Preparation, preparation, preparation.

David studied Political Science, Philosophy and Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. He joined Linklaters in September 2007.

The road to somewhere.

Although Linklaters was my first choice firm, with limited spaces available and great opportunities on offer, I knew it would be tough getting accepted. I'd always thought that Linklaters was a firm that hired the most intelligent and ambitious students from varying backgrounds – people that would fit well into a team and work hard to achieve the best possible results for their clients and for the firm. So I was delighted when I was offered a contract. While I believed that I was a good candidate for the Magic Circle firms, and particularly Linklaters, I understood that the process would be challenging.

An exercise worth practising.

The interview day itself involved two interviews, a presentation to a partner and a critical reasoning questionnaire.

The first interview was all about my experiences up to that stage in my life. It was followed by the preparation of a case study. I was then asked to brief a partner about the situation in the case study and how Linklaters might be able to assist. It was a great exercise as, given the short timeframe, it focused me on the task at hand and made me consider the international and commercial aspects of a given situation. It's also very similar to what might happen as a trainee, where you can be asked to absorb a large amount of information in a short period of time and then speak clearly and succinctly about it. The case study did not require any legal analysis. The main thing is to put yourself in the position of the client. It was a very demanding day, but an enjoyable one.

Saying all the right things.

You need a lot more than luck to do well in the selection process. In the application form, be sure to answer the questions, using examples that help to differentiate yourself (but without using pages and pages!).  In the interviews, always try to consider commercial issues and don't forget to tackle the problem from the perspective of the client and not just as a lawyer.  Gaining as much knowledge of the firm as you can and having a good grasp of current affairs, particularly those that may have an effect on Linklaters and its clients, will stand you in good stead.

Different dreams. Same future.

You'll find people from every type of background here. We've all taken varying routes to get to where we are today, and all those combined experiences make for a formidable group of young lawyers. My colleagues are extremely smart, fun and engaging, and I have been fortunate to make some excellent friendships. I am truly excited about my future here at Linklaters.