The Macfarlanes training scholarship is a unique programme developed and delivered in partnership with Brunel Law School at Brunel University London. It's been designed to tackle socio-economic barriers that may discourage talented students from joining the legal profession.
The scholarship will see Macfarlanes support three Brunel law students annually – known as Macfarlanes training scholars – through a fully-funded programme from the first year of their law degree onwards.
Macfarlanes will cover the full cost of university, alongside paid work experience, a paid placement year at the firm, and mentoring from senior lawyers throughout. The expectation is that the scholars will become trainees and then associates with the firm.
This significantly reduces the financial burden faced by many socially-mobile graduates when they enter the workplace and gives participants the opportunity to develop their legal knowledge and skills, while building their networks in the profession.
Senior partner, Sebastian Prichard Jones commented: “In common with many organisations, we've been thinking carefully about how best to attract a much broader range of talented students and this targeted programme is one of the concrete steps we have taken. The aim of our programme with Brunel, is that through financial support, mentoring and paid work experience at the firm, our scholars will be supported from their first year all the way through to becoming qualified solicitors at the firm, and our partners of the future.”
Early legal careers lead at Macfarlanes, Catherine Morgan-Guest added: “As a firm with roots firmly planted in the City, we were keen to partner with a London university. After a lengthy process, we decided to partner with Brunel, as they share the same ambitions and goals as us for training talented students and preparing them to enter the workplace with an overall focus on employability. We're really looking forward to working with them on this exciting programme.”
Further to this and available to students more broadly, the firm has also relaunched the Macfarlanes bursary. This financial support package is open to undergraduate students attending any UK university and studying any discipline. Support includes grants to cover access to technology, and funding for the costs of missing work or paying for accommodation when attending a Macfarlanes event.
To find about more about this award-winning scholarship, please contact Deborah Chay at deborah.chay@brunel.ac.uk or call +44 (0)1895 265461.