Eloisa's success story: Securing a Training Contract at Macfarlanes

Eloisa is a LLB Law graduate from Cardiff University. She secured a training contract as a future Trainee Solicitor at Macfarlanes in London.  

First, please tell us a little bit about yourself.

“I’m a recent law graduate from Cardiff University, who has long aspired to move from my Devonshire home base to pursue a career as a commercial solicitor in London, after studying Law at A-Level and being inspired by a college barrister talk.

I was intrigued to learn during this talk that commercial lawyers were not just required to possess a strong grasp of the law and its technicalities, but also had to develop strong industry knowledge to act as business advisers to their clients.

This dual challenge appealed to me as someone who has always enjoyed pushing myself academically and therefore wanted to pursue a varied career that would pose intellectual challenges. As a sociable person, I was quickly drawn to the commercial solicitor route, which places relationship-building at its core with its inherently collaborative and client-focused nature.”

What motivated you to apply for your role? 

“I was particularly interested in pursuing a training contract at Macfarlanes after attending a senior partner dinner at the firm in my first year, where I learnt about the firm’s unique mix of practice area expertise and experienced firsthand the friendly, warm culture offered by the firm.

Macfarlanes’ mix of both high-end corporate work and top-ranked private client work was especially appealing to me, as an individual interested in both areas. I was additionally attracted to Macfarlanes’ fairly modest trainee intake, which felt small enough to retain a close-knit feel and to gain responsibility early on, whilst being large enough to build connections with a variety of people within the cohort.

The most persuasive factor was that after my vacation scheme, Macfarlanes’ ‘friendly firm’ reputation proved true. I experienced friendliness and genuine support from everyone I met, and as a sociable person, this warm culture was a factor I particularly valued. I truly felt that I would be happy working and training within such an environment, making it a very easy decision to accept the offer.”

What was the application process like? 

“The application process was challenging, but the early legal careers team at Macfarlanes was incredibly supportive and helpful throughout, keeping me informed at each stage.

The assessment centre was an intense day that included multiple tests, but you are provided with thorough guidance for tasks, and the day is broken up with breaks and activities like an office tour.

I was surprised by the extent of support provided during the vacation scheme to prepare you for the final training contract assessments. The team genuinely wanted us all to succeed and were incredibly transparent about how we would be assessed, providing us with comprehensive guidance and tips on how best to succeed.”

How did you prepare for the interview process? 

“I started by reflecting on my motivations to pursue law, the role of a commercial solicitor, and a career at Macfarlanes. I considered how my motivations had developed or changed, as I had learnt more about the firm during the vacation scheme, or about the role through practical experience.

To build on my commercial awareness, I followed a few news stories which genuinely interested me and supplemented my knowledge more broadly by listening to current affairs podcasts every morning.

Finally, I practiced speaking ideas out loud, instead of memorising responses, which I felt better prepared me for responding to unknown interview questions and helped me to more comfortably and naturally express my thoughts.

I was most nervous for the written and business case study assessments, as it was the first time I’d taken formal assessments for a law firm. While they were challenging, the guidance and tips provided by the early careers team helped me understand what was expected of me.”

What are you most proud of about your journey? 

“One of the biggest challenges I faced navigating a path into commercial law was being from a rural background, as I had very limited exposure to the opportunities within the industry, particularly at major London firms.

I was unaware of the early-access schemes or insight opportunities available and subsequently felt behind my London and urban counterparts when it came to submitting applications. On top of this, my rural home location made it difficult and often costly to attend open days or vacation schemes, which can be a big barrier for students based outside of London.

I’m proud that despite these hurdles, I succeeded in gaining a training contract at a top London law firm. I overcame these barriers by making the most of virtual events, participating in university-based careers events, and attending London-based events where travel reimbursements were offered.”

What are your tips for people looking to follow in your footsteps? 

“Prior to applying for a vacation scheme at Macfarlanes, I attended one of the frequent senior partner dinners arranged by the firm. It was an incredible opportunity to gain first-hand experience of both the firm and its people, allowing me to understand and demonstrate my motivations for my application, so I’d strongly encourage potential applicants to attend one of these dinners if they can.

One of the best pieces of advice I received was to not underestimate the importance of demonstrating soft skills during the assessment process. Whilst demonstrating your commercial awareness and technical ability can be important, it’s crucial to demonstrate soft skills such as your ability to communicate or collaborate effectively with others. These skills can prove that you’re a desirable team player and an individual who can confidently interact with clients.

In terms of resources, I found the Macfarlanes training app useful to access specific, summarised insights on its practice area offerings. I followed both the firm’s LinkedIn and Instagram pages to keep up to date on their current deals and news.

To brush up on my current affairs knowledge, I enjoyed Watson’s Daily podcast, and I’d also recommend the firm’s ‘Policy in Practice’ podcast.”

What have you learnt from going through the process? 

“A key takeaway from the process has been learning the importance of soft skills, particularly interpersonal ones like communication. While general preparation is important, sound practical and technical skills are not expected from day one. Instead, it is much more important to demonstrate your ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with others, to prove that you are a desirable team member to work with, and an individual who can confidently interact with clients.

I’ve learnt that soft skills, along with possessing drive and the ability to adapt, are much more valuable to demonstrate during the application process, with firms more willing to help you develop the technical knowledge and skills later on.

I wish I’d reminded myself that perfection is not expected throughout the process and that although preparation is important, it’s also crucial not to put too much pressure on yourself to reach too unrealistic of a standard.”

Tell us about the future. What's next? 

“After graduating last month, I’ve returned home to take a year out, to reset and revisit some hobbies after a busy few LLB years. I’m hoping to pick up studying some languages as well.

I’ll be working as a paralegal at a local law firm to gain some practical legal experience and hopefully find some time to travel alongside this before commencing my SQE studies next year, prior to my 2027 training contract start date.

I’m most looking forward to meeting the rest of my trainee cohort and starting to build relationships with them.”