programme offer would be subject to your having the right to work in the UK for the duration of your training programme. The Pupillage Interview/Acceptance/Rejection Thread 2023 Watch, Got offered Clifford Chance interview etc and don't know what to do lol. When discussing your application really consider what you have learnt and the skills you have developed. Training programme assessment days consist of the following assessments: All assessments on the assessment day are application blind except for the application interview. Yes, we do. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. To apply you will need to be in the first year (and second year on a four-year course) of your undergraduate degree. The interviewer will point you to problems you have missed though, so dont worry if you dont get everything first time round. Vacation scheme assessment days consist of the following assessments: All assessment exercises during the assessment day are application blind, so your assessors will not have seen your application form. We only accept applications through our online application system. If I need additional support during the assessment process, who should I contact? For those candidates completing the PGDL, you need to achieve a commendation or above on the first sitting. The partners make no attempts to intimidate or cross-examine you. What exercises can I expect at a vacation scheme assessment day? Large listed and private companies, trustees and start-ups turn to Macfarlanes LLP for assistance with the design, implementation and operation of employee share plans and incentive . Please get in touch with the Inclusion and CSR team if you have further questions. A time you changed your approach Sponsored by Bristows LLP. I did 4 partner interviews over a period of 6 weeks, only for them to suddenly ask me to do an assessment. Its important to remember theyre just there to have a lunch and answer any questions you have or just discuss things. Brain power - clever people who can think on their feet. "Why law/Macfarlanes? I interviewed at Macfarlanes. No, we do not currently use psychometric testing at any stage of the application process. Reply 1. Our culture is thoughtful, challenging and supportive, and we are a place where everyone, at whatever level, can thrive. Presentation from trainees A big thank you to the graduate recruitment team for delivering such a memorable Assessment Centre and . This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Large projects involve lawyers specialising in finance, construction and corporate law. A long application followed by an assessment centre with a case study, partner/associate interview and written exercise. Provide an example of how Brexit will have an impact on the day-to-day work of lawyers and their clients. 1st stage interview, behaviour questions Two people from the lawtech group In the group presentation make sure you contribute when planning the presentation as the partner will be watching, also dont get bogged down in the details but try to see the overall picture. Macfarlanes is big on resilience, which is difficult to think about on the spot so make sure you prepare specific situations and structure your answer well. For the vacation scheme and training programme, you need to complete an online application form. Among the different types of client in this area are performers, managers and agents, artists, theatres, broadcasters and publishers. Will going to a Macfarlanes event help my application? Yes, in 2021 we launched the Macfarlanes Legal Academy. You can access these rooms at any time while at the firm. The network runs awareness-raising events and socials and provides networking opportunities both internally and with our clients. Then prepare the usual motivation questions, competency, but the interview went very quickly. Baker McKenzie has become the latest firm to reinstate newly qualified (NQ) lawyers salaries to pre-pandemic levels, after a reduction of 3% last June. Each year, we complete submissions for the Stonewall Diversity Champions programme as well as for the Social Mobility Employer Index. 1 negotiation exercise - group work based exercise with a partner. What to expect from Macfarlanes LLP training contract. The early legal careers team will be guided by you and steered by our external advisers, to ensure the best possible set-up is in place to help you perform at your best. Anyone else 12 weeks behind with uni work? The hardest part of the day was definitely the written exercise. As a trainee you could be working on major corporate transactions or commercial litigation, and then working for private clients on their most sensitive affairs. It didnt matter too much what result you achieved; it was more about how you did it, whether you were calm, cordial but stern, didnt back down too easily, showed commercial awareness in your arguments, and reached an agreement before the time limit. Working at Macfarlanes | Glassdoor This depends on your degree subject. However, the firm will provide study leave at the discretion of the practice area head. The written exercise focussed on drafting a partner memo and a client complaint response. Try to ignore unnecessary details. Then we negotiated with the team opposite. These sessions help build your legal knowledge and inform your seat choices. The case study was very interesting to read it through and discuss with the partners. Corporate finance lawyers advise companies on all aspects of the buying and selling of whole businesses or business assets. This was about due diligence and buying a company, so an awareness of what is important is good (debtors defaulting and guarantees, ongoing contracts). My interviewer was very friendly and put me very much at ease when I was very nervous going into it. Then we were split into two groups of three, representing each side of the acquisition. The Student Room and The Uni Guide are both part of The Student Room Group. Has anyone here used upwork or other similar sites to initially get work to start your own firm? Diversity Schemes. It was a different kind of awards ceremony last night as hundreds of viewers stayed at home to watch the 17th annual LawCareers.Net Training & Recruitment Awards streamed live on Facebook and Instagram. Initial greeting with HR (claim to fame or claim to shame icebreaker), then a group exercise, a talk from a trainee and an NQ and a written exercise. Our HR team liaise with third party occupational health and other medical professionals. The second part was by far more difficult, insofar as the case study itself was challenging and the partner would endlessly question me without, as had happened in other interviews, being particularly helpful/leading towards a solution. Salaries, reviews, and more - all posted by employees working at Macfarlanes. Stay calm and work through it one step at a time! City firmHerbert Smith Freehillshas elected 26 partners worldwide its biggest partner promotions round since 2012 and four more than 2019 despite coronavirus concerns. Can I send in a copy of my CV and a covering letter instead of completing an application online? Solicitor | Macfarlanes Profile Highlights: State school educated Ethnic minority First generation lawyer Contact Me To contact me, please login or register Profile: I am a Solicitor at Macfarlanes LLP having qualified in September 2017. When is the deadline for the vacation scheme? Through which entry route would I be more likely to be successful in getting a training programme place via a vacation scheme or applying directly for the training programme? Pride is a forum for LGBTQ+ staff and allies. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. The qualities we look for in our lawyers include strong interpersonal skills, an ambitious commercial approach, drive, motivation and resilience. Private Equity. Yes, we pay our vacation scheme and insight scheme participants for the duration of the scheme. Thoughts on Wilson Elser? No. "Why law/Macfarlanes? There was a group negotiation task (nothing too complicated, just about showing you're a team player) followed by a written assessment (quite time pressured) and then an interview, half of which is a case study and the other half about you. We know each other personally which means we work together with more cohesion, and less formality. The firm has partnered with BPP to design a bespoke programme that goes beyond helping you pass SQE assessments. However, if you feel you have a good understanding of what life is like as an associate and have researched the firm well, you can apply directly for our training programme. The maximum word count for each of these questions is 300 words. Elizabeth Fielding is in the real estate group at Macfarlanes. Each year we recruit 33trainees with the aim of training them to be the future partners of the firm. Second: split into two pairs and negotiating four terms (each had to win two points). When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The one-on-one partner interview involves the usual competency, motivation, and strengths based questions. The second exercise was a written exercise: a letter to a client advising on whether they had grounds to sack some employees. Applications will close on 6 January 2023. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. The firm will reimburse SQE costs for anyone who is successful in securing a place on the training programme. Please visit the Apply page on our website to watch avideoabout our training programme assessment day. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The programme has been developed in-house, and all tasks have been modelled on real work and created by our associates and trainee . Finally the day ends with lunch and networking with some trainees. Please visit theeventspage on the website to find out about our latest events. Macfarlanes - Macfarlanes We have contemplation/multifaith prayer rooms, and these are accessible to all. You need a 2.1 degree or above, though we do take account of extenuating circumstances. Our unrivalled blend of expertise, agility and culture means we have the flexibility to meet their most challenging demands and adapt to the changing world around us. Together we support and attract diverse talent to the legal industry, as well as provide support.