After seven years of study in a Chinese law school, I started an internship at the Linklaters Beijing office. Then I joined Linklaters as a Trainee after obtaining an LLM degree, and I’m now an Associate in our Shanghai office.

I’ve benefitted a lot from the firm’s training system, platform and resources support, and its sharing and caring culture. I have experienced seat rotations in different cities and offices, with guidance from senior mentors in very supportive environments – these are all invaluable experience for a junior. It also drives me to be proactive in exploring different practice areas. In the past two years, I’ve gained experience in Mainstream Corporate and Capital Markets (Structured Finance and Derivatives), and have exposed myself to various types of work and opportunities.

Practice in a law firm is frequently a collaborative process. It’s vital from the very beginning, that we foster strong business relationships characterised by open communication, mutual respect and the pursuit of common goals. It usually starts by networking with colleagues, and then extends to clients. Relationship building is an important skill and beneficial to long-term career.

At Linklaters, there’s also always an emphasis on our wellbeing. Our firm-wide exercising activities in the Shanghai office, such as the riverside running club and yoga class, give us valuable time exercising together as a team. These sessions also help us to maintain good mental health and the ability to meet the exciting challenges and achieve work-life balance.