Linklaters LLP
Overview
Linklaters is a global elite, full-service law firm operating from a London headquarters and a network of 30 offices across 20 countries. For almost 200 years the firm has advised the world’s leading corporates, banks and private capital clients on complex cross-border transactions, disputes and regulatory matters. The firm emphasises high-performance teamwork delivered across a deeply integrated international platform, supported by specialised capability in areas such as capital markets, banking & finance, corporate/M&A, technology and energy. Its investment in applied AI and an Applied Intelligence team, combined with major recent strategic hires in the US and marquee dealwork (eg. Alibaba, Prologis/SEGRO), underpin the firm’s market-leading global offering.
- Headquarters: London, 20 Ropemaker Street
- Lawyers: 1,105
- Partners: 228
- Trainees: 60
- Offices: 30
Values & Culture
Practice Areas
- Banking & Finance
- Capital Markets
- Competition & Antitrust
- Corporate & M&A
- Data Protection & Privacy
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Energy & Natural Resources
- ESG & Sustainability
- Financial Services & Regulation
- Infrastructure & Projects
- Insolvency & Restructuring
- Intellectual Property
- International Arbitration
- Private Equity & Venture Capital
- Real Estate
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Technology & Digital
- Tax
Geographic Focus: Linklaters operates as a tightly integrated global firm with a headquarters in London and major hubs across the Americas, Europe and Asia. The firm emphasises cross-border capability (notably in London, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and major European financial centres such as Frankfurt, Brussels and Paris) and is expanding its US presence through high-profile lateral hires. The global Applied Intelligence and sector-focused teams (eg. China, Middle East, Africa) support international mandates.
Training Contract
Two-year Training Contract based in London comprising four six-month seats. Seats are allocated by taking trainee preferences into account while balancing business needs. Each seat provides a Principal (senior lawyer) to support learning, a trainee buddy, and oversight from a Group Trainee Solicitor Partner. Trainee Development and HR run regular feedback, seminars and tailored seat training. London Trainee Induction is a three-week in-depth programme covering practical 'Day 1' trainee tasks; new trainees also join the firmwide Global New Lawyer Programme for foundation-level training.
- Starting Salary: £56,000 (first year)
- NQ Salary: £150,000
- Trainee Intake: 60
- Academic Requirements: On track for, or have achieved, a 2:1 across all undergraduate modules, in any discipline, alongside AAA at A Level or equivalent.
- Application Deadline: 3 December 2026
Seat Options
- Corporate & M&A
- Banking & Finance
- Capital Markets
- Litigation / Dispute Resolution
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Real Estate
- Restructuring & Insolvency
- Employment
- Competition & Antitrust
- Intellectual Property
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Technology & Digital
Sponsorship
GDL/PGDL grant and SQE funding figures are published in supplementary data: PGDL grant £12,500 and SQE grant £20,000. The firm also provides financial support through specific early careers programmes (eg. Making Links payments).
SQE Support
Linklaters has developed an SQE training programme in collaboration with the City Consortium and BPP Law School. The firm runs a bespoke Plus Programme focusing on commercial practice areas to prepare candidates for the training contract and SQE assessments.
International Opportunities
Trainees typically undertake a secondment during their fourth seat. The firm advertises international secondments across Linklaters offices in locations from Dubai to Tokyo, with selection based on seat timing, business need and individual development plans.
Client Secondments
Client secondments with leading corporates are offered as an alternative to international firm secondments; LegalCheek supplementary data indicates c.22% chance of client secondment. These placements give trainees exposure to in-house legal teams and commercial operations.
Mentorship
Each trainee has a Principal in-seat, a trainee buddy, guidance from a Group Trainee Solicitor Partner and ongoing support from the Trainee Development team. Early-career programmes pair participants with junior lawyer mentors and dedicated Trainee Recruitment contacts.
Programmes & Schemes
Two-week programmes in the London office giving an in-depth, realistic insight into life as a Linklaters trainee solicitor. Participants work on live matters, attend insight sessions, assessed tasks and a group client pitch exercise; the scheme is the primary route to securing a Training Contract.
- Duration: 2 weeks
- Salary: £520 per week
- Places: London
- Deadline: 2026-12-03
Flagship first-year insight and development programme: two days in London followed by a four-month virtual series of professional development sessions (work shadowing, masterclasses, workshops) designed to build commercial awareness and skills and fast-track successful participants to a Vacation Scheme Assessment Centre.
- Duration: Two days in office + four months virtual
Six-month programme for students from under-represented/socially mobile backgrounds combining virtual and in-person activities, a week of work experience in the London office, one-to-one coaching and a junior lawyer mentor. Successful applicants who meet social mobility indicators receive financial support.
- Duration: 6 months
- Salary: £6,000 paid in three instalments (for applicants meeting social mobility indicators)
Six-year apprenticeship combining university study (one day per week) with practical work in the London office leading to qualification as a solicitor. Apprentices receive structured in-seat support, mentoring and firm training.
- Duration: 6 years
- Salary: Starting salary £32,000 (increases annually) + £3,000 sign-on bonus
Two-week International Clerkship for students in Africa, Australia and India that places participants on a UK Summer Vacation Scheme; Linklaters supports visa applications and covers flights and accommodation. Participants receive a guaranteed Training Contract interview at the end of the scheme.
- Duration: 2 weeks
Remote programmes offering practical insight into work at Linklaters (examples: Hong Kong programme, Commercial law programme, Middle East programme, Introduction to business teams, Introduction to law).
During our Middle East-London Training Contract, you’ll work on live client deals across four six-month seats in London and the Middle East. You’ll build experience across different practice areas, with ongoing training and support to develop the professional skills you need. Once qualified, you’ll start your career as an Associate in the Middle East. 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.
- Deadline: 3 December 2026
During our Singapore-London Training Contract, you’ll work on live client deals across four six-month seats in London and Singapore. You’ll build experience across different practice areas, with ongoing training and support to develop the professional skills you need. Once qualified, you’ll start your career as an Associate in our Singapore office. 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.
- Deadline: 3 December 2026
The Business Foundation Course is a two-day work insight programme designed to provide you with insight into life at a Magic Circle law firm and assist you to develop essential skills required for pursuing a fulfilling career. Open to applicants aged 16 to 18 years, who attend non-fee-paying schools, the Business Foundation Course incorporates a variety of activities designed to expand your knowledge of career pathways and increase your confidence in your ability to achieve your professional ambitions. During the course, you will take part in a series of interactive workshops, providing you with the chance to engage directly with Linklaters people from across the firm.
- Duration: October 26th and 27th 2026
- Places: This Business Foundation Course will be hosted in-person at Linklaters' Global Headquarters (20 Ropemaker Street, London, EC2Y 9AR).
- Deadline: 27 September 2026
The Business Foundation Course is a two-day work insight programme designed to provide you with insight into life at a Magic Circle law firm and assist you to develop essential skills required for pursuing a fulfilling career. Open to applicants aged 16 to 18 years, who attend non-fee-paying schools, the Business Foundation Course incorporates a variety of activities designed to expand your knowledge of career pathways and increase your confidence in your ability to achieve your professional ambitions. During the course, you will take part in a series of interactive workshops, providing you with the chance to engage directly with Linklaters people from across the firm.
- Duration: This course will take place on Thursday 29th October 2026 between the hours of 9:30am-4:30pm.
- Places: Virtual
- Deadline: 27 September 2026
Notable Matters
Acted as international counsel to the joint placing agents and co-bookrunners on Alibaba Group Holding Limited’s placing of new ordinary shares, raising HK$80bn (approx. US$10.2bn). Cross-practice team led by senior ECM partners, providing multi-jurisdictional capital markets advice on a large equity issuance.
Capital Markets
Advising Prologis, Inc. on its recommended share offer with a partial cash alternative for SEGRO plc — a UK public M&A transaction with an indicative value of c.£14bn. The cross-practice team combined corporate, antitrust, finance and regulatory advice across jurisdictions for a major UK public takeover.
Corporate & M&A
Advised the book running lead managers on the INR20bn initial public offering of Travel Food Services Limited in India, supporting a cross-border capital markets team on an Indian equity offering and coordinating multi-jurisdictional securities work.
Capital Markets
Advised on a major partnership transaction to launch Diamond Infrastructure Solutions with $6bn capital (linked to Dow partnership), reflecting the firm’s capacity on complex transactional and infrastructure-related financings and strategic corporate transactions.
Infrastructure & Projects
Representative mandates include advising John Cockerill on acquisition projects, advising ASK Chemicals on issuance of €50m additional high yield bonds, and other sector-defining transactions demonstrating cross-practice strength in Industrials, Chemicals and Defence.
Banking & Finance
What Linklaters LLP Looks For
Key Competencies
- Collaboration
- Ownership & Proactivity
- Learning Agility
- Adaptability
- Motivation
- Execution Excellence
- Critical Thinking & Judgement
- Resilience
- Communication
- Commercial awareness
Evidence Signals
- Strong academic record (2:1 degree and AAA A-levels or equivalent)
- Demonstrable commercial awareness and interest in transactional work
- International experience or language skills (native-level Arabic required for Middle East-London international Training Contract)
- Participation in insight programmes (Pathfinder) or vacation schemes
- Evidence of teamwork, proactivity and learning agility (assessed via the Linklaters Online Assessment and Assessment Centre)
Benefits & Wellbeing
- First year trainee salary £56,000
- Second year trainee salary £61,000
- Newly qualified salary £150,000
- PGDL/GDL grant £12,500
- SQE grant £20,000
- Vacation scheme pay £520 per week
- Solicitor Apprenticeship starting salary £32,000 + £3,000 sign-on bonus
- 27 days annual leave (LegalCheek figure) / Apprenticeship: 27 days + birthday leave
- On-site wellbeing facilities at HQ: fitness centre, yoga room, spin studios
- Employee wellbeing services and health insurance (apprenticeship reference)
- More than 15 affinity groups and sports clubs
- Visa, flights and accommodation covered for International Clerkship participants
- Access to Applied Intelligence and AI upskilling
Wellbeing
Dedicated wellbeing services, sports clubs, on-site fitness centre, yoga room and spin studios; access to health and wellbeing resources and support.
Awards & Recognition
- Chambers Global 2026: 107 Band 1 rankings
- Chambers UK 2026: 25 Band 1 rankings
- IFLR Europe Awards 2025: International Firm of the Year
- Legal 500 UK 2026: 32 Band 1 rankings
- Financial Times Innovative Lawyers (North America) 2024: Most Innovative Lawyers Award
- The Times Top 50 Best Employers for Women: recognised for 13 consecutive years
- Living Wage Foundation: Global Champion Award 2026
- Pro Bono Recognition List (England & Wales 2026): 110 lawyers recognised
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Public diversity reporting with downloadable Diversity Statistics and UK Pay Gap Reports (2022-2026). Firm emphasises access, inclusion and targeted support for socially mobile candidates through programmes such as Making Links and the Solicitor Apprenticeship.
- More than 15 affinity groups and networks
- Making Links Programme (social mobility focused)
- Dedicated Trainee Recruitment contact and mentoring for early careers
- Diversity & sustainability reporting and downloadable annual diversity statistics and pay gap reports
Pro Bono
Active pro bono programme with formal recognition (110 lawyers recognised on the 2026 Pro Bono Recognition List). The firm states it invests significant time and resources with charities and not-for-profit organisations and publishes sustainability and social impact reporting.
Innovation
Linklaters has a firmwide AI strategy combining legal expertise and data science. Applied Intelligence builds bespoke AI solutions for clients, supports document analysis, disclosure drafting and covenant surveillance, and the AI Lawyers Network drives adoption and upskilling across practices. Insider data shows top-tier investment in legal tech (A*), and the firm provides training in generative and agentic AI for lawyers at multiple levels.
- Applied Intelligence (lawyers + data scientists integrated team)
- AI Lawyers Network (firmwide AI adoption and upskilling)
- AI Toolkit and AI Digital Handbook
- Agentic AI and bespoke AI solutions developed by Applied Intelligence
- Global programmes on generative and agentic AI training
Quick Application Angles
- Reference the firm’s cross-border capital markets work (eg. advising on Alibaba’s HK$80bn placing) when demonstrating commercial awareness for capital markets or ECM applications.
- Highlight technical curiosity about AI and legal tech — Linklaters invests heavily in Applied Intelligence and is rated A* for legal tech; give examples of how you used tech to improve a process or outcome.
- If eligible for social mobility support, apply for the Making Links Programme and mention the £6,000 support and mentorship — it signals alignment with the firm’s inclusion goals.
- For international roles, emphasise language skills and region-specific interest (Middle East-London Training Contract requires native-level Arabic).
- Use Pathfinder or Vacation Scheme experience to evidence real exposure to Linklaters’ work — Pathfinder fast-tracks candidates into the Vacation Scheme Assessment Centre.
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