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

Jonny is a LLB Law student from the University of Leeds. He secured a Training Contract at Macfarlanes in London.  

First, please tell us a little bit about yourself. 

“I grew up in Zürich, Switzerland, and devoted my time to football, playing the guitar, and reading. I enjoyed school – history and economics especially.

I decided to study law because I knew it would be intellectually stimulating, it aligned with my skills in critical analysis and working in teams, and I thought it'd expose me to politics, which I had a keen interest in.

I’m loving my time at the University of Leeds. The law society is extremely professional and provides students with ample opportunity to engage with law firms around the country.”

What motivated you to apply for your role? 

“Macfarlanes is known for technical excellence, and I knew that exposure to that pedigree of work in seats like litigation, private client, tax, mergers and acquisitions, finance, funds, and competition would offer a truly unique development opportunity for trainees.

I attended Legal Cheek webinars with Macfarlanes to further investigate and repeatedly found myself struck by the enthusiasm and authority with which the lawyers presented.”

What was the application process like? 

“To get onto the vacation scheme, I submitted an application form and completed an online assessment. I was then invited to an assessment centre, which had three components: an interview, a written exercise, and a group negotiation.

During the vacation scheme, we did similar assessments, but they were more complex, and the expectations were slightly higher. I was most anxious about both iterations of the written exercise, because of the time pressure.

My advice is to be sure to complete whatever you are prompted to write, as unfinished work suggests an inability to work under pressure. Also, try not to be intimidated – if you’re doing a Macfarlanes written exercise, it’s because the firm sees potential in you as a trainee.”

How did you prepare for your application? 

“I spent my time ensuring that my application was specific to the firm. I also made sure to research the firm heavily before the assessment centre.

The feedback I received after the assessment centre was invaluable in securing the training contract, because it helped me ascertain my strengths and weaknesses.

Additionally, my trainee supervisors were more than willing to help me develop my weaknesses into strengths, which meant I was able to approach the written exercise during the vacation scheme with more confidence.

Everyone I met at the firm seemed to want the candidates to succeed, which meant I wasn’t ever scared to ask questions or seek advice.”

What are you most proud of about your journey? 

“In my first year at university, it dawned on me how difficult it is to secure a training contract at a top City firm. Thanks to advice from friends and family, I realised I needed to push myself out of my comfort zone and take on extracurricular positions of responsibility, so that I could gain experience to draw on in applications and interviews.

I spent a year volunteering as Head Coach of a local children’s football team in Leeds. Looking back, it’s not only securing the training contract I’m proud of – it’s also the hard work I put into coaching that team.

My advice would be to pursue extracurricular activities so that you can put them on your CV and cover letters, but also to invest real time and effort into making a difference. You’ll develop invaluable skills and be exposed to fresh perspectives, making you a better candidate for a training contract.”

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

“As part of the assessment centre, you’ll need to complete a business case study interview, so it’s important to be able to demonstrate your commercial awareness. Everyone taking part in a top City law firm’s vacation scheme will be clever, so you need to set yourself apart by possessing business acumen and understanding market trends.

The key to developing commercial awareness is to make it fun and habitual. I’d highly recommend subscribing to newsletters like LittleLaw and FirstFT, and listening to the brilliantly entertaining business storytelling podcast Acquired, from which I learned about mergers and acquisitions, business strategy, and commercial risk.

If you consume business, legal, or political news and media frequently enough, you’ll inevitably become genuinely passionate and knowledgeable about new topics, which will be a great help in securing a training contract.

If you’re like me and get nervous before interviews, I’d also recommend practicing interviews with someone you feel comfortable with.

Finally, at your assessment centre and on the vacation scheme, be kind to everyone and try to enjoy yourself; being perceived as friendly and respectful doesn’t hurt!”

Tell us about the future. What's next? 

“My sights are now firmly set on my final year, and the SQE thereafter. Ironically, although it’s my final year, now that I’m free of applications, I expect to have more free time.

I’m hoping to devote much of it to coaching football. I also want to explore more of West Yorkshire before moving to London!

I’m excited to meet the rest of the September 2027 cohort. Macfarlanes has, in my opinion, just the right number of trainees, as it’s small enough that you can expect to be exposed to high-quality work in every seat. I’m hoping my peers will be a formidable support network, and as Macfarlanes is a high-achieving, but relatively small firm, colleagues can get to know one another better.”