Employer insights

Macfarlanes LLP

The overview

One of the best-known mid-size firms, Macfarlanes has been described as a scaled-down Slaughter and May. Both have a reputation for understated quality and prefer to rely on a referral network for their international caseload. Macfarlanes further justified the comparison in 2007 by becoming the first non-magic circle firm to surpass £1m profit per equity partner (PEP).

Business areas

Corporate boutique would be an appropriate term to apply to Macfarlanes – resolutely independent, the firm positions itself as offering a tailored approach for discerning clients. It’s a strategy that has seen them instructed on deals of a magnitude typically entrusted to the magic circle, including cross-border work.

Although it’s best-known for its corporate practice, especially the private equity team, Macfarlanes provides a full-service offering. It has well-established litigation and property practices and, unusually for a firm that has large deals, a well-respected private client team.

Client list

  • RBS, Goldman Sachs, Alchemy Partners, 3i, Oaktree Capital, Trafigura
  • Pernod Ricard, Reebok, Paramount, Umbro, Anheuser BuschGreycoat Estates, Development
  • Securities, Invista Real Estate

Awards

Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Private client awards 2011/2012, Macfarlanes was:

  • Winner of Private Client London Legal Team of the Year
  • Shortlisted for London Legal Team of the Year
  • Shortlisted for Charity Team of the Year
  • Shortlisted for IFLR Women in Business Law awards under best gender diversity initiative by regional firm category
  • Shortlisted for IFLR Women in Business Law awards under best regional firm for women in business law category
  • Ranked third in private client team of the year in The Lawyer Awards 2011
  • Ranked third in real estate team of the year in The Lawyer Awards 2011
  • Shortlisted as finalist in competition/regulatory team of the year in The Lawyer Awards 2011

Rankings

The Legal 500 ranks Macfarlanes in the first tier for: personal tax, trusts and probate. And in the second tier for: flotations: small and mid-cap; VAT and indirect tax; investment funds; agriculture and estates; contentious trusts and probate; personal tax, trusts and probate; brand management.

Business opportunities

The recession, so law firms claimed, resulted in a ‘flight to quality’. This priceless nugget of sales fluff can be applied to Macfarlanes which, thanks to its corporate department, weathered the storm in fine style.

Macfarlanes has not only stood firm, it has steadily populated other areas: its litigation department is now an eight-partner team with a range of niche expertise, including commercial and pensions litigation and IP.

Why work here?

  • Silver-circle firm with a distinctive culture and caseload
  • Pay is in line with top City rates: new-qualified lawyers earn £65,000
  • First non-magic circle firm to break £1m per equity partner
  • Says it favours internal development over lateral hires
  • Recession-resistant corporate department
  • Trainees given early responsibility and treated well

Latest questions and comments

  • By its own admission, Macfarlanes takes a very robust approach to weeding out weaker graduate job candidates. There’s a whole section of its application form called ‘resits’ asking you to explai... read on

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