Martijn Koopal is Partner in our Banking practice, and is based at our Amsterdam office. For him, the most satisfying aspect of working at Linklaters has been to watch – and be involved in – the firm’s rapid development in Holland.

"It’s fair to say that the growth of the office here in Amsterdam has been spectacular. In 2005, I was only the ninth lawyer to arrive at the office. Now, within the space of eighteen months, there are thirty-five lawyers – and a further fifteen support staff. What’s more, these are people not just from Holland, but from all over the world.

"Of course, the challenge in a growing and developing office is to keep hold of the ‘small firm’ culture. Linklaters is, of course, a huge global firm – but, I’m happy to report, the atmosphere is very down-to-earth, and there’s a human touch to everything they do, and the way everyone communicates.

"When Linklaters was first established in The Netherlands – in 1999 – we weren’t necessarily a household name amongst potential new clients. Since then, however, we’ve achieved some notable success, and I consistently work with large multi-national companies and institutions, which gives me involvement in a tremendous variety of complex, interesting deals. The challenge for all of us now is to push on and overtake some of the more established firms. And, on a personal level, I know there are the opportunities out there for me to develop my career on a global scale. It’s an incredibly exciting time."