Your career

Associate

Years 2-6

After qualifying, this is where you'll start your career in one of our practice areas. Most people are offered their first choice and, because we have strong teams across the board, you can confidently choose the practice area that excites you. You'll have access to The Practice Diploma Programme, including a range of global courses to help you build your skills.

Managing Associate (MA)

Year 6+

The next step is promotion to Managing Associate (MA). This assumes you have demonstrated significant technical expertise, leadership qualities and the ability to operate at a senior level. As an MA you’ll be more engaged in the business: solving the most difficult legal issues, nurturing client relationships, leading teams and accounting for financial performance. And you'll be a future leader of our firm.

You'll also join our Leaders of the Future training programme, part of the Linklaters Law & Business School, in conjunction with the University of Cambridge. Formal training includes workshops such as fee negotiation and feedback skills.

Counsel and Partner

The Counsel role is designed to recognise the above-and-beyond capabilities of senior lawyers and the additional leadership responsibilities that they assume. It can also be a promotional step.

Once they've proven themselves with clients and colleagues, the very best Managing Associates may be considered for election to the partnership. Combining serious experience with a track record of strong performance, Partners are leaders and world-class experts in their fields.

Beyond the path

Development isn't all about job titles. You'll pick up invaluable skills on high-profile projects, working with brilliant colleagues. And our size and success means we can offer an unrivalled choice as you develop. Stay flexible, and you can take up secondments abroad, or with clients. Then as our business evolves, you'll also have the chance to explore new practice areas, some of which didn't even exist five years ago. Your ongoing training, meanwhile, will be covered by the Linklaters Law & Business School.

Ongoing training

Ongoing training is vital to becoming a successful commercial lawyer. It's why at Linklaters, you can look forward to continuous training and development throughout your career, via on-the-job learning and the Linklaters Law & Business School. The School was developed in partnership with some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including Harvard Law School and the University of Cambridge. In one holistic syllabus, we’ve combined business skills and technical knowledge, for the rounded expertise you need. And as well as milestone programmes from Trainee to Partner level, much of our training is international.

Launching leaders

Wherever our people succeed, everyone wins. So we’re proud to count former colleagues among our clients, and to find them in leadership roles in industry and government.