Linklaters

Obviously, the larger intake size means there are always going to be a few bad apples, but it also means that “you can easily make new friends”. And a lot of these friendships are formed even before the trainees officially start, during their legal studies –– because what doesn’t bond a group of people together like giving them a crushing workload to complete in a short space of time? Nevertheless, this does do the job of preparing the rookies for life at a Magic Circle firm, and the bonds formed between the junior lawyers mean that help is always to hand on a late-night slog: “I’ve had chunky late evening work requests where a fellow trainee has volunteered to split the work with me of their own volition, knowing that I will return the favour when they are under the cosh.” Though we’re not sure one junior’s enthusiasm to “#BleedMagenta” is going to catch on…

The praise continues when the trainees are questioned about how approachable their superiors are. While many use terms such as “most” and “on the whole”, for an office as big as Linklaters’ London HQ, this is to be expected. “You get the odd associate/partner who doesn’t seem to have much time for you”, one spy reveals, “but once you put yourself in their shoes and realise how busy they are you realise it’s nothing personal. The vast majority are great.” Insiders also mention that “there is definitely an open door policy / work culture” with most feeling “very comfortable approaching more senior members of the team, including partners.” Senior colleagues are also known to “arrange celebrations once significant transactions are closed and trainee development organises trainee/principal nights out.”

The party doesn’t stop there either, with social life at the firm said to be “very good despite the hours”. Expect impromptu group lunches and after work drinks, as well as the more formal team retreats and summer bashes.

The culture clearly translates into a positive learning environment for the junior lawyers. “Training is top-class and enables you to do well,” one rookie enthuses. Another gives this detailed breakdown: “The training here is fantastic, there are weekly training seminars on a variety of topics and each session is recorded for anyone to watch at a later date. The precedents are excellent and always include detailed drafting notes or annexures, as well as extensive memos on a variety of precedents, clauses, issues and legal concepts. Trainees and associates are encouraged to complete pieces of knowhow alongside their chargeable work, so the internal resources are constantly being updated. The associates and partners are very approachable and always prepared to answer questions and sit down and run through documents with you. We are also given training on non-legal topics –– such as D&I, which are fantastic.”

Of course, as with anything, the level of training will differ between teams –– as will the type of work afforded to the newbies. However, the latter invokes slightly less praise from the trainees than the former: “A lot of trainee work isn’t brain surgery” says one mole, “but I have found that deal teams in the groups I’ve sat in (all finance-related) are usually happy to give you as high level work as you show you are able to handle.” Outside of finance, trainees report that the work they “undertake on a day-to-day basis is technically challenging and interesting” though insiders do note that this varies between departments.

But whether you’re “researching (and occasionally presenting) advice on a complex and untested legal issue which could influence the outcome of a multi-billion-pound matter” or “slogging away amending billing narratives”, you may as well do it with a view. And come 2026, this will be the case for the Linklaters crew when the firm moves just up the road to a brand-new home on Ropemaker Street. Until then, the firm continues to be based right next to the Barbican Centre on Silk Street, which has been its home since 1996. Unfortunately for the current cohort, this reality shows –– our spies describe the current office as “a bit dated” and “in need of a facelift”. “Let’s just say the move to Ropemaker Street can’t come soon enough!” another rookie adds. Couldn’t have put it better ourselves –– with an auditorium and not one, but two, roof terraces, we’re certainly looking forward to seeing the new digs!

If you’re looking to spend some of your TC in a different office while on secondment, then the stats look promising. International secondments to Tokyo, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Paris, Johannesburg, Seoul, Dubai, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Singapore and Madrid are all on the cards. With 31 offices across 21 countries, there’s certainly a lot of choice! Client secondments are less common, but several rookies had the opportunity to cut their teeth at corporate giants such as Nestle and Credit Suisse in the past.

In terms of Links’ approach to agile working, we are told that trainees are allowed to work from home one day a week, though there’s some flexibility in this if you need it. Unfortunately, the WFH allowance has failed to impress rookies much: “They gave us a £200 budget when we first joined the firm, but have not given any top-up since. Budget was enough just to buy a keyboard, mouse and monitor (we were given free headsets), and we were not allowed to buy printers with the budget,” one insider explains. Things have improved slightly on this front, however, as the firm does now provide ergonomic chairs on request. Linklaters also offers a flexible working model for those looking to leave private practice, or reduce their hours, in the form of Re:link. The collaborative platform connects lawyers with clients, providing fixed-term work, and has recently been rolled out in the Middle East. The tech in-office also receives decent, but not glowing, reviews. “We have a lot of innovation and AI products such as Create IQ and Laila (our own AI tool)” noted one, “but standard technology i.e. laptops, phones, etc could be improved.”

However, the biggest drawback of working at a Magic Circle firm is, of course, the work/life balance. The reports of a lack of this are exactly what you’d expect from a firm dishing out an NQ salary of £150k. As one mole puts it, “it’s the price you pay for working at a Magic Circle firm”. “Unpredictable” is a term used a lot by the rookies when describing their workload, and it seems the greater flexibility offered to superiors when it comes to working patterns only causes further problems for the juniors: “An unfortunate consequence for many trainees is that they will always be on call right through the evening in order to accommodate the different working styles of their superiors.” Saying that, some teams are apparently better than others, and “where you flag that you have plans in advance, people generally try to respect that”. But, as one newbie explains, “if you’re looking for a 9 to 5, Linklaters is not for you.” Another trainee puts it like this: “It really depends on the matters you are on and the time of year, but generally I would say that you are always working past 5/6pm. Informal target hours are 7.5 billable a day however the firm culture is good and I have always been able to make prior commitments.”

Luckily, the firm makes up for its demanding nature with some of the perkiest perks the City has to offer. There’s an in-house gym and fitness centre that is completely free –– though there are reports that “you can hardly ever use it”. If it proves too busy, there’s always a gym membership subsidy too. But if you can get a spot, it’s worth it –– we’ve heard it has boutique hotel standards of towels and toiletries, and even hair straighteners. Speaking of hair, how many offices do you know that have their own onsite salon? Mind you, the Amsterdam office apparently offers massages, so anything less will be a comedown after a secondment there. A firm doctor and dentist, meanwhile, is on hand to see to employees’ health needs. The canteen, ‘Silks’, is the sort of upmarket food hall more usually associated with lunching in Chelsea or Beverly Hills. And if you’re working late, there’s an Uber Eats allowance and free taxis home (though the removal of Deliveroo from this offering has gone down poorly). New joiners are also offered a loan to help finance their burgeoning careers and a new scheme also allows workers to swap out up to three bank holidays for another day in the calendar year. And there are always the numerous “office trips and team away days”. So just a few perks, then…