Linklaters Assessment Centre Guide 2027
Half-day or full-day assessment at Linklaters's offices, including group exercise, written exercise, and partner interview. 3 stages. Everything you need to know to prepare.
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Format
What the Linklaters assessment centre looks like
Arrival & Briefing
15-20 minutesGraduate recruitment team
Arrival at Linklaters's offices. Briefing on the day's structure, followed by networking with current trainees.
Group Exercise
30-45 minutes2-3 assessors observing
Analyse a business or legal scenario as a group and present recommendations. Assessors watch for collaboration, clear communication, and commercial awareness.
Written Exercise
45-60 minutesAssessed after completion
Summarise complex information and provide advice. Tests attention to detail, legal reasoning, and ability to communicate complex ideas clearly.
Partner Interview
30-45 minutes1-2 partners
In-depth discussion of your CV, motivation for law, and commercial awareness. Partners test for genuine interest, intellectual curiosity, and cultural fit.
Debrief
10-15 minutesGraduate recruitment
Opportunity to ask final questions. Decision typically communicated within 1-2 weeks.
Prep plan
48-hour preparation plan
148 hours before
Research Linklaters's recent deals and matters — check their press releases, Chambers rankings, and Legal 500 entries.
Read the Financial Times legal section for current issues affecting commercial law firms.
Prepare 5 STAR-format examples covering teamwork, attention to detail, problem-solving, leadership, and commercial initiative.
Prepare your "Why Linklaters?" answer with specific references to practice areas, deals, or people you've met.
Practise summarising complex information under time pressure — this is essential for the written exercise.
224 hours before
Check the Financial Times for any breaking legal news.
Prepare 3-4 questions for the partner interview — about their career, practice area trends, or recent work.
Review your anchor stories one final time — time yourself to ensure 2-3 minute answers.
Plan your outfit, route, and arrival time. Business formal expected.
Get 8 hours of sleep. Assessment centres are mentally demanding — fatigue shows.
3Morning of
Scan morning headlines for relevant business or legal news.
Arrive 15 minutes early. Use waiting time to observe the office, not to cram.
Be personable with everyone you meet — from reception to current trainees.
In the group exercise, focus on collaboration and building on others' points. Don't try to dominate.
Questions
Linklaters assessment centre questions by round
Different interviewers ask different types of questions. Know what to expect at each level.
- 1Case study: advise a fictional client on a business decision (no legal knowledge required).
- 2Group discussion: debate a commercial proposition and reach consensus.
- 3What qualities make a great commercial lawyer?
- 4Tell me about a Linklaters deal or matter that impressed you.
Technicals
Linklaters technical questions
- 1Case study: advise a fictional client on a business decision (no legal knowledge required).
- 2Group discussion: debate a commercial proposition and reach consensus.
- 3What qualities make a great commercial lawyer?
- 4Tell me about a Linklaters deal or matter that impressed you.
- 5Tell me about a recent Linklaters deal or matter that interests you.
- 6What do you know about Linklaters's banking and capital markets practice?
- 7How would you explain a warranty in a share purchase agreement to a non-lawyer client?
- 8What regulatory developments are currently affecting Linklaters's clients?
- 9Why Linklaters over Clifford Chance?
- 10What is the biggest challenge facing commercial law firms in the next five years?
Evaluation
What Linklaters interviewers evaluate
Commercial judgement
Not just awareness — judgement. They want you to have a view on commercial issues, not just describe them.
Analytical precision
Finance-heavy practice means analytical thinking is paramount. Show you can break down complex information logically.
Collaborative working
Training at Linklaters is team-based. They want evidence of building on others' work and supporting colleagues.
Clear communication
Explaining a complex finance deal to a client in plain English is core to the role. Test this at AC.
Drive and resilience
Magic Circle hours require stamina. They want people who are motivated by the work, not just the salary.
Global perspective
Linklaters operates in 20 countries. Show awareness of international markets and cross-border transactions.
Avoid
Common mistakes at Linklaters assessment centres
Dominating the group exercise. Assessors explicitly test for collaboration. Building on others' ideas scores higher than being the loudest voice.
Not knowing Linklaters's recent deals or matters. You must be able to discuss at least 1-2 recent transactions or cases.
Weak written exercise. Many candidates underestimate this — clear, structured writing under time pressure is a core legal skill.
Asking generic questions in the partner interview. "What's the culture like?" is too vague. Ask about specific practice areas or deals.
Being unable to articulate why commercial law over other legal careers. Have a clear, personal answer.
Dropping energy throughout the day. Treat every stage as equally important — assessors compare notes.
Practise Linklaters assessment centre questions
Intervyo's assessment centre practice simulates real Linklaters interviews. Record your answers on camera and get AI-scored feedback across behavioural, technical, and commercial awareness questions — the same types you'll face on the day.
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FAQ
Linklaters assessment centre FAQs
Be ready for every round
AI-scored practice with Linklaters questions. Behavioural, technical, and commercial awareness — all scored with detailed feedback. Free for 3 days.
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