Linklaters Interview Questions

Training Contract Interview and Application Process

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Linklaters hire 130 trainee solicitors and offer experience to 100 vacation scheme students at the London office every year.

After making an online application you will be invited to an interview day which consists of:

• Critical reasoning test
• First Interview
• Meeting with trainees and office tour
• Second Interview (partner interview including case study)

The interview day will last for four hours.

Critical Reasoning Test

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This is the Watson Glaser critical thinking test, and lasts about one hour. The test involves fairly short passages followed by a series of statements which you must determine to be true of false based on the information given in the passage.

You will be sent a practice paper through the post (or via email) prior to your interview. It is certainly worth going through this several times to make sure you understand exactly what you will be doing. This test is difficult, and quite unlike those used by other firms.

First Interview

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The first interview is predominantly application based and will be taken by a member of HR, a Managing Associate or Partner. Make sure you know your CV and online application very well and be ready to elaborate and explain your role in any activities you may have cited. You need to be able to talk about yourself competently.

Expect general questions such as:

• Why law?
• Why Linklaters?
• Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years time?
• Which practice areas are you most interested in, and why?
• What did you enjoy most on your degree, and why?
• What do you think about the long working hours associated with law?

Interviews vary depending on your specific interviewer. Some candidates may find their interview is entirely application based. Others may be asked more taxing commercial awareness style questions. You should be prepared for both types of interview.

The interview is not too formal, and you should be prepared to do most of the talking as it is likely you will be given a lot of space in which to do so.

Interview with Partner (including Case Study)

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Case Study

You will be given a memo to read prior to your second interview. This will be based on a Client who has a "problem". You will have 20 minutes to read this and then prepare a brief for your "supervisor" (the interviewer). This memo tests your commercial awareness and you will be expected to pick up any commercial issues "hidden" in the memo.

Partner Interview

This second interview will be with a Partner. Following the presentation of your case study you will talk more about your application, education, knowledge of the law and commercial awareness. You should be prepared for more specific questions such as:

• If you had x amount of money how would you invest it?
• In which country should the next office be opened?
• What do you do if your boss gives you too much work?
• What do you do if you have an issue with a colleague which you can't resolve?

Linklaters deal with a lot of the big investment banks so you should find out about the work they do in preparation for this interview. You might find it useful to read the WikiJob Investment Banking section as part of your research.

Tip: Research the firm thoroughly. Make sure you can justify why you have chosen to apply to Linklaters, why you want to work there and what unique abilities you are able to offer the firm.

Tip: Make sure you know about some recent big cases and deals the firm have been involved in. Questions on this topic are likely to come up at interiew, and your knowledge of the firm's work will be tested.

Linklaters Training Contract

Linklaters Training Contract

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The Training

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The training contract itself is built around four six-month seats or placements in a range of practice areas. There are opportunities for client secondments and overseas placements, throughout your training contract.

Training Contract Benefits

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Linklaters recruits graduates from both law and non-law disciplines. The firm meets the costs of the GDL and LPC, as well as offering a generous maintenance grant for both courses.

Starting salary for Trainees is £37,400 rising to £44,000 in year two and to approximately £65,000 upon qualification (plus hefty bonus).

Academic Requirements

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Linklaters are looking for candidates who've done their research on the firm and are well prepared on their application form and subsequently for their interview. The firm are one of the very best in the industry and consequently like to see candidates who’ve gone the extra mile or can offer something that sets them apart form other candidates. Bright, enthusiastic people with keen business minds will do well.

In interview it's important to be assertive and to state why you think you should be hired by Linklaters. Interviews at top firms are often about how you market yourself on the application form and in interview rather than what you've actually done so make sure you practice interview technique before you come here.

Linklaters Vacation Placements and Open Days

Linklaters Vacation Placements

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For 1st year Law students Linklaters run a 2 day insight scheme called Pathfinder which is run over the Easter holidays.

For students who aren’t studying Law, there are two options to get on a vacation scheme. For those in their final year, there's a two-week Christmas Vacation Scheme (with around thirty places available); and, for those in their penultimate year, two Summer Vacation Schemes, each lasting four weeks (with around eighty places available).

Law students should apply for the Summer Vacation Schemes when in their penultimate year. the firms four-week summer schemes may additionally offer an opportunity for some students to spend two weeks in another European office

Vacation Scheme Application and Interview Process

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The vacation scheme application process is as follows:

• Critical reasoning test
• Interview with graduate team
• Meeting with trainees and office tour
• Interview with partner
• Offer of training contract scheme (if successful on vacation placement)
• Training Contract Interview with partner (including case study)

Open Days

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• the selection process for open days is just a shortened online application.

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