Our clients want a law firm they can trust, one that stands out for a commitment to investing in them and empowering our teams. We want to stand out for our distinctive Linklaters mind-set, so our clients want to work with us above all others.

Delivering excellent client service and using our global capabilities to help them pursue the right opportunities means they benefit from long and lasting relationships.

To put clients at the heart of all we do, we recruit and develop exceptional people empowering them to do and think differently. We serve our clients as a team, with a common focus on innovation, efficiency and agility.

Making Links Scholarship

Making Links Scholarship programme is designed to help talented European university students from underrepresented groups succeed in their early careers by developing technical and professional skills e.g., legal drafting and presentation skills whilst building up strong commercial fluency and a global outlook. The programme will be offered in our European offices in Amsterdam, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Lisbon, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris and Stockholm. Its content will be delivered in English.

The programme will include:

• an internship programme in the closest local office. In Germany end of February to beginning of April 2026, in Amsterdam and Italy 2 months between June 2026 to December 2026, Brussels 1 month between July and September 2026, for all other offices in the period of June to August 2026.
• a sponsorship of €5000 net per student which will be paid in June or July 2026
• a kick-off event in Linklater’s Madrid office on 29/30 January 2026, with all travel and accommodation expenses covered by the firm
• interactive webinars and virtual presentations (will likely take place between February and June 2026)
• group discussions organised on a regional basis, invitations to local office activities throughout the programme
• personal and professional 1:1 coaching sessions
• a strong focus on developing confidence using English (written and oral) in a professional setting

Who is eligible?  

We are looking for law students who consider themselves belonging to an underrepresented background, are committed to pursuing a career in commercial law and demonstrate consistent academic performance.

You are eligible as from your:

• third year of your bachelor’s degree or first and second year of your master’s degree (if you live/study in Belgium)
• third year of your law degree (“Licence”) while being available for a summer internship from June to August with a “convention de stage” delivered by your university (if you live/study in France)
• fifth year of your law degree (if you live/study in Italy)
• third year of your bachelor’s degree while being available for an internship during the summer break (if you live/study in Luxembourg or a neighbouring country)
• you are in the third year of your bachelor's degree in Dutch Law or enrolled in a master's degree programme in Dutch Law (if you live/study in the Netherlands)
• penultimate or last year of your law degree (if you live/study in Portugal)
• antepenultimate, penultimate or final year of your law degree (if you live/study in Spain)
• last year of your bachelor’s degree (if you live/study in Sweden)
• you are in advanced law studies and have passed an intermediate examination (if you live/study in Germany)

Application Process

Please submit your CV, transcript of records and a cover letter outlining your aspirations and reasons for wanting to join the programme. As part of your cover letter, please include the following:

• What makes you a good candidate for the Scholarship and what is your story?
• Why are you applying to the Scholarship?
• What do you hope to achieve with the Scholarship?
• Why are you interested in commercial law and Linklaters?

Please note, that your CV, transcript of records and a cover letter in English are mandatory. Shortlisted students will be invited to a short (video) interview with a member of the local HR team.

Amsterdam Office: The application process for an internship consists of making an assessment and (if passed) an interview with a senior lawyer and a member of the Amsterdam HR Team.

Please also note that, in order to receive the scholarship, participants must not miss more than five virtual sessions and the kick-off event. Additionally, the internship is a mandatory and integral part of the programme, and not optional.

 

Application Deadline: 19 October 2025

 

Technical Skills:

This list of duties and responsibilities above is not exhaustive.  It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for, the performance of this job. As such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.