Traineeships

We aim to attract high-calibre Trainees who will contribute to the success of our business and we are interested in candidates who achieved consistently good grades from school (A + B in Higher or A levels) and have obtained, or are on track to obtain, at least a 2:1 degree. We also specifically take into consideration your personal characteristics and are looking for excellent communication skills, sound planning and organisational skills as well as the ability to work as part of a team.

Our application process for 2020 traineeships closed on 31 July 2018. 

See what some of our trainees, past and present, have to say about life at MacRoberts...

My first day

“My first day at MacRoberts was one of total “nervcitement” (a mixture of nerves and excitement). I made the error of arriving about 30 minutes before everyone else (it is possible to look too keen) and having to sit in reception awkwardly flicking through the morning’s Herald (not quite the Harvey Specter style introduction I was going for). Once the other new trainees had arrived and it was obvious we all had similar feelings, I started to calm down. The next two days were spent meeting various people and going through some basic training. The training was very informative but the huge volume of information left me feeling a bit like a rabbit in the headlights and I remember feeling wildly out of my depth when we were taken to our seats at about 4.30pm on our second day. Fortunately though, everyone at MacRoberts is incredibly helpful and friendly and will take the time to explain things to you and help you in any way they can.”

My first year

“Thinking back to the bundle of nerves that I was, walking into the Glasgow office as a fresh-faced, first year trainee back in September with no idea what to expect, I can scarcely believe that I am now reaching the half-way point of my traineeship. The first couple of days are a whirlwind of training and information before you are introduced to the team that you will be spending the next 6 months with. I have been extremely fortunate with my first two departments and the friendly and knowledgeable teams that I have worked with. My first seat was in Non-Contentious Construction, which was a completely new area of law to me but I got training and lots of support to ease me in. The work in Commercial Property, my second seat, has ranged from negotiating electricity sub-station leases to the sale of multi-million pound shopping centres, and almost everything in between and has given me a great deal of exposure to a vast variety of work and responsibilities."

Life as a Real Estate trainee

“I have to admit that being told my first seat would be in Real Estate didn’t exactly have me filled with excitement. However, having now spent a year in the department I am pleased to say that I couldn’t have been more wrong. From my very first day, I felt like a valued member of the team and was fully immersed in transactional work. As scary as this was at the time, the experience has been invaluable and allowed me to pick up not only the IT systems, but also how live transactions really work in practice. Unlike other firms I have experienced or heard of, MacRoberts trainees are given real work from the very beginning. A year down the line, I now have my own case load and am enjoying dealing with other lawyers and clients independently every day. No two days are the same, I never know what is going to land on my desk and have dealt with some really interesting cases – from selling a small flat in Burnside, to purchasing holiday lodges and now a Scottish island! It really is a varied and exciting job.”

The transition from university to work

“I took a year out after university and before starting the traineeship I was a bit anxious I’d have forgotten everything about “the law” and that this would be a problem for me. However, once I started, I realised there is such a massive gap between “the law” you learn at university and the kind of work you do in practice that I needn’t have worried so much about this. Partners and fee earners don’t expect you to be able to recite precedents or statute to them off the top of your head (you’re not Mike Ross), but they do expect you to have an idea of where to find the answer and to do your best to construct an argument. As long as you have exhausted every option you can think of and tried your best to figure out the answer, no one will criticise you (even if you come to a conclusion the Partner or fee earner disagrees with).”

The social side at MacRoberts

“One of MacRoberts’ achievements is managing to achieve the often elusive, ever talked about, Holy Grail that is the work/life balance. While you are often worked hard as a trainee, MacRoberts has a thriving social side, including a weekly running club, 5-aside football team and we often enter teams in tournaments in both rugby and football against other firms and clients alike.
The firm puts on drinks on the last Friday of every month, which I have found is a good way to unwind, chat to friends and also to meet colleagues from other areas of the firm. We also have the occasional unofficial Friday night drinks in a local pub on other Fridays in the month. Other calendar events which are organised by the Social Committee include the office Christmas parties and the annual summer day out where all three offices meet up."

Some top tips for future trainees

Give it your best shot

As clichéd as it sounds, the more you put in, the more you will definitely get out. Being a trainee is about getting as much experience as you can in your two years and learning from those around you. Don’t worry, you will have fantastic support from all levels in the firm and everyone is here to ensure that you succeed. Above all else, just enjoy your time as a trainee. Time will fly by, but honestly, you will have great fun at MacRoberts.

Keep an open mind

At MacRoberts, you will have the opportunity to work in different departments. There will have been subjects at university that you will have enjoyed and excelled in, and others that you have never seen yourself working in. In reality, working life is rather different from the academic side. So don’t worry if you are given your least favourite practice area, you will probably find that you enjoy the seat. Above all else, you will learn a lot – just look at everything as a new opportunity and a new interesting and exciting challenge!

Be organised

One of the most important skills that trainees must learn and implement on a daily basis is organisation. You will quickly discover that working life is very different from university life, and as a trainee you will have various commitments going on at the same time, all with shorter deadlines than you will be used to. Trainees must learn to prioritise what is important and manage their time effectively. I find calendar reminders are a very useful organisational tool. It is also important to stay informed. I find it helpful to sign up to newsletters, updates and Google alerts that are relevant to the department and sector I am working in so that I am up to date on current developments. This will help to improve your confidence when speaking to colleagues and advising clients.

Ask questions

There is no getting away from feeling nervous on your first day, or feeling daunted when you are taken to your department and given your first piece of work to do. If you don’t ask questions, people will be wondering how you know what you are doing. It’s expected of trainees – so ask away!

As a trainee, you are not expected to know everything. Everyone at MacRoberts is very approachable and willing to help which makes asking those ‘silly’ questions less daunting. However, it is important to show initiative and to try to work things out by yourself first and to avoid asking the same question repeatedly.

Don’t panic!

It is extremely easy, when asked to do something that you have never seen or heard of before, to start panicking. When you first start, everything will be new to you, and you will spend your first few weeks getting used to the IT systems and how the offices operate. It’s a lot of information to take in! Everyone at MacRoberts is mindful of this and are there if you have any questions. In terms of work, you will come across new things every day. If you don’t know how to do something, give yourself 20 minutes to consider the issue, and then if you are still unsure, ask. If you give yourself that time to think about the issue, you will be surprised how you can actually work it out and answer your own questions. Your traineeship is about learning and building on your knowledge, so don’t hesitate to approach other people for help.

Remember, you are not alone

There is a lot of support for trainees at MacRoberts – you are allocated a Mentor in each seat, there is always someone to turn to with queries and you have the comfort in knowing that your fellow trainees are all in the same position as you.

Keep an open mind, show your enthusiasm and get yourself out there. You have worked hard and done well to get here, so make the most of it!