RateMyPlacement and RateMyApprenticeship are now Higherin: Learn More

Higherin

First Year Insight Scheme Attendee Review

at Macfarlanes

Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)

Legal/Law

London

Review Submitted: April 2025

Overall Rating

4.9 /5

The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!

5/5 - Overview of Experience
4.8/5 - Skills Development
5/5 - Company Culture
5/5 - Overall Experience
5/5 - Recommendations and Advice

Overview of Experience

Please give an overview of the insight and what was involved on a day-to-day basis.
The insight involved completing multiple skills sessions and networking, and I also shadowed a trainee in the Private Client practice area. In the practice area I completed drafting, research and due diligence tasks and was able to attend meetings alongside my trainee.
We also completed lunches and dinners where we socialised with others on the scheme and employees at the firm, and got a comprehensive overview of the work and culture at Macfarlanes.
What was it like understanding all about the business and potential roles available?
It was really interesting to understand how Macfarlanes functions not only as a law firm but a functional and lucrative businesses, and how they maintain client contact to ensure long-standing relationships that bring return investment. It was also interesting to learn about how much employees at the firm care about producing tangible results for their respective clients.
Please rate how insightful you found the insight
5/5
How would you rate the structure of the insight
5/5

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
Definitely. I have learnt new practical legal skills as it was my first proper legal work experience, including practice-area specific skills like technical reading of the legislation and cross-referencing against case-specific facts of the client. Furthermore, I developed my formal writing knowledge when drafting emails and letters for clients. I also developed soft skills through negotiations and this helped with my advocacy awareness and commercial acumen.
How would you rate the training provided during your experience?
5/5
How would you rate the knowledge learned around industry-specific skills during the experience?
4/5
How would you rate the knowledge learned around personal or professional skills during the experience?
5/5
Please rate how the knowledge learned has helped you with regards to your career development
5/5

Company Culture

How would you rate business leader involvement during the insight
5/5
What was the company culture and general atmosphere like?
Very friendly, warm and inclusive atmosphere with focus on dedicated training and cohesiveness within teams.
How would you rate the inclusiveness of the culture?
5/5
How would you rate the networking opportunities?
5/5
Please rate how valued you felt during your insight?
5/5

Overall Experience

To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
I really enjoyed the insight, it was super engaging and gave me such a better understanding of trainee tasks and the running of a law firm.
Please rate your level of enjoyment on the insight
5/5
Please rate how your experience met your expectations
5/5
Were you paid or reimbursed adequately for this experience?
I was paid

Recommendations and Advice

Please rate the future employment prospects at Macfarlanes
5/5
Would you recommend Macfarlanes to a friend?
Yes
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Macfarlanes
Throw yourself into every opportunity and gain valuable insight!
In This Review
Join Now

Join the Higherin Community

Save Time

Easily add jobs from Higherin or external platforms to keep everything organised.

Personalised Alerts

Get tailored job recommendations and updates straight to your inbox.

Exclusive Features

Access tools like application tracking, deadline reminders, and saved searches.

Stay Ahead

Be the first to know about the latest opportunities and deadlines.

Completely Free

Create an account and unlock powerful features at no cost.