Our work
Where strength meets depth
With offices in 31 cities around the world, we offer expert legal services across a wide range of jurisdictions. But rather than specialise in just one area, we are proud to have best-in-class divisions across the board, in Corporate, Finance and Dispute Resolution. And in practice, they frequently work together to advise clients.
We give clients confidence that their needs will be met in every area. But at the same time, our approach is not fixed. We adapt to anticipate the changing requirements of work, markets and the regulatory landscape.
As a Linklaters colleague, our breadth of expertise means that, wherever you focus, you will be involved in the very best work and benefit from continuous, tailored training from experienced, exceptional lawyers.
Corporate
Advising on pioneering deals, our Corporate division is recognised as a world leader in mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and private equity. Corporate is also home to global teams specialising in market-leading antitrust/competition, employment, pensions and incentives, tax and technology, media and telecommunications. We help companies resolve some of the most taxing issues facing modern business.
Dispute Resolution
Our clients face some of the most sensitive and complex litigation and arbitration. The Disputes division is here to guide them. We advise on the contentious aspects of corporate and finance transactions, on major government and regulatory investigations. We have a reputation for major wins and for an integrated, multi-jurisdictional team. Considering the increasingly global nature of disputes, collaboration has never been more essential.
Finance
Our Finance division leads the world’s strongest financial institutions practice. We advise companies, banks, funds and governments on their funding, hedging and investment activities. We lead many of the world's most important energy and infrastructure initiatives. Innovation is at the heart of our work. And the practices also work closely with our leading real estate team. Here, experts act for major international real estate companies, investors and occupiers on complex, high-profile transactions.
Mergers & Acquisitions
covers everything from public takeovers and complex multi-jurisdictional deals to corporate restructuring.
Private Equity
advises private equity houses and fund managers on all aspects of the industry.
Antitrust & Foreign Investment Group
handles merger control, cartels and dawn raids, competition litigation, market and sector investigations, abuse of dominance, state aid, public procurement and economic or utilities regulation.
Employment and Incentives
advises corporate and financial institutions on their share plans and tax incentives. The team also deals with many day-to-day issues, including remuneration, contracts and terminations, discrimination and dismissal, health and safety and immigration, as well as issues surrounding M&A transactions.
Pensions
focuses on the pensions aspects of M&A transactions, as well as offering advice on running pensions schemes and working with our disputes team on complex pensions disputes.
Tax
is heavily involved in many cases, as most deals involve tax implications. It also provides advice directly to clients on tax structuring and tax-based transactions.
TMT/IP (Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Intellectual Property)
covers major commercial contracts, outsourcing and offshoring, information management compliance and data protection, e-business and IT security. They also handle major TMT disputes, as well as patent, copyright and trademark infringement litigation.
Trusts
advise high-net-worth individuals, charities and trustees, and provide firm-wide support on trust law and trust taxation issues.
Dispute Resolution
Handling our clients’ most sensitive and complex disputes is central to Linklaters’ strategy, and our market-leading disputes division is a large and growing part of the firm. Ours is a reputation for major wins and an integrated, multi-jurisdictional team who focus on a range of specialisms. Considering the increasingly global nature of disputes, collaboration has never been more essential.
Our International Arbitration practice is one of the largest in the world. The team act as arbitrators and counsel in arbitral proceedings globally. We are regularly instructed by top corporates, financial institutions and nation states in both commercial and investment arbitrations - and we have an excellent track record of success. We also advise our clients on the pros and cons of using arbitration, the different geographical options available, and the use of arbitration to enhance the protection of “foreign” investments. And we advise on the options for tailoring arbitration clauses to the needs of different contracts, parties, geographies and legal systems.
We have extensive courtroom experience in many of the major financial and business centres across the world, we're well placed to provide Commercial Litigation. We're instructed by top corporates, firms and financial institutions to act on high profile and business critical litigation, covering a wealth of subject matter.
Linklaters have broad experience of Regulatory Investigations worldwide. We are market leaders in advising financial institutions on legal and regulatory risk, and we use our skills and expertise to investigate even the most complex of issues. A particular strength is our multi-jurisdictional presence, giving us the resources and cultural sensitivity to conduct global investigations. This also allows us to harmonise the reaction to regulatory investigation in numerous jurisdictions.
Whether it's the actions of a rogue employee, a dawn raid, an oil spill, a liquidity crisis, a product recall, significant fraud, an accident, press attack or collapse of a key supplier – anything can threaten our clients' business. We believe prevention is always better than a cure. And we bring unparalleled experience in Crisis Management to contain serious issues, thinking ahead to mitigate risk before a crisis occurs.
As well as active disputes, we also regularly undertake Advisory work for internal and external clients. For example, we advise on anti-bribery and corruption due diligence, compliance with global anti-corruption laws, contractual construction, negotiation management, and dispute resolution clauses.
Finance
With a truly robust financial institutions practice, our Finance division leads many of the most important energy and infrastructure initiatives in the world. Innovation is at the heart of our work. And the practices also work closely with our leading real estate team. Here, experts act for major international real estate companies, investors and occupiers on complex, high-profile transactions.
Banking
guides clients on all elements of private bespoke debt finance, including acquisition and leveraged finance, real estate finance, financial structuring and regulatory finance, asset finance, trade and emerging markets finance, mainstream banking, and high-yield securities work.
Capital Markets (Equity and Debt Markets, Derivatives and Structured Products, Structured Finance Group)
helps international investment banks, governments and corporates to raise funds through international capital markets, and restructuring existing financial commitments.
Financial Regulation
advises clients on everything from becoming authorised to conducting regulated activities in the financial markets, to dealing with enforcement investigations and disciplinary action from regulators.
Investment Management
consults on structuring, formation, taxation and regulation of all types of investment funds including real estate, securities, debt, as well as other financial instruments, such as large pension funds and private equity.
The UK Real Estate group acts
for major international real estate companies, investors and occupiers on premium real estate deals. They have worked on many London landmarks, including the Gherkin, the Royal Opera House and the British Museum.
The global Restructuring and Insolvency team
works on some of the most complex and innovative cross-border restructuring and insolvency transactions: debt restructurings, recapitalisations, distressed M&A, formal insolvency procedures and strategic distressed debt and equity investments.
All-round expertise
We are business partners as well as legal advisors. It means we’re committed to understanding sector-specific commercial challenges as well as legal requirements. And by specialising in both practice and industry areas, our lawyers can provide our clients with all-round expertise and unique perspectives. Our Training Contract provides an opportunity to experience work across these areas, while learning from leading industry experts.
17 global sector networks, serving every clients' industry:
| Banks and other Financial Investors | Energy, Resources and Infrastructure | Technology, Healthcare and Consumer Industries |
| Banks | Energy and Utilities | Technology |
| Private Equity & Financial Sponsors | Infrastructure and Transport | Healthcare |
| Investment Managers | Mining | Consumer |
| Real Estate & Leisure | Chemicals | Sports |
| Insurance | Automotive | Telecoms |
| Fintech | Industrials |