The Vacancy

We are recruiting an Applications Developer to join our IT department.

About Macfarlanes

Macfarlanes is a pre-eminent law firm that serves a global client base in Private Capital, Private Wealth, M&A and Disputes. Personal connection, an entrepreneurial spirit and a commitment to excellence are at the heart of our firm. These values drive our ability to deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients.

We are big enough to undertake the most complex and demanding mandates yet small enough to know each other well and to be agile, adapting to the needs of our clients. We seek to strengthen the firm by recruiting talented people from all backgrounds who want to build long-lasting and impactful careers with us. Our culture is challenging and supportive, creating an environment where individuals can thrive.

What this means for you

Joining Macfarlanes means being part of a collaborative, approachable team who want you to succeed. You'll be encouraged to get involved and recognised for your contribution.

We take your development seriously. Our learning and development programmes are second to none and are designed to help you strengthen your skills.

Above all, you'll be part of a firm where we all work together as part of a cohesive and supportive team, value your efforts and help you to thrive.

Department overview

The firm's IT function is transitioning from a traditional reactive model providing white-glove service to its user base to a more forward-looking function that embraces newer technologies to support the firm's strategic goals and ambitions whilst retaining a service-focused culture. The job holder's role will likely develop over time in conjunction with these changes.

The firm has an IT department of approximately 54 staff and is responsible for the delivery of all aspects of the firm's information technology systems and services, including all phases of design, build implementation and operations. The team is split into 4 core technology teams, Service Delivery (including service desk and deskside support), End User Computing, Infrastructure and Applications & Development. We also have a Project Management Office which sits across the IT Department.

The applications and development function ensures that the Firm's broad range of in-house and externally supported business applications and processes run efficiently, effectively and securely.

The role

Key duties will include:

• contribute to the development, configuration, and ongoing maintenance of applications, collaborating with other developers in the team;
• communicate effectively with colleagues at all levels, liaising with users, operations and development staff, management and key stakeholders;
• design and develop greenfield solution adhering to best practices;
• apply analysis and industry-standard techniques to create, revise and distribute effective solutions to business requirements, whilst delivering to a high standard of quality;
• stay updated with the latest technologies and trends in the industry, including cloud platforms, AI services, and the Microsoft Power Platform, and contribute to their adoption within the team;
• use strong problem-solving skills to tackle challenging issues, applying innovative solutions when necessary;
• support the manager and wider team in the smooth operation of day-to-day activities, escalating issues where appropriate;
• write detailed technical specifications, creating / demonstrating mock-up solution examples, and progressing proposals through to deployment using best practice, whilst following internal processes to deliver against agreed timeframes; and
• carry out break-fix development tasks for in-house solutions ensuring stability and continued operability within the firm; furthered with Unit testing and ensuring solutions are kept up-to-date with new releases and software patches from manufacturers, alongside managing other activities as so directed.

This job description encompasses the main duties of the role and is by no means exhaustive. It is anticipated that duties may vary from time to time according to the needs of the practice area.

The candidate

Required skills and experience:

• Microsoft operating systems and toolsets - Windows, Windows Server, IIS, SQL Server, Azure DevOps etc;
• proven experience in .NET development using C#, ASP.NET, and .NET Core/Framework;
• experience with SQL Server, including database design, query writing, and performance optimisation;
• proficiency in JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS for modern web application development;
• experience using web services including RESTful APIs with JSON and XML;
• exposure to Microsoft Azure development, including Azure App Services, Azure Functions, Azure SQL, and related cloud services;
• experience with SharePoint Online development, including site customisation, administration, workflows, and integration with business applications;
• working knowledge of the Microsoft Power Platform, with particular emphasis on Power Automate for designing and implementing automated workflows and business processes;
• familiarity with Azure AI services, including Azure AI Foundry, Azure Cognitive Services, and AI-driven solution development;
• familiarity with Azure DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and version control systems (e.g., Git);
• excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to write concise, accurate and readable technical documentation and reports; and
• managing implementations and new releases into the production environment.

Desirable skills:

• ITIL Incident / problem / change management experience;
• experience of MS Office development in .NET or VBA;
• professional qualifications, training or other relevant accreditations in this area of software development;
• ability to develop and support SSRS reports or Power BI; and
• involvement in support and development of core legal software packages such as Aderant, Elite, IntApp etc.

Application screening

Any offer of employment with us is subject to our pre-employment checks which are conducted by a third-party screening provider. These checks will be initiated with your consent, and your CV will be sent to the provider by us. The screening will include but is not limited to your employment references, professional and academic qualifications including grades and any criminal records. Your offer will be subject to the successful completion of these checks.

Our commitment to inclusion

Inclusion is one of our key priorities and it is a goal we are actively working towards. We believe that an inclusive, forward-thinking culture is intrinsically important and enables us to provide innovative solutions to our clients.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, bringing different perspectives and experiences, making Macfarlanes an exciting and stimulating place to work. We seek to recruit the best candidates, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, social or economic background, religion, disability, sexual orientation or any other characteristic.

As part of this commitment, we will ask you certain diversity data questions. We would really appreciate you and/or your recruiter completing these questions when submitting an application to Macfarlanes as this data enables us to measure our progress and identify any actions needed to continue to support an inclusive culture. This data is anonymised to maintain the privacy of applicants. If you have any questions relating to how this data is used, please contact a member of the recruitment team.

Should you require any adjustments during the application and/or interview process, please do not hesitate to inform your recruiter or a member of the recruitment team. Please note, the job description is available in other accessible formats (for example, large print).

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who best meet the essential criteria for the role. If you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme, please email the recruitment team at recruitment@macfarlanes.com.

The Company

The Company has experienced unprecedented growth over the past few years. We have a vast number of employees, and provide support to clients from all over the country.