Linklaters Training Contract Interview 2019
(One issue that I struck me at the AC was that a few candidates knew details of the case study exercise in advance. We were given materials to read, but GR wouldn’t reveal the task until 30 minutes later. However, a few candidates in my group started typing their answers enthusiastically as soon as they had received the materials. This caught me and the other candidates by surprise, and we were left wondering if they had obtained an unfair advantage from their friends or elsewhere.
As the competition is getting fierce, I think it would be useful to warn our members of this problem where appropriate so they could be more prepared mentally when attending ACs.)
When was your Linklaters interview?
January 2019
What was it for?
Training Contract
Please describe the interview process at Linklaters.
My assessment day started with an HR interview. The interviewer asked me a lot of questions about my decision-making process (why I made certain choices and how I coped with changes). There were also a few competency-based interview questions, mainly about teamwork and organisational skills. At the end of the interview, we briefly touched on my motivations for commercial law and Linklaters.
The second part of the assessment day was the work simulation exercise, which consisted of an online multiple-choice test and a case study. The online multiple-choice test covered three areas: contract interpretation, Linklaters’ values and work prioritisation. In the case study exercise, I was given a few documents to read and then asked to give my opinions on relevant legal and commercial issues.
The day concluded with a technical interview. My interviewers asked me to elaborate on my written responses in the case study exercise.
What advice would you give to future applicants for the Linklaters interview?
For the HR interview, you may want to draw examples from different areas of your life (education, work experience, hobbies, extra-curricular activities, etc) to demonstrate that you are a well-rounded candidate.
For the online test, the best way to prepare is to learn about Linklaters values and have a think about what is expected of you as a junior lawyer. For the case study, it would be beneficial to have a basic understanding of how a deal is structured and the interests of each party in a transaction.
In the technical interview, I had the impression that my interviewers were looking for correct answers rather than learning about my thinking process. My advice would be to gain in-depth knowledge of a few practice areas so you can confidently hold a long conversation about them. When they say “technical”, they really mean it.
When was your Linklaters interview?
14 November 2018
What was it for?
Winter Vacation Scheme
Please describe the interview process at Linklaters.
HR Interview/ Case Study – E-intray/ Partner Interview
What advice would you give to future applicants for the Linklaters interview?
Technical only for Partner interview – focused only on the case studies (surprised me that they did not ask questions about me or anything else aside from the technicals of the case study and role of a trainee in this case study). For the competency HR interview – it included everything – motivation for law and Linklaters & what values you expect trainees at Linklaters to have/ vs what are your core values. Brush up on your technicals!
Linklaters Vacation Scheme Interview 2018
The hardest part about the Links AC is arguably the length. There are many breaks in between and it’s quite exhausting.
Work Simulation/Case Study
The work simulation is a blend of situational judgement and contract interpretation exercises. Not too challenging as long as you know what the “right” thing to do is as a trainee in difficult circumstances. The case study is a bit more challenging – it would be very beneficial if one has detailed knowledge of transactional processes and documents and what sort of terms are typically included. Very commercial, those with strong commercial knowledge/understanding will thrive and do well in the Partner interview.
HR Interview
A test of your competencies and your understanding of Links’ values. More stressful than other HR interviews as its quite fast-paced and almost seems like an “interrogation”. Most important thing I believe is to have a broad range of examples and coming across genuine. For example, I was asked “what values do you live by” and I gave them a value not stated on their “value diagrams”. I think they appreciated it as reflected in the feedback I was given, as they said it shows authenticity and character.
Partner Interview
You will be given a “surprise” right before your interview. I can’t share what that will be but just stay calm, think rationally and be prepared. For the interview, it’s easy to focus on legal aspects but what I found greatly useful was i) thinking “business” and ii) understanding how those legal aspects can be used for a business objective. Your commercial thinking will definitely be tested and challenged here.
Ultimately I think it can be boiled down to i) being confident and personable; and ii) showing a strong business acumen. All the best!”
From a student who received a recent Linklaters vacation scheme offer:
So the AC began with a HR interview, I found this to be the hardest part of the day as it didn’t seem natural at all – the lady who interviewed me was poker faced throughout. Difficult questions I was asked: when have you made a mistake, what are your values? The rest are standard teamwork etc but I’d recommend looking at Links’ mindset framework (something that I didn’t look at enough) and linking your example to each competency they want.
The next task was a case study which was split into parts. In part 1, you were given a SPA agreement and then some multiple choice questions to answer, for this one I’d suggest really taking your time and reading through it since the next sections are fairly simple. The second section concerned scenario questions and wanted to test your ‘values’ so answer these honestly and don’t just say what you think links want you to hear. The final section concerned 8 emails which you either had to ‘do’ ‘defer’ ‘delete’ or ‘delegate’ – again, there’s nothing you can really do to prepare for this.
The second part of the case study concerns an acquisition of [redacted] company. A number of issues arise including indemnities, warranties etc. For this I’d say going over TCLA’s article on the stages of an M&A acquisition, they’ll probe on technical issues so if you’re mentioning something i.e. the need to get an indemnity, really understand why it’s needed and how it will adequately protect the client etc. I’d recommend not bringing up a point or drawing in commercial issues if you’re not 100% confident you can speak about them at ease.
P.S. the AC’s designed to essentially make you feel as though you had a horrible experience, most interviewers will be pokerfaced so definitely don’t let that distract you.
When was your Linklaters interview?
February 2018
What was it for?
Vacation Scheme
Please describe the interview process at Linklaters.
My day started with the ‘E-Tray Exercise’. We essentially had to read a book of documents regarding a proposed M&A and, after 20 minutes, had half an hour to answer a series of questions regarding what we had read in the form of an e-mail.
Then a competency interview and a partner interview.
What advice would you give to future applicants for the Linklaters interview?
I found the E Tray Exercise quite time pressured as there’s so much you could write about so I think that it’s largely a question of writing well about some key points.
The competency interview was tough – they stuck really closely to my application form and had some very specific questions on what I’d done. They also really picked up on everything I said and would question me on it. They were very friendly but I wasn’t prepared for them to react to what I said in that way.
The Partner interview involved talking through the E-Tray Exercise and I was questioned on what I’d said. They were very friendly and guided me to the answer if I was stuck. Then, for the second half, it was more of a commercial interview: why Links, why commercial law etc as well as some questions relating to current affairs and the business news (nothing complicated!). Finally, I had the opportunity to ask questions so have a few prepared.
When was your Linklaters interview?
January 2018
What was it for?
Vacation Scheme
Please describe the interview process at Linklaters.
The day began with an e-tray exercise, followed by back-to-back interviews with HR and then a partner + an associate.
What advice would you give to future applicants for the Linklaters interview?
Try to prepare a bit of everything – each aspect of the assessment centre demands something a bit different from you. For the e-tray, it would be a good idea to think about how a deal is usually structured and to make sure you’re able to work quickly under pressure. The HR interview is fairly straightforward – prepare competencies! For the most part, the partner interview involves explaining your answer to the e-tray exercise. They’ll be looking for real-world examples to substantiate any claims you make, so read up on some past deals.
Linklaters Interview 2018
When was your Linklaters interview?
14 November 2018
What was it for?
Winter Vacation Scheme
Please describe the interview process at Linklaters.
HR Interview/ Case Study – E-intray/ Partner Interview
What advice would you give to future applicants for the Linklaters interview?
Technical only for Partner interview – focused only on the case studies (surprised me that they did not ask questions about me or anything else aside from the technicals of the case study and role of a trainee in this case study). For the competency HR interview – it included everything – motivation for law and Linklaters & what values you expect trainees at Linklaters to have/ vs what are your core values. Brush up on your technicals!
