Mayumi Yamauchi is a Human Resources Adviser in Tokyo. What attracted her about Linklaters is its striking and unique approach.

“Before I joined Linklaters, I was already familiar with the legal market, as I had previously worked in a recruitment agency, and I also knew Linklaters, as they’d been one of my clients. I’d been impressed then by how advanced Linklaters were in their thinking. When the regulations in Japan changed to allow international law firms to employ local lawyers, Linklaters were the first to capitalise on it, by merging with a local Japanese firm. I joined only a few months before this happened, so it has been an exciting period of change in HR.

“It has certainly been a challenge – but that is exactly why I joined. We have been working hard to integrate two very different cultures here, which has been difficult to say the least. But the attitude with which everyone has gone about the changes has been incredibly positive – and very impressive. We have enjoyed a lot of support from the Hong Kong and London offices, and all the people here are making great efforts to understand the other culture, to support each other, and to communicate. It’s created a fantastic working atmosphere.

“Working in a law firm is a unique experience. It won’t be for everybody, but if you’re interested and willing to understand people, and if you like the challenge of meeting high expectations, I would honestly say there is no better place.”