Careers

LPC student 2010/11
Joined: As trainee in September 2011
Education: Jurisprudence, St Edmund Hall, Oxford
Seats: Financial services regulation

Q. Why did you choose Macfarlanes? 

A. When I first decided on a career in law I knew that I wanted two things: top quality work and a firm with people who I could get on with, both in and out of the office. Macfarlanes stood out on both counts and the two weeks Easter vacation scheme confirmed first-hand that this was the firm I wanted to be a part of.  Add in the attraction of being one of the only major City practices to offer high end private client work and the choice became a very straightforward one.

Q. What does the Macfarlanes LPC involve?

A. Having friends who have studied both the 'vanilla' LPC and the 'City' variant I can confidently say that the Macfarlanes LPC course cherry picks the best of both. During the first half of the year my classmates were students from a wide variety of firms, but during the second I was taught alongside other future Macfarlanes trainees, studying three modules chosen specifically to provide the best possible preparation for life at the firm. And it's not all about the work, one of the highlights for me was being part of the (sporadically) victorious 'Big Macs' 4-a-side football team, a great example of how the Macfarlanes LPC offers as good an opportunity to get to know your future colleagues as it does to train for your career.

Q. How much interaction have you had with the firm? Are there opportunities to meet trainees before you join?

A. Over the course of the year I have attended regular training sessions at the firm. Most have consisted of an informative element, a case study from a particular practice area for example, followed by a social event attended by trainees, solicitors and partners. From urban golf (surprisingly good fun even for someone who's never swung a club before) to drinks in the new offices, they've all offered a friendly, relaxed environment in which to talk to the firm's existing lawyers and learn more about what life will be like come September.