From Trainee to Magic Circle Associate: An Interview with Former Linklaters Lawyer Will Foulkes

Will Foulkes spent four years in the Finance and Projects department at Linklaters, working in London and in the firm’s offices in Paris and Milan.

During his time there, he worked closely with graduate recruitment, attended law fairs and spoke at universities about the application process. TSL spoke to Will about his journey into law and the lessons he learned along the way.

Can you tell us about your educational background?Will studied French and History at Southampton University. After graduating, he completed the Graduate Diploma in Law and then the Linklaters-specific Legal Practice Course at the University of Law in Moorgate.

What motivated you to train as a solicitor?Will explained that his motivation was not a deep passion for applying the rule of law.

His gap year in the south of France showed him the benefits of living abroad, and he wanted a career that would allow him to travel and work with intelligent and diverse people. Family advice made him aware of the earning potential and job security that professional qualifications could offer. He considered accountancy and law. After a short period working at KPMG, he realised accountancy was not for him. He then arranged to shadow a high street solicitor and attended two trials. He enjoyed the experience and decided to pursue law.

What did you find most challenging about the training contract application process?Will described the initial challenge as a lack of self-belief.

He felt overwhelmed by competition from people who seemed more rounded and more capable. He also found the application forms demanding because of the time required to complete them. He decided to treat the process as another module of his degree and allocated time accordingly.

Through friends at Linklaters, he arranged a short period of work experience while at university. He was impressed by the calibre of the people he met and decided he would do everything he could to work there.

What was the best piece of advice you were given when applying?The most helpful advice was that before anyone else believes you are capable of securing a training contract, you must believe it yourself. You need to believe that you can stand alongside the people already doing the job. The challenge then becomes how to build that belief when you do not yet know what the job involves.

Is there anything you wish you were told before becoming a trainee?Will explained that being a trainee requires a unique skillset that can only be learned on the job. A friend told him not to worry about retaining LPC knowledge because it fades quickly. What matters in your first seat is being present and willing.

He wishes he had been told that it is acceptable to make mistakes and that mistakes are expected. What matters is how you respond. You should take responsibility where appropriate and do everything you can to fix the issue. In transactional work, most problems can be resolved. Although mistakes may feel embarrassing, they are not career-ending.

Will noted that trainees are given significant responsibility from day one. Clients do not know whether it is your first day or your second year. This can push you far outside your comfort zone. The best advice he received was to take each day as it comes and focus on manageable steps.

What did you enjoy most about your job?Will was delighted when he received his training contract offer. It represented the culmination of hard work and recognition of his potential.

He enjoyed contract negotiation with advisors and principals from different countries. He valued the cultural differences in approach and enjoyed using his languages to help bridge gaps. He also enjoyed advisory work, guiding clients through processes or applications of law. He preferred acting for companies or borrowers because the transactions meant more to them than to banks, for whom the work was routine.

His six months in Milan were a highlight. He appreciated the added responsibility and autonomy of an overseas seat and enjoyed the Italian lifestyle of long lunches, bold fashion and weekends at the beach.

What did you learn from working with graduate recruitment?Will learned a great deal from attending law fairs and giving presentations. During a quieter period in his Paris seat, he wrote a book summarising everything he had learned about the application process.

One key tip is the importance of attention to detail. A large number of application forms are rejected for basic grammar and punctuation errors. Will advises printing out your application and reading it the next day, then asking someone else to check it.