Our opportunities

Join Linklaters as a summer associate, and you’ll gain broad exposure to our international platform and global network. Our U.S. Summer Associate Program will give you the opportunity to hone your legal skills and reach your professional goals. Your summer will be the start of your journey with the firm and provide you with genuine insight into the life of a Linklaters associate. You’ll be given true responsibility, becoming involved in significant client matters. And if you have a strong interest in starting your career abroad, you could also enjoy the opportunity to gain experience overseas.

Throughout the program, we’ll ensure you have access to partners and exposure to clients across multiple practice groups and offices. You’ll receive both formal training and informal mentoring from experienced partners and associates, and we’ll encourage you to attend associate training, as well as practice group meetings and client events. In addition, you’ll participate in pro bono work and corporate responsibility initiatives.

In 2021, our summer associates joined us from the following law schools:

• American

• Brooklyn

• Columbia

• Cornell

• Duke

• Emory

• George Washington

• Georgetown

• Harvard

• Howard 

• NYU 

• St. John's

• University of Michigan 

• University of Virginia

During the program, summer associates typically gain experience in a variety of practice areas. Those who are interested in potentially beginning their career abroad may also have the opportunity to spend all or part of the summer in one of our offices overseas. You could find yourself in New York, London, Hong Kong or Singapore, and, depending on the needs of the business, other Linklaters locations around the world may have openings. You may need relevant language skills for some office placements. 

In the months before the summer program begins, we will ask you to confirm your practice and office preferences. Wherever you’re located for the summer, you will be paired with a partner and associate mentor team, as well as an officemate – typically a junior associate. This will allow you to observe the day-to-day life of an associate, experience first-hand the way in which our people work together, and feel that you are part of the team.

Completing substantive work assignments during the summer will provide you with a realistic work experience similar to that of a junior associate. Generally, assignments will be given to you directly by partners and associates. In New York, Washington and London, the assignment process is also facilitated by workflow coordinators. If there is a particular type of deal or practice area you’re interested in, we’ll do our best to expose you to it.

You’ll also be strongly encouraged to take on pro bono assignments and participate in volunteer projects. Our dedicated pro bono manager works with each of our summer associates to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to contribute to at least one pro bono matter, which reflects how we work in the wider business.

Of course, feedback is crucial for the professional development of our summer associates so we’ll provide you with two formal review opportunities. The first will happen midway through the summer, at the end of your first seat, where you’ll review your work performance with your partner mentor. It’s also your opportunity to tell us how the summer program is going from your perspective. A second and final review will take place at the conclusion of the program. In addition to these formal sessions, you’ll benefit from informal catch-up meetings with your mentors throughout the summer.

We run a dedicated training program for our summer associates to help you develop your talents. Training sessions include introductions to our practice areas and workshops geared toward refining your skills to set you up for a successful legal career. Many of our weekly training sessions are run by partners or counsel. You’ll also be invited to participate in the training offered to associates, which includes everything from in-house classes relating to specific practice areas, to discussions on recent developments in various industries and seminars on specific transactional and litigation competencies.

Our summer program includes a wide range of social activities to help you get to know partners and associates. Recent events include parties at partners' homes, outings to sporting events, and private tours of museum exhibits. The signature event of the summer program is our three-day retreat at the midpoint of the summer, where you’ll join all our U.S. summer associates in London. The agenda is a unique combination of educational sessions and social events – from presentations on the work of our global practice groups, to roundtable discussions with senior management, tours of London's commercial courts, a ride on the London Eye, and a flagship formal dinner event with our London attorneys. It promises to be a thrilling highlight to your time with us.

Discover more about Linklaters – who we are and what we do:

• Chambers Associate profile
• Vault profile & Practice Perspectives
• NALP Directory profile

The 2024 Making Links 2L Diversity Fellowship Program application is open to second-year J.D. students from historically underrepresented groups in the legal profession. If you are passionate, global-minded and want to grow your diversity lens in the legal industry- Linklaters is for you. The Making Links Diversity Fellowship Program is a key element of implementing this firms’ strategic initiatives with respect to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts which seek to both increase our pipeline of diverse summer associates and promote the advancement and retention of our associates from historically underrepresented groups.

As a Making Links 2L Diversity Fellow, you will participate in our signature ten-week summer associate program primarily in our New York or Washington, D.C. offices. Throughout the program, you will receive valuable experience working alongside our attorneys, training and mentoring from partners and associates, and meaningful engagement with Linklaters diversity team.

Fellows are eligible to receive a $25,000 stipend in addition to their summer associate salary, after acceptance of a full-time offer to join the Firm as an associate in 2025. 

To be an eligible applicant, a student must:

• be enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school with an expected graduation date of 2025;
• have a long-term interest in practicing law in one of Linklaters' U.S. offices; and
• not be the recipient of a similar diversity award from another law firm or other employer during the same time period.

Required application materials:

• Resume
• Unofficial undergraduate and law school transcripts
• Legal writing sample of 10 pages or less
• Personal statement of up to 500 words, addressing your: (1) interest in working at a global firm; (2) interest in Linklaters, including specific office preference; (3) and notable achievements and/or noteworthy leadership or other contributions to your community.

Applications are considered on a rolling basis. The deadline for submissions is September 1, 2023. Click here to apply.

For any other inquiries, please contact our Recruitment team in New York. Please do not email your application to this address. Applications are only accepted through our online portal.

Founded in 2009, LCLD (the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity) is an organization of more than 200 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners who are dedicated to creating a truly diverse U.S. legal profession. As one of our 1L LCLD Scholars, you’ll be a valued member of the U.S. Summer Associate class. You’ll participate fully in the 10-week U.S. Summer Associate Program, and work side-by-side with our partners and associates.

You’ll also experience all the benefits of being part of LCLD’s 1L Scholars Program, including:

1L Scholars Summit

At this signature annual event, you’ll attend panel discussions and hear from distinguished speakers. Plus, you’ll get the chance to network with other Scholars and LCLD members.

Interview preparation

To support your professional development, you’ll participate in mock interviews with LCLD member attorneys. It’s a great opportunity to master interviewing techniques and learn how to make the right impression.

1L Scholars LinkedIn

By joining the Scholars’ dedicated LinkedIn group, you’ll be able to expand your network and keep up to date on the latest articles and discussions with your peers.

To apply, you will need to submit your resume and cover letter, as well as your undergraduate and law school transcripts, if they're available. Make sure your cover letter details your interest in Linklaters, and how you see yourself contributing to the firm.

For more information on LCLD, please click here.