Hong Kong is populated with numerous law firms, but experienced lawyers are attracted to Linklaters in search of that extra ‘edge’. Many are aware of our strength as a leading international firm, particularly if they join us from London, but it’s difficult to appreciate the sheer ambition of our people until you’re fully immersed in our environment. Our work is reflective of our purposeful strategy and strength and depth of practice areas as we enjoy the opportunity to work closely with our clients, and get involved in groundbreaking bespoke transactions and cross-jurisdictional premium deals.
Our China practice is the largest of any international law firm, best known for our leading-edge work on international strategic investments into (and out of) mainland China, together with M&A, private equity, capital markets, banking, projects, and dispute resolution. The Hong Kong office is small, so naturally everyone covers a lot more ground and there’s a real emphasis on providing all our lawyers with the same ground-breaking deal and client-facing opportunities. We have a number of People’s Republic of China lawyers who are very senior in the firm, including two partners. Everyone experiences a steep learning curve, and partners will give you as much responsibility as you can handle – with continued support throughout. In fact, some of the first things you’ll notice are our openness, approachability and willingness to share knowledge.
In terms of formal training, you can benefit from a global programme that’s mixed with regional courses, lunchtime seminars and online training. Everything’s geared towards developing you from an early stage, and this is across the board. For instance, you’ll receive training on how to recruit, how to build client relationships, and how to develop business. If you’re good, there’s a real sense you’ll move on quickly and lead the future of the firm.