You’ll say ‘laters!’ to other firms when you hear about this London-born behemoth with international connections and boundless pro bono opportunities.
Linklaters Lateral Profile 2023
“In the States Linklaters is relatively small, but its global reach is huge, so I’m getting all the BigLaw work with a smaller-office atmosphere.” Indeed: Links now has around 30 offices spanning 20 countries with a total of over 3,000 attorneys.
So, just how big of a global icon is Links? Chambers Global awards the firm over 200 accolades across numerous jurisdictions. Most notably, the firm is recognized for its top-tier multi-jurisdictional expertise in banking & finance, capital markets, competition/antitrust, corporate/M&A, employee benefits, and projects & energy. There’s more to this magic circle member’s story, but you’ll have to head over to chambers.com for the full picture. Links’ two US offices – New York and DC – garner a total of six Chambers USA rankings, with its New York bankruptcy/restructuring and nationwide privacy & data security work receiving top praise.
View the firm's Chambers USA rankings
Read the firm's Inside View feature on junior associate life
Why did you join your firm? Associates say…
"International practice."
"Strong CFIUS practice; small office atmosphere."
"Their pedigree for transactional/finance work."
Strategic Recruitment Focuses 2023
Corporate careers
Corporate clients: Union Acquisition Corp; Curetis N.V.; Moolec Science Limited
Recent work highlight: Advised Union Acquisition Corp, a SPAC, on its $1.1 billion merger with Crynssen Pharma Group.
International & Secondment Opportunities
Common secondment destinations: London; Hong Kong; Singapore
Client secondment examples: JP Morgan; Morgan Stanley; Digital Realty
The view from the firm: Attorneys have the opportunity to participate in an international secondment, or the opportunity to work out of another office with a local team for an extended period of time. Secondment decisions are determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to: language skills, current feedback, interest expressed in practice area, and prior experiences.
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
3 |
3 : 1 |
80% |
||
|
partners made in 2022 |
associate : partner gearing |
agreed they had a good level of partner contact |
||
|
100% |
73% |
80% |
||
| felt partnership was achievable for attorneys with children | felt partnership was achievable at the firm | agreed partners are nurturing future leaders |
||
The view from the firm: Linklaters provides in-house trainings, external firm-paid seminars, CLE courses and credit, observation opportunities, practice group trainings and retreats. Associates have partner mentors and biannual review meetings. Senior attorneys develop training programs, supervise projects, and provide one-on-one trainings to associates. Associates are provided with a marketing budget to grow their network and business development skills. The budget increases with seniority level. We have developed talent programs to create a sustainable pipeline of diverse talent for leadership roles in our firm, including our flagship Women’s Leadership Program, and our pilot INspire Minority Ethnic Talent Programme.
Hours & Compensation
|
no requirement |
14.8 |
56.6 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
40% |
80% |
60% |
| agreed they had a good work-life balance |
said the benefits package makes the workload worthwhile |
found the bonus allocation fair and transparent |
Salaries
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
The view from the firm: We do not have a billable hours requirement. Pro bono hours are treated as equivalent to billable hours. The firm has an unlimited amount of pro bono hours as community investment is a key value of Linklaters. Attorneys are encouraged to work on numerous pro bono opportunities to better themselves and communities. Pay structure is lockstep. Part-time attorneys are given bonus and promotion consideration.
In 2020 we introduced a post-COVID global agile working policy, empowering our people to work remotely, for up to 20-50% of their time, without having to request permission, as long as teams are told in advance and operational role requirements are fulfilled.
Is Linklaters the right firm for you?
|
100% |
100% |
|
were happy in their current role |
agreed the work is interesting |
The view from the firm: At an international firm of our scale, it’s a given that we work on complex projects, over multiple jurisdictions. Our associates are involved in high-profile work on a global scale for the world's leading organizations. We’re seeking individuals who are eager to learn and interested in being part of our global team. We welcome diversity and individuality. More information can be found at careers.linklaters.com.
We asked survey respondents what stands out about the firm's culture?
"That people within the firm are friends outside of work, and that it is a team effort on every project as opposed to being competitive amongst associates."
"Great people, personable. People actually have lives and families outside of the office despite the demands."
"Mentorship interest and inclusivity."
Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing
|
100% |
17% |
57% |
||
|
reported strong performance in inclusivity training |
of partners are women |
of associates identify as ethnically diverse |
||
Pro Bono
|
84 |
100% |
|
average pro bono |
agreed the firm is committed to pro bono |
Pro bono highlights: National Women's Law Center; American Civil Liberties Union; immigration relief for Ukrainian's following Russia's invasion
Contact
Learn more about opportunities at the firm
Recruitment contact: USRecruit@linklaters.com