Training contract at Linklaters

Training Contract 2018 (penultimate-year law undergraduates, final-year students, postgraduate students and graduates)

We have carefully considered every aspect of the two-year programme to give you the right experience and support, as well as the highest quality of training and development. So, not only will you have the optimum environment to develop your skills as a commercial lawyer, you’ll also be able to make a well-informed decision as to where you want your career to go in the future. In our experience, the requisite depth and quality of training can only be achieved by undertaking seats of six months, with a Principal (your supervisor) in each seat to guide you through your professional career.

Read the Legal Cheek Linklaters profile here.

Our dedication to training was recognised in 2012 when feedback from our trainees resulted in us being awarded the Top Law Firm award from The Job Crowd. What’s more, despite the difficult economic climate, not only have we been able to maintain the number of training contracts we offer, but we have also retained an average of 87% of our trainees in each qualification round over the last five years. In 2012, we were awarded a medal by Lex100 for trainee confidence in being retained upon qualification and for the September 2015 qualifying trainees, retention was an impressive 84%.

Experience

The Training Contract comprises four seats of six months each. This is so you have sufficient time to develop your skills and expertise in a particular area and to experience different stages of transactions. As we have market-leading expertise across the full range of practice areas, you will work on the most complex and high-profile deals in each of your seats under the guidance of leaders in their fields. Spending six months in each of your seats allows you to truly experience a range of high quality work within that area of practice and to develop your expertise through continuous training and feedback. Most of the work we do is cross-border in nature. Since over two-thirds of our trainees spend a seat on an international secondment, plus a further one-third undertaking a client secondment, you can expect a truly international and multi-dimensional experience through a training contract at Linklaters.

Support

In each department, you will sit with a principal. A qualified lawyer in the department, they will provide overall training and supervision for that seat, mentor you as you learn the role and act as a guide for your future career. Each practice group also has a Group Trainee Solicitor Partner who is responsible for supporting you as you develop and discussing your options for career development. At key stages during your Training Contract you will discuss your progress with the Trainee Development Team and draw up a plan of which practice areas you will experience for the remainder of your Training Contract. Our Training Contract is specifically designed to give you input into the content of your training, as well as the flexibility to change your preferences as you go along.

Quality of training and development

Ongoing training is a key part of being a successful commercial lawyer, progressing your career and reaching your potential. At Linklaters, you’ll have access to continuous training as soon as you join. For non-law students, your training will begin with the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) - a conversion course that will give you the legal knowledge to start your career. From there you will join your Law graduate colleagues on the bespoke Linklaters Legal Practice Course (LPC). As part of the Training Contract, you’ll benefit from specific seminars and training modules relevant to your seat and practice area – and even after you qualify, there will be the opportunity to continue your development through our unique training programme, known as the Linklaters Law and Business School.

Applications are now closed