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To apply, you'll have to go to their website. Linklaters will take an online test. HSF and AnO will mostly rely on your essays and CV where you have to show you have all the right skills. Best to talk to someone who has gone through this process.
This can be seen by how apart from the top NLUs other good colleges like Christ, SLS are not even available to choose from in the vacation scheme application form. i had to end up putting 'other'. (Do not know if it's changed now...)
Vacation Schemes mostly do look at your academic requirement. Being top 5% of the batch gives you an definitive chance that they will atleast have a look at your application. Mostly scheme
That being said, more than LOR's doing well in international moots gives you an edge through both networking and good performance
2. Training contract offers do not come via contacts. They only come via assessment of candidate's performance at the vacation scheme.
3. I am familiar with these processes myself, having been through them. Any contacts you have can only help you to a limited extent. At most, if you know a lawyer at a foreign firm and have discussed the work they do in a practice area, it might be worth mentioning that in your application. No more. If they don't like your interview, assessment centre or (where applicable) SJT performance, no amount of glowing reviews from contacts can get you over the line. Whoever may have told you otherwise is bullshitting.
A caveat to this last point: Getting a contact you may have at a firm to look over your application or mock interview you and provide you with feedback is an obvious advantage.