For a quixotic trainee who finds themselves in what Hemingway termed as “the last good country left,” the Spanish capital makes for an irresistible mix of energy, warm weather and incredible food. Madrid is a city where you can witness matadors at work, visit a number of world-class museums and drink Spanish wine late into the night. Less-seasoned travellers may want to check if the Madrid office of their firm has air-conditioning as summer days in Madrid can easily push the mercury past 30°C.

Work: Madrid has around a dozen or so international firms, including the well-settled Clifford Chance and new kids on the block Herbert Smith and Dewey Lebouf. The outsiders are usually heavily involved in projects, finance and real estate work, particularly taking advantage of Spain’s energy interests in Latin America. There is little in the way of dispute resolution for UK trainees as most of it is conducted by the local firms – the big three being Garrigues, Cuatrecasa and Uria. Extensive involvement in financing and real estate has meant that the international firms in Madrid have been knocked during the recession, though they have still managed to make a living from refinancing and restructuring debt. And there also appears to be a silver lining in the country’s investment in renewable energy: 20% of Spain’s electricity comes from renewable sources. Another area of growth has been in employment law, where the extent of layoffs has increased the demand for lawyers. First-time workers in Madrid may need to adjust to local work patterns which invariably includes an extended lunch break. “You have to get used to things, it’s just how Spain runs.” This being said, don’t imagine that it’s all siestas... as one trainee put it: “It’s a quality city and good to go out in but siestas are limited to summer, weekends and if you’re in a village – law firms usually run from nine to seven here.” An understanding of Spanish is a necessity in Madrid, and a thumb through a phrasebook will not suffice. “You get to do local work rather than just English work in Spain and every now and then people would ask me to look at a contract in Spanish.”

Rest and play: Your transfer to Madrid may not be as publicised or as lucrative as Ronaldo’s, but who needs squillions when you can dine on free tapas, drink inexpensive wine and dance the flamenco till the early hours? “It’s known as quite a party town. You’re not going home until 8am!” In terms of accommodation you can expect a central apartment, so allowing you to make the most of the city’s nightlife. It may not have the Gaudi masterpieces of Barcelona but Madrid still holds its own as a cultural capital with world-class museums like the Prado, the Thyssen and the newly extended Reina Sofia where Picasso’s masterwork Guernica is on display. “The more you live in Madrid, the more you have a feel for it.”