Magic circle firm Linklaters is targeting sixth formers from social mobility ‘cold spots’ to offer A-Level tutoring, help with university applications, and personal finance support.

The programme, named ‘Making Links Discovery’, is designed to open up careers in the law for 16 to 18-year-old students across the UK, and is focused on boosting social mobility and ethnic diversity in the sector.

The 18-month programme is aimed at year 12 and 13 pupils from ‘disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds’. Up to 30 students in year 12 will receive support such as mentoring, work shadowing, personal finance help, CV and interview support, and university advice.

Students can then apply to continue onto the second phase of the programme in the final year of school, where successful candidates will have access to individual A-Level tutoring and the chance to be fast-tracked onto the firm’s £6,000 scholarship programme.

The scheme will be run in partnership with the Social Mobility Foundation and the Amos Bursary, which will put forward candidates who identify as having black, Pakistani or Bangladeshi heritage.

Fionnghuala Griggs, trainee recruitment partner at Linklaters, said: ‘Early opportunities play a crucial role in opening up access to and achieving true diversity in the legal sector. Making Links Discovery will enable us to develop a distinct pipeline of, and strong engagement with, students from across the UK who want to pursue a career in the law but might not otherwise have had the opportunity or resources to do so.’