Key information:
- Scheme dates – Monday 30 March to Thursday 2 April 2026
- Salary - £500 per week
- Application open date – Monday 11 August 2025
- Application close date – Friday 5 December 2025
About the scheme
During the week, you take part in:
- a group negotiation exercise;
- an application skills workshop;
- lunch with associates and trainees;
- speed networking with all our practice areas; and
- work shadowing a trainee.
The application skills workshop walks you through our application form. Our Early Careers team also provide you with their top tips for success. Shadowing a trainee offers invaluable experience, and you get to see first-hand the work that goes on in a practice area. You may sit in on a conference call, help with research or look through a draft agreement.
The insight scheme is a good first step towards the Vacation Scheme and the Training Programme. You leave having had a real behind-the-scenes experience of working at a commercial law firm.
Assessment process
Complete the application form if you would like to apply for a place on our First Year Insight Scheme. You will then be sent a link to our online assessment, which you will have seven days to complete. If you are progressed to the next stage, we will arrange a telephone interview to learn more about you and to give you the opportunity to ask us questions.
It was the exposure to real work and to associates across practice areas and at different levels at Macfarlanes that really impressed me.