There are many reasons to undertake your referendariat with Linklaters. Cross-border, challenging work in a global environment, client contact and early responsibility and a supportive, collegiate working culture make Linklaters the right choice for students focused on doing leading work in the global marketplace. Usually, these same reasons are why many stay on after their referendariat is complete. We really value the impact that referendars make to the firm, and so we are committed to offering a highly valuable period of learning in return.
We see the future of the firm in our referendar intake, so we focus on ensuring that both our “Colleagues of Tomorrow” and our practice get to know whether we’re right for each other. You’ll be given the kind of complex, multi-jurisdictional work you would expect to perform once you are a qualified lawyer. Embedded into a team from day one, you’ll have the opportunity to work exceptionally closely with associate colleagues, managing associates and partners. All this reflects the reality of working here, but is also designed to offer you a broad and varied experience.
You won’t be doing administrative tasks – we’ll be expecting you to write real documentation and give genuine advice. Naturally the transition from academic studies to real work as a referendar is daunting at times. However, your work will be checked and the help and encouragement you will receive from your colleagues and the team around you will mean that you will always feel fully supported.
The three main elements of your referendar support are built around professional instruction and feedback from a mentor, lectures and interactive workshops to gain insight into practice groups and subject areas and trainee lunches and evenings in which to network with colleagues.