If you have completed the Graduate Diploma in Law/Postgraduate Diploma in Law, the Legal Practice Course/Solicitors Qualifying Examinations or both, you are required to have achieved at least a commendation. The first exercise was a group negotiation exercise. Sponsored by Osborne Clarke LLP. We are Macfarlanes LLP, the City of London based, international law firm, and entities controlled by Macfarlanes LLP through which it carries out its business ("Macfarlanes", "we", "us" or "our"). The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. This includes using contextual recruitment and running diversity-specific open days and mentoring programmes. Joining the law societies These societies have access to many city firms and will often host events that enable you to meet the firms in person and gain essential insights into the sector. Copyright The Student Room 2023 all rights reserved. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information. Ask around for advice and support and practice for the interview stages as much as possible. The interview stage is comprised of two interviews (one with a partner who will have seen your application in advance and a business case study scenario to test your problem solving skills) as well as a group task and a written exercise (both application blind). They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can study the PGDL at any UK BPP university campus that offers the course. Last year our work involved over 75 jurisdictions. You then meet a partner and a senior associate who ask you several questions about each case study. You then come back to the main room for the negotiation with the other sub team. The maximum word count for each of these questions is 300 words. good questions and very good structure . Contentious construction work involves the resolution of disputes while non-contentious work involves drafting and negotiating contracts and advising on projects. The final exercise was a blind interview with a partner. The hardest part of the day was definitely the written exercise. We are now a dress down firm, so yes. Macfarlanes is a distinctive London-based law firm, focused on its clients and on delivering excellence in the international legal market. It was about different categories of shareholders and shares, (apply the companys articles to a problem scenario) and needed a numerical answer for the value the company could recover (no calculator but very basic maths, e.g.dividing by 10). They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. Sponsored by Mills & Reeve LLP. Justify every decision you make and don't leave out points that are both for and against your client. You have 45 minutes to complete this exercise; a business case study exercise where you are given three business case studies to prepare in 30 minutes. Agreed - very useful going forwards! Please detail these circumstances in your application for us to consider. Diversity Schemes. Negotiation exercise Overall good questions ! Sponsored by Milbank LLP. Full instructions are given by the early legal careers team before the exercise; an interview with a partner and a senior associate. Banking and finance involves many financial products, from bank loans to companies to highly structured financing arrangements across multiple jurisdictions. Keep up to date with our free weekly newsletter, 2.1 anticipated or achieved (mitigating circumstances are taken into account). At Bright Network we use cookies and similar technologies to help deliver you the best possible experience. This was about due diligence and buying a company, so an awareness of what is important is good (debtors defaulting and guarantees, ongoing contracts). I attended the assessment center, which consisted of one timed written exercise, one group exercise focused on negotiation, and one commercial case study with a partner and senior associate followed by the interview. If you are studying law, you can apply in your penultimate year and onwards for both a vacation scheme and the training programme. Anonymous Interview Candidate in London, England, I applied online. The second element was an interview with a partner about competencies. The day involved a 20-minute exercise with a partner, a written exercise and a group exercise. Our DAWN network focuses on ensuring the whole firm is more confident in its understanding of disability. If you are unsuccessful at an assessment day, you should discuss reapplying with a member of the graduate recruitment team. If you are interested in a career in commercial law and would like a career at Macfarlanes, we welcome your application. You are also invited to social events at the firm so you can start building your network before you join us. For the written exercise, focus on the details and dont make silly errors. Qualified Lawyers Assessment QLA (Re-qualifying in Scotland), Norton Rose Fulbright - Business and Legal Operations Graduate Scheme, Starting new training contract, I need all the advice possible, MOJ Trainee Legal Advisor - Magistrates Court - 2022, Law career advice for 2nd year LLB student with a flimsy CV. 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. These give us insights into how we can develop and expand our diversity and inclusion initiatives in the firm. Macfarlanes receives another 1,200 applications from candidates gunning directly for its training programme; the application form is the same one that is used for the vac scheme. For example, we recently hosted a panel session with InterLaw Diversity Forum on disability in the workplace. I interviewed at Macfarlanes (London, England) in Jul 2022, Introduction Nice experience, the interviewers were very friendly and willing to help with any questions I had. Its important to remember theyre just there to have a lunch and answer any questions you have or just discuss things. Sponsored by Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP. The Student Room and The Uni Guide are both part of The Student Room Group. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. I'm thrilled to share that I have accepted a Summer Vacation Scheme offer from Macfarlanes! Sessions start on the week of the 13th March! Copyright 2008-2023, Glassdoor, Inc. "Glassdoor" and logo are registered trademarks of Glassdoor, Inc. Glassdoor users rated their interview experience at Macfarlanes as 87.5% positive with a difficulty rating score of 3.38 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty). 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. Balance is a forum for all staff managing careers and home lives. What is it really like to work at Macfarlanes? for recruitment purposes, (including via virtual assessment centres and virtual trainee experiences); to promote our legal services, including . Please describe the interview process at Macfarlanes. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. SensitivePedant. A long application followed by an assessment centre with a case study, partner/associate interview and written exercise. 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. Our HR team liaise with third party occupational health and other medical professionals. Several law firms, including Clifford Chance and Macfarlanes LLP, have launched a leadership-led, cross-firm collective developed to improve the representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in the UK legal profession. The SQE launches in autumn 2021 and is a new assessment process all aspiring future lawyers need to undertake. There was minimal technical hiccups and I felt welcomed at the firm. Macfarlanes has advised independent specialty insurance and reinsurance broker BMS Group on an agreement with Eurazeo for an additional investment which values the business at 1.75bn. Please note this in the additional information section on the application form or include the module in the education section and list TBC in the grade column. 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. We do not recruit on a rolling basis for our early legal careers opportunities, so will not screen applications until after the deadline. Meanwhile, Irwin Mitchell is expecting to open its 15 offices at 50% capacity from 21 June. When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. What support can you give to those observing religious holidays, for example, during the vacation scheme? Written was the hardest as it was very time pressured but even though some of us didn't finish on time, still managed to get onto the scheme. Reply 1. I did 4 partner interviews over a period of 6 weeks, only for them to suddenly ask me to do an assessment. Corporate finance lawyers advise companies on all aspects of the buying and selling of whole businesses or business assets. Yes. During your SQE preparation course you also attend regular seminars from the firm, where you hear from associates in our practice areas. We encourage you to take your time, come to as many events as you can and thoroughly research the firm before applying. LawCareers.Net Training & Recruitment Awards 2020: the results. How many vacation scheme participants do you recruit across your three schemes? Should I apply for a vacation scheme first or just apply for the training programme now? Strong academics. We are committed to fostering an inclusive culture throughout the firm, from entry level to partnership. Continue Reading Interview Questions Q: Why you choose Macfarlanes? Thanks a lot in advance! On the whole there wasnt really a way you could have prepared for it though. 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. 2nd stage interview, a presentation on legaltech followed by a Q and A. All other questions have a limit of 300 words. Yes, we accept applications from applicants who studied any subject, whether at a UK or overseas university. What I would say is so make sure you finish the letter, even if it isnt your best! Remember to cite LawCareers.Net on your application form if you apply to Macfarlanes LLP. 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. A big thank you to the graduate recruitment team for delivering such a memorable Assessment Centre and . Will your assessment days be held in person or virtually in 2023? Was very interesting . The format at the Assessment Centre was as follows: The exercise was really short, ten mins on a case study you are given to read beforehand which is based on assessing your commercial awareness, and the interview is really a conversation about that, and then ten mins of questions about you. If I have completed the LPC, will I still need to complete the Macfarlanes SQE preparation course? Written exercises: Attention to detail, true or false logic, and conditionality Second: split into two pairs and negotiating four terms (each had to win two points). How many first year scheme participants do you recruit each year? Upon successful completion of the SQE and QWE will I be able to apply for an NQ role at the firm? 806 8067 22 Registered Office: Imperial House, 2nd Floor, 40-42 Queens Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3XB, Taking a break or withdrawing from your course, Border Force Apprenticeships September 2022 campaign, Official University of Glasgow 2023 Applicant Thread, What is the benefit of going to an 'elite' university, Transferring after completing of Loughborough Foundation year, Official: King's College London A100 2023 Entry. 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. Does Macfarlanes partner with any external diversity organisations? 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. The energy sector is an important part of the legal landscape and is making more headlines than ever before. The process took 1 day. What you'll be working on during a work placement at Macfarlanes LLP. a group negotiation exercise with five or six other candidates, assessed by an associate. That was helpful for sharing the opportunities to speak. For all our programmes, please apply online. Then if successful invited to an assessment day. Do you review the applications as and when they are submitted (on a rolling basis) or after the deadline? And in June 2020 we adopted an ambitious new environmental policy. The last interview was an in-tray exercise, basically. Can I still apply? Technology, media and telecommunications is one of the fastest-developing sectors of the legal market. 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. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. It also details the support available to employees. Capital markets lawyers work with transactions involving the issue of debt or equity securities to the public or investors. Going to one of our events gives you a better understanding of what we do as a firm and what we offer you as a potential future trainee. Common stages of the interview process at Macfarlanes according to 24 Glassdoor interviews include: Glassdoor has millions of jobs plus salary information, company reviews, and interview questions from people on the inside making it easy to find a job thats right for you. The written task was the hardest as there was a lot of time pressure. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of the cookies explicitly. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Each of your seats will feature a mid seat and end of seat review during which you can discuss your progress and which areas need focus. You will also be assigned a partner who will act as your mentor throughout the training programme. General introduction - interview with partners - written exercise - group negotiation. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. You will have the opportunity to meet trainees, solicitors and partners within the firm. Social Welfare Solicitors Qualification Fund returns for second year in a row. To apply for a vacation scheme you will need to be in at least the penultimate year of your degree. These sessions help build your legal knowledge and inform your seat choices. See what employees say it's like to work at Macfarlanes. 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. All employees have access to the Thrive wellbeing app, and we have a network of guardians across the firm who are trained to provide a confidential space to share issues employees feel they need to discuss. Candidates applying for Summer Vacation Scheme had the quickest hiring process (on average 1 day), whereas Associate roles had the slowest hiring process (on average 61 days). Immigration lawyers deal with all legal matters relating to immigration and nationality. Yes, you can. Pleasant. Glassdoor has millions of jobs plus salary information, company reviews, and interview questions from people on the inside making it easy to find a job thats right for you. You cant go too wrong if you finish on time. I interviewed at Macfarlanes (London, England) in Jul 2022, Introduction For the vacation scheme and training programme, you need to complete an online application form. Tech and the future of legal services: implementing change. Online application. The day on the whole is quite, usually from 9-4:30- but the rest of the activities are not assessed so it does allow you to relax and meet the trainees! Our REACH network celebrates a number of religious holidays, such as Eid al-Fitr, Purim and Diwali. We recruit 33 trainees who join us every September. Any work experience, within the legal sector or elsewhere, will be taken into account when we review your application. If I choose an alternative route to qualify than the training programme will the firm pay for the cost of me sitting the SQE? They kept dragging out the time before they sent me the assessment, and then decided not to hire me. The policy includes commitments covering our carbon footprint, emissions, waste, recycling, sustainable procurement of goods and services, office greenery and support for the legal sustainability community. The written exercise focussed on drafting a partner memo and a client complaint response. Then we had lunch with trainees and partners, which was a little intimidating at first but fine once we were going. Has anyone here used upwork or other similar sites to initially get work to start your own firm? You start your two-year qualifying work experience in September 2025 after you have sat SQE2. The qualities we look for in our lawyers include strong interpersonal skills, an ambitious commercial approach, drive, motivation and resilience. Each year we recruit 33trainees with the aim of training them to be the future partners of the firm. Please prepare each case study equally and expect to discuss all three in a similar level of detail; an application interview with a partner and a member of our HR team. They can advise you on the best course of action. Above all, we value a commitment to excellence, and an intuitive understanding of people. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Macfarlanes Early Legal Careers. Why Macfarlanes and what values resonate with you, Tax restructuring scenario for a group of companies. For the commercial case study manage your time equally across all 3 segments as the partner will ask you about all 3. Opens the Fishbowl by Glassdoor site in a new window. Why do you want to become a solicitor? Make sure you complete the exercise in the time available, and just be clear in giving your advice.