Survey Results - Trainee feedback on Marriott Harrison

The lowdown - Trainees (in their own words) on Marriott Harrison

Why did you choose to join this firm? ‘Strong venture capital practice’, ‘supportive working environment’, ‘Smaller trainee intake, high-quality work’, ‘full exposure to all teams’, ‘cohesive and dynamic culture’.

What is the best thing about the firm? ‘The people and culture’, ‘People take the work seriously but not themselves’, ‘the opportunity to take on responsibility from an early stage’, ‘the people’.

What could the firm do to improve? ‘The firm could do better at accommodating trainee seat choices’, ‘Be more transparent about opportunities post-qualification’, ‘more structure in the training contract’, ‘Pay more’.

What has been the best moment of your training? ‘Working together with my deal team to get tough corporate transactions over the line’, ‘Receiving positive feedback after working hard’, ‘Getting to know the rest of my cohort’, ‘Getting big responsibility on a matter and getting to take it to court’.

What has been the most challenging moment of your training? ‘Working long hours under pressure’, ‘billing 10+ hours for 10 days straight’, ‘lots and lots of late hours’, ‘I find it challenging to do good work on little sleep!’, ‘adapting to life at the firm’.

The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Marriott Harrison

Marriott Harrison combines high-quality corporate work, genuine ambition and a supportive culture, making it an attractive training ground for juniors who want early responsibility without the anonymity of a larger intake. Recruits were drawn to the firm’s ‘strong venture capital practice’ and its mix of ‘well-known clients and significant deal sizes for a mid-market firm’, while the chance to gain ‘full exposure to all teams’ within a ‘cohesive and dynamic culture’ also stood out. For some, ‘first-hand accounts of the strong supportive culture’ proved decisive; for others, it was simply having ‘a great time on the vac scheme’. 

That supportive ethos comes through strongly in the day-to-day experience. The best thing about Marriott Harrison is, in trainees’ words, ‘the people and culture’, with colleagues praised for making work ‘actually enjoyable’. Another respondent summed up the firm’s atmosphere neatly: ‘People take the work seriously but not themselves.’ Crucially, juniors are not just observing from the sidelines. Trainees speak enthusiastically about ‘the opportunity to take on responsibility from an early stage’, including ‘getting big responsibility on a matter and getting to take it to court’ and working with deal teams ‘to get tough corporate transactions over the line’. 

The training experience is not without pressure. Late nights on deals, including one ‘particularly difficult run up to completion’ involving ‘10+ hours for 10 days straight’, have tested resilience. Some respondents would welcome ‘more structure’ around learning and development, greater transparency on rotations and clearer post-qualification opportunities.  

Marriott Harrison offers the kind of environment where trainees can build confidence quickly, contribute meaningfully to matters and see a future for themselves at the firm. As one respondent put it: ‘Provided I qualify here, I feel that I have the ability to excel with the firm.’ 

A day in the life of... Marriot Harrison Trainees, Trainee

https://www.mhtrainee.com/stories

About the firm

We are an ambitious and multidisciplinary firm of 100+ specialists and growing.

We deliver the full suite of services needed to navigate the complex legal landscapes of growing, funding, expanding and protecting dynamic businesses and rapidly evolving technologies. You can explore our experience and discover the full range of expertise we deliver to our clients across advisory, corporate transactions, disputes and finance at www.marriottharrison.com

For those with the determination to deliver excellence, and ability to work collaboratively at pace, we offer space and support to achieve potential. We believe the development of our people is our most important investment in the future strength of the firm. That’s what makes us who we are.

We work from our central London base and serve clients in the US and across Europe through our strategic partnerships.

Clients: We advise entrepreneurs, SMEs, national and international companies, private equity and venture capital houses, growth capital funds, banks and other financial institutions, management teams and high-net-worth individuals. Some key clients include Chiltern Capital, Audiotonix, Balderton, Beringea, Redalpine, Gresham House Ventures, Accel, Northzone, Amplience, Dialpad, Oxford Science Enterprises, Francisco Partners, Mizrahi Tefahot, Moonhub, Octane Capital, Investec, Zenzic Capital and CSBF Capital Partners.

Deals/cases in which the firm has been recently involved:

Managing partner: Daniel Jacob. Daniel leads a team fully focused on delivery of exceptional service to help our clients to build, grow and scale the companies of the future. Daniel has built a multidisciplinary team with a first-class reputation for personal service and strategic advice grounded in deep understanding of the dynamic markets our clients are operating in.

Training principal: Graham Halliday oversees our Summer Vacation Scheme and Trainee Programme. He is also a VC partner at the firm. You can learn more about Graham on our website .

Who we are: We are trusted by the businesses and the world’s leading growth capital investors backing and scaling the ideas of the future. They rely on us especially at times of transformation, with the complex challenges related to growing, scaling, financing, refinancing, buying and selling innovative assets and companies.

Our clients are at the heart of what we do. Our role is to empower them to traverse the challenges of dynamic markets, to equip future-focused companies, investors and individuals with the strategic foresight needed to make bold, informed decisions.

We believe in our clients, in our people, and in long-lasting relationships.

What we do: The clients we work with are forward-thinking achievers and dealmakers who are changing, challenging and shaping the future. We work with innovative companies from start-up, through growth and maturity, and help established companies navigate complex processes of change and digital transformation. We work alongside our clients as a partner for growth. This includes proactively:

  • accessing capital
  • building commercial value through optimised operations in commercial contracts, technology and IP management
  • evolving team capabilities and employment arrangements
  • real estate financing and management, managing and resolving disputes
  • tax arrangements and,
  • fundraising and seed investments series A through C, development capital investment transactions and management-backed buyouts

What we’re looking for in a trainee: At Marriott Harrison we seek ambitious, entrepreneurial people who want to grow with the firm and who embody our values and team culture.

  • Education – 2:1 degree or above
  • Legal knowledge and commercial awareness – candidates who show an interest in our areas of expertise and can demonstrate relevant knowledge or expertise will stand out
  • Problem solving – we encourage curiosity, critical thinking and the ability to see the bigger picture
  • Drafting and communication – you deliver high quality written work and communicate effectively with people at all levels
  • Project management – you’re a strong organiser, manage expectations and proactively anticipate next steps
  • Client relationship and development – you focus on delivering an exceptional client experience and foster a positive mindset towards business growth
  • Leadership – you have a growth mindset, are a team player and contributor. You are an active listener and inspire trust in your colleagues
  • Ownership – you are proactive, show initiative and go above and beyond to achieve the best outcomes

Perks: 25 days’ annual holiday, permanent health insurance, life assurance, private healthcare, season ticket loan, pension scheme, cycle to work, employee assistance programme.

Sponsorship

If you have not yet taken the SQE course and exams, we will cover these costs.

Seat options

Corporate (includes Venture Capital and M&A), Business Restructuring & Banking, Commercial & IP/IT, Employment, Dispute Resolution and Commercial Real Estate.

4 x 6-month seats, with most trainees completing at least one corporate seat. All trainees are supervised by a partner or senior associate

Tips from the recruiter

  1. Have clear motivations – know why you want to work at Marriott Harrison and understand the work we do and our values.
  2. Attention to detail is key – check your application for any errors before submitting.
  3. Authenticity – we value diversity of thought so lean into what makes you different.

Diversity and inclusion

Percentage of female associates: 45%

Percentage of female partners: 25%

Percentage of BAME associates: 28%

Percentage of BAME partners: 14%

We are committed to making sure that our team is diverse, inclusive and that people feel that they belong and can bring their full selves to work. We also make sure that a career at Marriott Harrison means having equal and equitable opportunities to grow and develop.

One of the initiatives we are most proud of is ‘MH Discover’. Each quarter we host individuals who we have selected and asked to come speak to us because of their unique and individual experience. The premise behind MH Discover is to provide a different perspective and to celebrate individuals who have overcome challenges and adversity.