Early Careers

Discover where a career at Linklaters could take you.

A career at Linklaters gives you the chance to learn from some of the world’s leading lawyers, experience commercial law at the highest level and see just how far your potential could take you.

You’ll gain access to world-class training, global opportunities and experiences designed to build your skills and confidence. Whether you’re exploring a career in law or ready to take your first step, we’ll give you the support and tools to realise your potential in a high-performance environment.

Curious about our application process? Find out what we look for, what to expect at each stage and how to prepare for what comes next.

LEARN MORE

Programmes

Explore our early careers programmes

Vacation Schemes

Explore

Training Contracts

Explore

International Clerkship and Internships

Explore

Pathfinder

Explore

Making Links Programme

Explore

Solicitor Apprenticeships

Explore

Virtual Internships

At Linklaters, you’ll take on some of the world’s most challenging and high-stakes legal matters alongside talented, ambitious people.

Collaboration is central to how we deliver for our clients. You’ll have the freedom to step forward, take ownership and keep looking for ways to do things better.

That ambition is matched by genuine support. From dedicated development opportunities, mentorship and training to wellbeing services, sports clubs and more than 15 affinity groups, you’ll have what you need to perform at your best and build a career you can be proud of.

Training & Development

Learn from leading lawyers, build your expertise through real work and access opportunities across our global network.

Training & Development

London Training Induction

Your Linklaters London Trainee Induction is an in-depth three-week programme designed to give you the foundations you need before starting your first seat. You’ll learn more about the firm and the work we do, get to know our systems and processes, and build practical skills through essential ‘Day 1 trainee tasks’, including proofreading, research and note-taking. You’ll also be introduced to the tools and resources available to support your wellbeing, so you’re ready to start your training contract with confidence.

Global New Lawyer Programme

We were the first law firm to establish a truly global development programme for entry-level lawyers. From the beginning of your career at Linklaters, you’ll have the opportunity to build a global network, joining new trainee solicitors from across the firm in London for our Global New Lawyer Programme.

Through foundation-level training, you’ll develop the essential skills you need for your role as a trainee solicitor while gaining a deeper understanding of Linklaters, our culture and what connects our people across offices and practice areas. You’ll also learn more about the firm’s resources, expectations and the support available to you as you begin your career.

On-the-job training & support

During your training contract, you’ll rotate through four different seats, giving you broad, high-quality experience across different practice areas. We’ll take your preferences into account wherever possible, while balancing these with the needs of the firm.

In each seat, you’ll have a dedicated principal to support your learning and development, as well as a trainee buddy to offer guidance and help you navigate the firm. You’ll also have access to a wide range of training within your practice group and ongoing development through our Learning & Development team.

Our dedicated Trainee Development team will support you throughout your training contract, with ongoing career conversations and guidance as you choose your seats, develop your skills and make decisions around qualification.

Secondments

A secondment gives you the opportunity to broaden your perspective by experiencing life in another Linklaters office or working directly with one of our clients. Trainees typically undertake a secondment during their fourth seat, with international opportunities in locations from Dubai to Tokyo, as well as client secondments with leading corporates.

Whichever route you take, you’ll gain first-hand experience of a different working environment, build new relationships and develop a broader understanding of how our clients and global teams operate.

The SQE and the City Consortium

The role of a City lawyer goes far beyond technical legal expertise. Today, lawyers need the commercial understanding, confidence and relationship-building skills to become trusted business advisers.

Linklaters has developed an SQE training programme in collaboration with the City Consortium and BPP Law School to prepare you for a fast-paced and evolving legal environment. You’ll study alongside other future Linklaters trainees while building a network with peers from other consortium firms.

Our bespoke Plus Programme focuses on key areas of commercial practice, helping you develop the legal knowledge, practical skills and professional behaviours you need to be ready for your training contract.