Vacation Scheme

Are you looking to gain real insight into life as a city lawyer and put legal theory into practice? Join us for a two-week Vacation Scheme and find out about life at Macfarlanes by working alongside colleagues who are experts in their field.

Scheme dates:

• Spring Vacation Scheme: Monday 13 to Friday 24 April 2026
• Summer Vacation Scheme: Monday 22 June to Friday 3 July 2026

What to expect: The scheme

During the scheme, you won’t just be observing – you’ll be fully immersed in the work. One day, you might draft a letter to a client and refine it with guidance from an associate or trainee. The next, you could be researching a live legal issue or sitting in on a client meeting to see how our lawyers provide advice in real time.

Alongside your daily tasks, you’ll participate in a two-week mock transaction, giving you the opportunity to develop negotiation, teamwork, and strategic thinking skills in a realistic commercial setting.

You’ll also engage in:

• Introductory sessions covering a range of our practice areas
• Insights into our business development and international strategies
• An introductory session with our Inclusion and CSR team
• Networking opportunities with partners, associates, trainees, and other colleagues
• A one-to-one meeting with an associate to discuss life beyond the trainee role
• Socials with your fellow participants, trainees, and the Early Careers team

In your second week, you’ll take part in the assessments for our Training Programme – your opportunity to secure a place on a career path that’s Meaningfully Different.

Who can apply?

We welcome applications from students in their penultimate year of university and beyond. Whether you're studying law or another subject, we’re looking for individuals who bring critical thinking, drive, and a great commercial mindset.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early to avoid missing out.

What to expect: The application process

Once you’ve submitted your application, you’ll be invited to complete our immersive online assessment, designed to reflect life at Macfarlanes. You’ll work through scenario-based tasks across our key practice areas: Corporate and M&A, Banking and Finance, Private Client and Litigation and Dispute Resolution. This isn’t just a test; it’s a chance to showcase your judgment, problem-solving, and critical thinking – essential skills for any future Macfarlanes lawyer.

If successful, you’ll progress to the second-stage assessment: a progressive job simulation where you’ll join a fictional project team and respond to commercial scenarios in real time. It’s your chance to demonstrate how you think, communicate, and collaborate in a setting that closely mirrors what trainee life is really like here. We want to see how you approach real-world challenges, so our advice is simple: be yourself and answer honestly.

Both assessments were designed in collaboration with our lawyers to reflect the kind of work we do and the skills we value most. They’re not just about helping us spot your potential – they also give you an authentic glimpse into what it’s like to be a trainee solicitor at Macfarlanes. That way, you can decide if this is the right career path and firm for you.

To prepare, we recommend exploring the practice questions on Cappfinity’s preparation hub so you can approach the assessments with confidence.