Summer With Us—Linklaters

Learn About Linklaters

Linklaters is a multinational law firm headquartered in London and founded in 1838. With just over 3,000 attorneys in 30 offices across 20 countries, Linklaters stands out as a premiere firm that delivers first-rate client services with a strong emphasis on collaboration, innovation, and efficiency.

Our distinctive Linklaters mindset allows us to succeed in various industries and ensures our working environment is one where difference is valued.

Digging into the Program

Linklaters summer associate program attracts impressive, high-achieving law students from across the country. The program allows 1L and 2L students to not only gain a realistic and fulfilling exposure to the quality and scope of the firm’s work but also to experience first-hand the culture and form long-lasting relationships with attorneys.

Fast Facts:

• We typically have 20-25 summer associates each year, recruiting from over 20 law schools and universities. At least two summer associates each year join through the 1L LCLD Scholars program.
• The summer program runs for 10 weeks, beginning in mid-May and concluding in late July.
• Summer associates in 2022 worked out of the New York; Washington, DC; Singapore; and London offices.
• Summer associates in 2023 will work out of the New York; Washington, DC; Frankfurt; and London offices.
• For the summer class of 2022, 95% of the class accepted their offer to join the Firm as a first-year associate.

Highlights of the Program

Linklaters is proud to host a unique and noteworthy summer program each year. Read on to discover some highlights of the program.  

Pool System

A unique aspect of Linklaters’ summer program is how work is allocated. New York and Washington summer associates receive work through a centralized pool system managed by the recruitment team. Summer associates can receive assignments from all three practice divisions: corporate, finance, and dispute resolution. Work is allocated based on both summer associates’ preferences and the business needs of the firm.

All work summer associates undertake is “real” and plays an important part in our transactional and litigation teams. Summers gain exposure to every part of the case or deal, contributing to client meetings and conference calls, and even traveling if necessary.

Summers are also encouraged to network with the attorneys on their own to receive assignments. This entrepreneurial approach demonstrates initiative and interest in the work but also helps summers develop genuine relationships with attorneys.

Working in Offices Abroad

Another distinguishing factor about the summer program is the number of opportunities we offer to students who are interested in starting their careers abroad. While New York, Washington, London, Hong Kong, and Singapore are the main offices that typically host summer associates, we occasionally consider requests to spend time in other offices, such as Frankfurt. We place summer associates overseas with the primary goal of building our associate pipeline for those offices. Students who spend their summer in an office outside of the U.S. are those who have seriously considered starting their career in that office or are interested in working in that office in the future.

Social Activities and London Retreat

Though summer associates work on complex and substantive assignments, don’t think there won’t be time for fun! Offices that host summer associates plan and execute numerous social activities throughout the summer for attorneys and summer associates to mingle, explore the city, and get a sense of our culture. Summer associates have gone to Mets games, Broadway shows, Manhattan rooftops, and more! Every summer program concludes with an office-wide event to celebrate the hard work and efforts of the summer associates.

A big highlight of the program is the mid-summer retreat in London. All U.S. summer associates from each participating office gather at headquarters for two days in the middle of the program to work out of the London office, meet global practice leaders and attorneys, and sightsee around the city with their cohort. After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the retreat is back for summer 2023!

Training and Mentoring

Summer associates attend weekly training sessions covering our U.S. practice areas and additional topics, such as developing negotiation, reading, and writing skills. Attorneys explain how their team operates, key deals they’ve worked on, and provide insight into a day in the life as an attorney in that practice group. Summers are also invited to attend trainings offered to law clerks and associates, as well as trainings covering other firm related matters, such as our pro bono and DEI efforts.

In addition to trainings, summer associates also benefit from the advice and guidance of two mentors: an associate and a partner/counsel mentor. Mentors are invested in the growth and development in their mentees and provide coaching and feedback. Additionally, mentors assign tasks, responsibilities, and projects to their mentees. This is a defining aspect of the program; mentors, particularly the partner/counsel mentors, take a genuine interest in those around them to ensure the summer associates rise to their fullest potential. Summer associates also share an office with junior attorneys, who also act as a valuable resource and guide during the program.

Pro Bono

Linklaters is committed to a worldwide legal pro bono and community investment program, which not only supports individuals and communities across the globe but also rewards our own people with invaluable experience and new perspectives on their careers. Our attorneys have an unlimited amount of pro bono and community investment hours to emphasize the great impact we can make to better ourselves, our communities, and the world.

We strongly encourage all our summer associates to participate in pro bono work during their time with us. Our pro bono coordinator assists in finding projects that will help summer associates perform all or a portion of the 50 hours of pro bono service required for admission to the New York State bar. Most of our summers work on at least one pro bono assignment, with many assisting on two or more matters over the summer. Some examples of recent pro bono assignments include representing criminal defendants through the Criminal Justice Act program, participating in Sanctuary for Families’ Courtroom Advocates Project, and assisting with political asylum cases through Immigration Equality.

DEI

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is the “pulse of our firm,” integrated and embedded in our culture, values, and overall global business strategy. We actively advance social mobility through our Making Links 2L Diversity Fellowship. Linklaters’ Making Links program is open to second-year law students from underrepresented groups in the legal profession. Fellows receive a stipend after acceptance of a full-time offer to join the firm as an associate after receiving their J.D. Additionally, Fellows engage in meaningful client engagement and additional social activities throughout the program. Linklaters also provides opportunities for advancement for 1L students. As mentioned earlier, the firm participates in the 1L Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Scholars Program, which aims to strengthen the legal pipeline by providing opportunities for diverse first-year law students. We are the first firm headquartered outside the U.S. to join the LCLD. Linklaters has participated as an LCLD member organization for several years; we’ve had at least two LCLD Scholars join the summer associate program each year since 2019.

When the program begins, we encourage summer associates to get involved with various employee network groups or affinity groups. Linklaters hosts several employee networks which have been established to provide attorneys and staff at the firm resources, support, information, and networking opportunities. Regional groups in the Americas include: Linklaters Asian Affinity Network (LAAN); Black Affinity Network of the Americas (BANA); Latinos@Linklaters; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) Network; Women’s Network; and the Family and Careers Network. The affinity groups plan outings, informational sessions, meet and greets, and other activities to integrate summer associates into the firm. Last summer, the LGBT Network and the summer associates went on a walking tour in the West Village and learned about queer history in the 1960s. The Women’s Network hosted a breakfast learning session where female-identifying attorneys provided guidance to female-identifying summer associates about how to progress and develop in a field that is male-dominated.

Spend the Summer with Us 

Summer associates at Linklaters work on substantive assignments, deals, and projects. They work for a firm that is a global leader and provides invaluable training and development. Summer associates have every opportunity to be immersed in a culture dedicated to bettering communities and fostering a sense of belonging and understanding. For additional information about the summer program, please contact the Recruitment Team at USRecruit@linklaters.com.