Vacation Schemes

Get real experience, real insight and see if Macfarlanes is right for you


If you’re in at least your penultimate year of study and want to experience life as a Trainee Solicitor, our Vacation Schemes are the best way to see what makes Macfarlanes distinctive.

Over two weeks, you’ll sit in two different practice areas, work on real matters, and take part in workshops, networking and social events. You’ll leave with a real sense of our culture and the quality of our work, and have a better insight into whether a career here is right for you.

Key information

Dates

Winter Vacation Scheme

  • Applications open: Monday 3 August 2026
  • Applications close: Friday 28 August 2026
  • Scheme dates: Monday 30 November to Friday 11 December 2026

Spring Vacation Scheme

  • Applications open: Tuesday 1 September 2026
  • Applications close: Friday 30 October 2026
  • Scheme dates:
    • Scheme one: Tuesday 30 March to Friday 9 April 2027
    • Scheme two: Monday 12 to Friday 23 April 2027

Salary

  • £525 per week


Eligibility

The scheme is open to:

  • penultimate-year and final-year undergraduate students; and
  • graduates and postgraduate students.

You don’t need to be studying law – we welcome applications from all degree disciplines and backgrounds. What matters is that you are intellectually curious, motivated, and have a genuine interest in law.

What the scheme involves

Across two weeks, you’ll get first-hand insight into the life of a Macfarlanes Trainee. You will:

  • sit with two different practice groups, working under the supervision of an Associate supervisor;
  • take part in a mock transaction negotiation that runs throughout the fortnight;
  • attend introductory sessions on our practice areas, business development and international strategy;
  • join sessions with our Lawtech, ESG and Sustainability, and Inclusion and CSR teams;
  • sit in on client meetings, contribute to live research, and help draft documents; and
  • join social events with Trainees and other scheme participants.

Our aim is to give you both a realistic view of Trainee life and the space to decide whether Macfarlanes is the right firm for you.

Every session was insightful, and everyone I met, from partners to trainees, was extremely open and authentic. This gave me the opportunity to come away with a genuine understanding of the firm and have a real sense of what being a trainee at Macfarlanes would be like.

Devyash Goel, Trainee Solicitor and former Vacation Scheme participant

How to apply and the assessment process

Stage 1: Application and first stage online assessment

To apply, complete our application form.

You can only apply to either our Winter Vacation Scheme or Spring Vacation Scheme during the same recruitment cycle.

Apply for the 2026 Winter Vacation Scheme

Apply for the 2027 Spring Vacation Scheme

You will then be invited to complete our first stage online assessment, which you will have seven days to complete. You will work through a series of scenarios from different practice areas, designed to test your situational judgement and critical reasoning. The assessment also offers a small insight into life as a Trainee, helping you work out whether a legal career at Macfarlanes is right for you.

Stage 2: Second stage online assessment

If successful, you will be invited to complete our second stage online assessment, which you will have seven days to complete. This is an immersive "day in the life" job simulation, where you will join a fictional project team. You will respond to realistic situations similar to those faced by our Trainees, giving you the opportunity to show your potential in a setting that closely reflects life at the firm.

We recommend that all candidates visit the Cappfinity Preparation Hub before completing the Macfarlanes online assessments.

Stage 3: Written exercise

We invite candidates with the strongest applications to complete a written exercise in person at our London office.

You will be asked to analyse a commercial scenario and draft a written response, setting out your conclusions and explaining how you reached them. This will give you the opportunity to demonstrate your analytical thinking, problem-solving, and written communication skills.

Stage 4: Interview

We invite candidates with the strongest written responses to attend an interview in person at our London office. The interview is application blind and consists of two parts:

  • A business case study, where you will be asked to analyse a commercial scenario and discuss your approach. This will give you the opportunity to demonstrate your analytical thinking, commercial mindset, and ability to articulate and defend your point of view.
  • A competency-based interview, where you will be asked questions about your skills, experiences, and approach to different situations. This will give you the opportunity to demonstrate the qualities that are important for success as a Trainee at Macfarlanes.

Stage 5: Vacation Scheme offer

Following your interview, we will review your performance and aim to let you know the outcome as soon as possible. Whatever the outcome, we provide constructive feedback to support your development and help you take the next steps in your career.

Early Careers FAQs

Clear answers to the most common questions about our schemes, applications and training.

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