Unlike many law firms, Linklaters has consistent, market-leading global teams across the full range of practice areas within corporate law. Wherever their lawyers focus, they are involved in the most interesting and dynamic work. Linklaters provides its people with the opportunity to shape their careers from day one.

With 30 offices across 20 countries, Linklaters lawyers act for the world’s leading corporates, banks, funds, governments and non-profit organisations on their most complex and challenging assignments. As a truly global business, they solve unique problems and provide exceptional development opportunities.

When people join Linklaters, they find colleagues they want to work within a truly high performance culture.  Linklaters has inspiring and personable professionals who are generous with their time and always happy to help. Their success is built on working together and they look for individuals who will collaborate and innovate to deliver the smartest solutions for clients.

Linklaters recruits candidates from a range of different backgrounds and disciplines, not just law, because those candidates bring with them a set of unique skills and perspectives that can help to challenge conventional thinking and inspire different approaches to client problems.

Over two years, trainees rotate through four seats (placements) in different practice areas, with most trainees going on international or client secondments. Linklaters are committed to providing world-class training and practical experience, alongside support, mentorship and coaching.  They offer a fully rounded programme to rapidly develop understanding of commercial law.

Attend an insight event, join a diversity and access programme, participate in a vacation scheme or start as a trainee solicitor, and graduates will find Linklaters offers outstanding, career-long opportunities.

Our spring and summer vacation schemes are the best route to securing a training contract with us.

Spend two weeks in our London office and gain an in-depth, realistic insight into life as a trainee solicitor at Linklaters. You’ll experience our work, culture and training first-hand, while earning £520 per week.

The work

• Insight sessions: gain a well-rounded insight into the firm through a range of sessions across the scheme. You’ll get an in-depth introduction to our core practice areas and hear from our pro bono and AI teams.
• Real work: you’ll gain first-hand experience of our work by sitting in a practice area of your choice. You’ll be fully integrated into the team, working on live matters and interacting with our clients.
• Projects and tasks: throughout the scheme, you’ll take on assessed tasks and real work from your principal, as well as collaborating with your cohort on a group client pitch exercise.

Culture, socials and support

• Culture and socials: experience our culture through informal interactions, lunches and Silks coffee catch-ups, and get involved with our networks, faith groups and sports clubs. You’ll also have dedicated vacation scheme socials, giving you the chance to build connections with your cohort and our lawyers.
• Support: You’ll have a dedicated trainee buddy, sit alongside your principal – a qualified Associate – and have a trainee recruitment contact to answer questions and offer guidance throughout the scheme.

Training contract

• Final training contract interview: At the end of the scheme, you’ll have a guaranteed interview for a training contract with a partner and managing associate.
• Measuring your success: training contract decisions will be based on your overall performance throughout the scheme, focusing on three assessed elements: feedback from your principal, your assessed tasks and your performance in the final training contract interview. You’ll receive in-depth feedback across all three.

Application process

1. Online application form

Complete a short online form covering your basic information, academics, work experience and extra-curricular activities. It should take no longer than 60 minutes to complete.

2. The Linklaters online assessment 

Next, you’ll take the Linklaters online assessment, which is based on our success framework. You’ll have five days from submitting your written application to complete it.

Across three modules, you’ll gain a realistic insight into working at Linklaters. The assessment is untimed but should take around one hour to complete, and no preparation is required. Once submitted, you’ll receive a personalised feedback report highlighting your strengths and an area for development.

3. Assessment centre 

The Assessment centre is designed to understand whether you have the skills, attributes and mindset to succeed as a trainee solicitor at Linklaters, including analytical thinking, commercial awareness, communication, teamwork, resilience and proactivity.

The day begins with a written case study, followed by two interviews: a competency-based interview and a commercial interview. For both, you’ll meet with a partner and managing associate. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet a current trainee and tour our London office.

To help you prepare, you’ll be invited to a virtual session with our trainee recruitment team. We’ll share practical guidance and tips, with plenty of time to ask questions ahead of the day.

Over the two years of your training contract, you’ll rotate through four six-month seats, working on some of the most complex transactions for the world’s leading banks, corporates and financial sponsors.

Spending six months in each department gives you the opportunity to develop real depth of knowledge and experience. You’ll be based in London, with the opportunity to broaden your perspective through an international or client secondment. By the end of your training contract, you’ll have the experience and insight to make an informed decision about where you want to take your career.

In each seat, you’ll sit with a principal – a senior lawyer who will support your learning and development – with additional guidance from a group trainee solicitor partner. Regular feedback and ongoing support from our human resources and trainee development team will help you track your progress and shape your development. As your interests evolve, you’ll have the flexibility to adapt your preferences along the way, supported by world-class seminars and training tailored to your seat and practice area.

Application process

1. Online application form

Complete a short online form covering your basic information, academics, work experience and extra-curricular activities. It should take no longer than 60 minutes to complete.

2. The Linklaters online assessment 

Next, you’ll take the Linklaters online assessment, which is based on our success framework. You’ll have five days from submitting your written application to complete it.

Across three modules, you’ll gain a realistic insight into working at Linklaters. The assessment is untimed but should take around one hour to complete, and no preparation is required. Once submitted, you’ll receive a personalised feedback report highlighting your strengths and an area for development.

3. Assessment centre 

The Assessment centre is designed to understand whether you have the skills, attributes and mindset to succeed as a trainee solicitor at Linklaters, including analytical thinking, commercial awareness, communication, teamwork, resilience and proactivity.

The day begins with a written case study, followed by two interviews: a competency-based interview and a commercial interview. For both, you’ll meet with a partner and managing associate. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet a current trainee and tour our London office.

To help you prepare, you’ll be invited to a virtual session with our trainee recruitment team. We’ll share practical guidance and tips, with plenty of time to ask questions ahead of the day.

Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE)/The City Consortium Solicitor Training Programme (CCP)

SQE is the Solicitors Qualifying Examination. The SQE is the current route to qualifying as a solicitor and was introduced by the Solicitors Regulation Authority from September 2021. The City Consortium Solicitor Training Programme (CCP) is the City Consortium’s suite of new programmes (lasting 11 months) and is comprised of the following:

• SQE1 Preparation Programme (for SQE1, a centralised assessment)
• SQE2 Preparation Programme (for SQE2, a centralised assessment)
• City Consortium Plus Programme

There is also an option available for students to study towards a Master’s qualification.

The CCP must be studied from BPP’s Holborn law school.

SQE1 Preparation Course 

BPP’s SQE1 prep course has focused a syllabus which does not detract students from the core content needed to pass the SRA’s centralised assessments, the gateway to qualification. BPP tutors will take the role of ‘supervisor’ to the student’s ‘trainee’, professional behaviours and standards of work will be required, and the students’ digital capabilities and other professional competencies will be developed. The SQE 1 prep course will also help you with the content of the SQE 2 preparation programme.

SQE2 Preparation Course 

This module builds on the foundations laid in the SQE1 Preparation and prepares you for the SQE2 assessments. It offers extensive diagnostic testing and practice of SQE2 skills tasks across all the SQE legal contexts. It also includes live intensive coaching workshops that prepare you for the final exam.

Plus Programme

The Plus Programme will look and feel like working in a City law firm, as you rotate through three-week mini training seats in four key practice areas, supervised by a dedicated team of BPP tutors. We have analysed what makes our trainees really successful, and on top of legal expertise, you will develop the professional behaviours that will set you up to be desk-ready for the start of your training contract.

Our solicitor apprenticeship is designed to give talented young people the opportunity to realise their potential and build a career in law.

With world-class training, ongoing development and financial support, you’ll have everything you need to develop your skills and start building a career in commercial law.

If you’re interested in becoming a solicitor but don’t see university as the right route for you, our solicitor apprenticeship offers an alternative way to get started. The programme is open to year 13 students (or equivalent) and school leavers without a degree, regardless of socio-economic background.

How it works

You’ll spend one day a week at university studying towards your degree, with sessions, workshops and events designed to give you the knowledge you need to complete your qualification.

For the rest of the week, you’ll work in our London office, gaining hands-on experience and developing the skills you need to build a successful career in law. During your first three years, you’ll rotate through a different legal practice area every 12 months, giving you experience of different teams and areas of commercial law. Throughout the six-year Solicitor Apprenticeship, you’ll also have access to Linklaters’ legal training courses, professional development sessions and events.

In each practice area, you’ll have a principal – a senior lawyer who will support your learning and development – alongside mentors and buddies who can offer guidance throughout the programme.

Benefits

Alongside your training and development, you’ll receive:

• A starting salary of £32,000, increasing annually
• A £3,000 sign-on bonus
• 27 days’ annual leave, plus birthday leave
• Health insurance
• A subsidised office restaurant
• A transport loan
• Health and wellbeing resources and memberships

Job details

• Length of contract: six years
• Salary: starting salary of £32,000 (increases annually), plus a sign-on bonus of £4,000 to get you started.
• Work/study pattern: one day study/four days on-the-job training per week.
• Qualifications to be obtained: LLB Law Degree and SQE qualification to be an England Wales solicitor.
• Eligibility: predicted AAB at A level or equivalent; please note we will review each application in detail and take extenuating circumstances into account if you have not met this benchmark. Applicants must not have completed a degree and must have the right to work in the UK.

Application process

1. Online application form

Complete a short online form covering your basic information, academics, work experience and extra-curricular activities. It should take no longer than 60 minutes to complete.

2. The Linklaters online assessment 

Next, you’ll take the Linklaters online assessment, which is based on our success framework. You’ll have five days from submitting your written application to complete it.

Across three modules, you’ll gain a realistic insight into working at Linklaters. The assessment is untimed but should take around one hour to complete, and no preparation is required. Once submitted, you’ll receive a personalised feedback report highlighting your strengths and an area for development.

3. Video interview and written assessment 

If your application is successful, you’ll be invited to a video interview and asked to complete a written exercise. This stage will explore your understanding of Linklaters, your motivation for joining us, the skills you would bring to the role and your ability to communicate effectively.

4. Assessment centre

If you’re successful at the video interview stage, you’ll be invited to an in-person assessment centre at our London office. You’ll complete a range of tasks, including a partner interview, group exercise and written activity. We’ll provide detailed feedback to everyone who attends the assessment centre.

We’ll share more information about each stage of the application process as you progress. If you have any questions or require reasonable adjustments, please contact our early careers team at <a data-cke-saved-href="mailto:[email protected]" href="mailto:[email protected]" "target="_blank" title="[email protected]">[email protected]

Linklaters is where talent meets opportunity.

We are committed to building diverse, high-performing teams and supporting and empowering everyone at Linklaters to reach their full potential.

Our focus is on recruiting and developing the most talented people from across all communities and nurturing an inclusive environment where all our people feel valued and respected so they can perform at their best.

Inclusion at Linklaters

We are a global firm, and we are very proud of our commitment to diversity and inclusion and providing equal opportunities for all our people.

We ensure all our people have access to development, mentoring and sponsorship opportunities through our global talent programmes. Our 15+ affinity groups and networks play an important role in building community and inclusion, celebrating who we are and creating a forum to learn and share experiences.

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion here.

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