Experience life as a Trainee and see what sets Macfarlanes apart.

If you’re at the start of your undergraduate degree and curious about a career in law, our First Year Insight Scheme is designed for you.

Over five days you’ll get a genuine taste of life at a law firm – from shadowing a Trainee and sitting in on client calls, to taking part in group exercises and networking with our lawyers. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of what law involves, receive practical advice for future applications, and have a better idea of whether a legal career is right for you.

The First Year Insight Scheme is also an excellent first step towards our Vacation Scheme and Training Programme.

Key information

Dates

Applications open: Monday 2 November 2026
Application close: Friday 15 January 2027
Scheme dates: Monday 28 June to Friday 2 July 2027

Salary

£545 for the week

Eligibility

The scheme is open to:

first-year students on a three-year course; and
second-year students on a four-year course.

You don’t need to be studying law – we welcome applications from all degree backgrounds. What matters is that you have an open mind, curiosity, and a willingness to get involved.

What the scheme involves

Across five days, you’ll take part in a mix of workshops and networking opportunities, and experience real-life legal situations, including:

a group negotiation exercise;
an application skills workshop, including top tips from our Early Careers team;
speed networking with lawyers from across our practice areas;
socials with Associates and Trainees; and
shadowing a Trainee, which could mean sitting in on a client call, helping with research or reviewing a draft agreement.

Our aim is to give you a realistic view of how a law firm works and have the opportunity to learn directly from our lawyers.

My experience on the Vacation Scheme offered fantastic insight into how the firm operated and solidified my reasons for applying to Macfarlanes in the first place.

Ella McCoy, Trainee Solicitor and former Vacation Scheme participant

How to apply and the assessment process

Stage 1: Application and online assessment

To apply, complete our application form. This includes your personal details, education and work history, and a 300-word motivational question.

You will then be invited to complete our 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.

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

Stage 2: Telephone interview

If successful, you will be invited to a short telephone interview with a member of the Early Careers team.

We are committed to making the recruitment process as straightforward as possible, so please contact our Early Careers team if you require adjustments or additional support.

Stage 3: 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.

Macfarlanes jobs

First Year Insight Scheme