Macfarlanes

Overview

Macfarlanes is a pre-eminent, partner-led City law firm headquartered in London, known for market-leading work in Private Capital, Private Wealth, M&A and Disputes. The firm combines deep UK technical expertise with a global outlook — operating from London with a Brussels office focused on EU competition and regulatory work and a New York representative office for US market and investor intelligence. Distinguishing features include an embedded 'Beyond Legal' capability (accounting, valuations, financial modelling, investor and sector intelligence and lawtech), small intakes with early responsibility for trainees, and a partner-led, collaborative culture.

• Headquarters: London, 20 Cursitor Street (City of London)
• Lawyers: 500+ (other fee earners in London)
• Partners: 98
• Trainees: 66
• Offices: 3

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Private Client & Wealth
• Private Equity & Venture Capital
• Investment Funds
• Corporate & M&A
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Financial Services & Regulation
• Tax
• Banking & Finance
• Real Estate
• ESG & Sustainability
• Competition & Antitrust
• Employment
• Pensions
• Insurance & Reinsurance
• Intellectual Property
• International Arbitration

Geographic Focus: Macfarlanes is London-headquartered with focused international capabilities: Brussels (EU competition and regulatory expertise) and a New York representative office for US private capital and wealth market intelligence. Most work is cross-border; the firm coordinates with overseas counsel where non-UK input is required and routinely acts on multi-jurisdictional transactions and disputes across Europe, the US and beyond.

Training Contract

Two-year Training Programme composed of four six-month seats. The programme begins with a week-long induction, regular firm-led seminars and Macfarlanes-specific training modules, and includes formal mid-seat and end-of-seat reviews. Trainees submit seat preferences every six months and the firm aims to place trainees in preferred areas; each seat is supported by two dedicated supervisors and overseen by a Partner Principal throughout training.

• Starting Salary: First-year salary: £60,000
• NQ Salary: Qualification salary: £150,000
• Trainee Intake: 33
• Qualification Rate: 86% (latest trainee retention/qualification rate)
• Academic Requirements: No minimum A-level requirements. The firm usually looks for candidates who have secured, or are on course to secure, a 2:1 degree (or equivalent). For postgraduate qualifications, the firm expects a commendation at first attempt for PGDL and LPC; if SQE has already been completed, passing SQE1 and SQE2 at first attempt is expected. Extenuating circumstances are taken into account and applicants of
• Application Deadline: 2026-06-26

Sponsorship

PGDL/PGDL support for non-law graduates: PGDL fees covered and a £17,000 grant for those who studied a non-law subject (paid while completing PGDL). During SQE preparation the firm provides a £20,000 grant and covers course and exam fees. The firm also runs the Macfarlanes Training Scholarship (full Brunel tuition plus paid Year in Industry) and offers technology, accommodation and participation grants via the Macfarlanes Bursary.

SQE Support

Bespoke SQE preparation delivered in partnership with BPP Holborn. The firm pays course and exam fees for Future Trainees and provides Macfarlanes-specific modules and firm-led classroom and digital learning, business simulations and practice preparation. If SQE has been completed independently and a training contract is secured within a year, course and exam fees are reimbursed.

International Opportunities

The firm highlights international work and cross-border matters and operates offices in Brussels (EU competition/regulatory) and a New York representative office providing US market access; LegalCheek supplementary data records a 0% chance of secondment abroad (as a firm-wide statistic).

Client Secondments

8% (chance of client secondment)

Mentorship

Every seat has two dedicated supervisors; a Partner Principal oversees the trainee's overall training. Trainees are part of small 'constituency groups' with a Trainee Solicitor Committee Partner for regular access, plus Early Careers team support, formal mentoring schemes and networking opportunities.

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What Macfarlanes Looks For

Key Competencies

• Intellectual curiosity and "brainpower"
• Commercial awareness and commercial mindset
• Analytical and adaptable thinking
• Attention to detail and technical rigour
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Resilience, drive and ambition
• Client-facing skills and clear written/verbal communication

Evidence Signals

• Demonstrable commercial awareness (reference to private capital, M&A or client sectors)
• Experience on transactional or contentious matters (internships, paralegal work, vacation schemes)
• Non-law academic backgrounds (around half of current trainees are non-law graduates)
• Participation in widening-access programmes (bursary, Legal Academy, Training Scholarship)
• SQE/PGLD attainment or progress and evidence of strong academic attainment (2:1 degree or equivalent)
• Language skills or international experience for cross-border work

Benefits & Wellbeing

• First-year trainee salary: £60,000
• Second-year trainee salary: £65,000
• NQ/Qualification salary: £150,000
• PGDL/PGDL grant: £17,000
• SQE grant: £20,000
• Private healthcare
• 24/7 virtual GP service
• Health assessment
• Eyecare voucher
• Cancer and mole screenings
• Flu injections
• Pension scheme with company contributions
• Season ticket loan
• Corporate ISA
• Pension and mortgage surgeries
• Charitable giving scheme
• Income protection insurance
• Dental insurance
• Travel insurance
• Critical illness insurance
• Free on-site gym and Pilates/yoga studio with classes
• Fitness allowance towards off-site activities
• Cycle to work scheme
• Subsidised staff restaurant
• On-site coffee shop with free drinks
• Music lessons
• Holiday Enhance (option to buy or sell holiday each year)
• Enhanced parental leave pay and parental transition coaching
• Back-up care (child, adult and eldercare)
• Work, Family & You platform and Worklife Central support
• Fully-equipped parental room
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and confidential counselling
• Contemplation and wellbeing rooms
• Social club and unlimited community volunteering days
• Support networks: DAWN, Pride, Balance, REACH, Parental Leave Network and SEEN

Wellbeing

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), confidential counselling therapy, multi-use contemplation and wellbeing rooms, dedicated networks for mental health and inclusion, parental support platforms and wellbeing events.

Awards & Recognition

• Legal 500 Green Guide: Recognised (Legal 500 2025)
• Private Capital Team of the Year - The Lawyer Awards 2025
• Private Capital Solutions - Highly Commended for Strategic Direction - Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Europe 2025
• Highly Commended - ESG Programme of the Year - Legal Business Awards 2023
• Band 1 - Tax (Chambers UK 2026)
• Winner of the Best Social Mobility Strategy - Targetjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2025
• Working Families Benchmark Top 30 Employer 2025
• Investing in Ethnicity 2025 recognition
• Level 3 Disability Confident Leader - Business Disability Forum 2024
• Good Work Standard Accredited Employer (London Mayor's Good Work Standard)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The firm set gender and ethnicity partnership targets in 2021 with key milestones in 2026 and 2030 and maintains a Partnership Targets Action Plan with annual progress reporting. The firm publishes diversity data and a pay gap report and operates contextual and application-blind recruitment for key early careers programmes.

• REACH (race, ethnicity and cultural heritage)
• Pride
• DAWN (disability and wellbeing network)
• SEEN (socio-economic equity)
• Balance (gender/work-life)
• Green Network
• Macfarlanes Bursary (Technology, Accommodation, Participation grants)
• Macfarlanes Training Scholarship (Brunel partnership)
• Macfarlanes Legal Academy (state-school sixth form outreach)
• Widening access partnerships: Rare, upReach, Bright Network, PRIME, Vantage, The 93% Club
• Stonewall Diversity Champions membership
• Disability Confident Employer (Business Disability Forum)
• Participation in Social Mobility Index and Investing in Ethnicity benchmarking

Pro Bono

Pro bono is integral to the firm. Macfarlanes supports the Law Society's Pro Bono Charter and the National Pro Bono Protocol. Signature programmes include founding the Refugee Law Clinic (working with University of London and Clifford Chance), a weekly St Hilda's East Legal Advice Service clinic, pro bono construction advice to Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, and ongoing support to charities such as Level 20, Prostate Cancer UK, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity and others. Over 15% of lawyers have completed specialist training for the Refugee Law Clinic; the firm encourages all to

Innovation

Macfarlanes embeds innovation through its 'Beyond Legal' strategy, integrating accounting, valuations, financial modelling, investor intelligence and lawtech into legal teams. The firm develops and deploys bespoke lawtech and litigation technology tools to increase precision and efficiency, and trainees engage with these through specific sessions (Lawtech, LitTech) during early careers programmes. Insider scores show legal tech rated positively (B), reflecting investment in tools and digital programmes.

• Beyond Legal (embedded non-legal capabilities: Accounting Advisory, Financial Modelling, Investor Intelligence, Valuations)
• Lawtech (bespoke lawtech solutions)
• LitTech (litigation technology support)
• Private Capital Solutions (integrated advisory and tech-enabled services)
• Investor Intelligence
• Sector Intelligence
• Partnership with data and technology providers and development of firm-specific digital learning modules

Quick Application Angles

• Lead with the firm's Private Capital strength: reference Macfarlanes' role advising on large private capital matters (e.g., advising Hayfin on a €15bn fund close, Preqin's £2.55bn sale) to show commercial awareness of their clientele and market issues.
• Demonstrate interest in integrated, non-legal solutions: mention 'Beyond Legal' (Investor Intelligence, Lawtech or Accounting Advisory) and explain how your skills could add value to multidisciplinary teams.
• Emphasise fit with their training and inclusion approach: highlight intellectual curiosity, team collaboration and any relevant social-mobility or widening-access experience (bursary, Legal Academy, PRIME/upReach involvement).
• If applying for Reward/Remuneration roles, reference their recent work (e.g., advising Preqin on share plans in its sale to BlackRock, and reward work for Anglo American Platinum and Ferrari) to show sector-specific knowledge.
• Reference the firm's SQE/BPP partnership and generous grants (£20,000 SQE grant, £17,000 PGDL grant) if you have undertaken or plan to undertake SQE/PGDL studies 9 this signals practical awareness of their training support.