The Linklaters name has become synonymous with innovative deals and award wins across Asia and globally. But what are we actually like? First off, many of the lawyers who join are impressed by the attention that’s paid towards them as an individual. We don’t just choose people with a CV to die for. While we’re looking for strength and depth in technical ability, we look behind the expertise. We need something special from you – to know that your skills are matched by an insatiable drive, passion, and entrepreneurial spirit. Plus, you’ll want to be part of a truly integrated practice: People’s Republic of China lawyers work closely with international lawyers, bringing a rich level of legal and cultural understanding to every deal.
This is a place for lawyers who want to achieve great things with some of the finest legal minds in the industry. The legal framework in China is pretty much open, and the deals being done now are defining how the business will be run over the next 20 years. Take our Citibank deal for instance. We advised our clients to buy into a domestic bank, which was the first Chinese M&A deal up to international standard. Most deals now follow that framework and, considering it happened three or four years ago, people are still talking about it. We also helped Goldman Sachs to set up their operations in China. They were the first investment bank to set up in the country and get involved in Capital Markets work. It was a highly complex deal, and people were sceptical about whether it could be achieved. But achieve it we did.
Whether you’re from China, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore (we have an incredibly diverse team), you’ll be happy to leave your comfort zone and make the most of some outstanding development opportunities. Strong Mandarin is certainly a bonus - China can be a tough place without it - but as long as you have the technical expertise and a real desire to shape our legal landscape, there’s every chance you can excel here.