What you Need to Know About Linklaters

Dispute Resolution
Our Dispute Resolution division advises clients on some of the market’s most sensitive and complex litigation and arbitration cases, on the contentious aspects of corporate and finance transactions, and in respect of major government and regulatory investigations. We have a reputation for achieving major wins and, in response to the growing global nature of disputes, for supporting our clients through an integrated multijurisdictional team.
Finance and Projects

Our finance division leads the world’s strongest financial institutions practice and advises companies, banks, funds and governments on their funding, hedging and investment activities. Innovation and market leadership stand at the centre of our work. Our projects team leads many of the world’s most important energy and infrastructure projects. Each of these practices has close synergies with our leading real estate practice, which acts for major international real estate companies, investors and occupiers in relation to some of the most complex and high profile real estate transactions globally

Our people
To deliver consistently excellent advice to our clients, we depend on having expert, flexible and entrepreneurial lawyers who are at the very top of their profession. We provide world-class learning and development and knowledge management to everyone across the firm, at every stage of their career.

Working at Linklaters means being globally-minded, mobile, agile and responsive to clients and market opportunities. Our commitment to our people – the Deal – is to provide an outstanding career experience that offers a passport to success whether people stay with the firm or develop their careers elsewhere.

We have an inclusive, meritocratic culture where people can excel. We believe that different perspectives enrich the culture of the firm and help us provide more rounded solutions for clients.
Award winning

Client satisfaction is the real measure of success for the work we do, but we also value the external recognition gained through the awards we have won around the world.

Linklaters  (a global team with more than 50 in-house lawyers and advisers) supports partners and senior managers to ensure that the firm complies with the rules of the marketplace, applicable laws and professional rules. The team also manages the firm’s exposure to claims and complaints in the conduct of our legal practice.

National managing and local risk partners share responsibility for managing risks in the legal practice of each local office.

Business Teams directors share responsibility for managing business risks not directly related to the conduct of the firm’s legal practice. These include managing business continuity plans, IT security and wider operational risks, including dealing with suppliers.
Reviewing risk

The firm’s risk management processes in London are aligned with the SRA’s Solicitors’ Code of Conduct.
As part of these risk management processes, we carry out risk reviews. These are in-depth examinations of how we meet our risk responsibilities at a local office and practice level. 

The reviews include, among other things: health, safety and security issues for our people

business continuity planning to keep our business running during or after a crisis
quality control and responsible marketing in the delivery of our services new business acceptance and terms of engagement – whom we will work for and on what terms legislative and regulatory compliance preserving our reputation as a market leader

As part of the risk review process, our Risk team meets with practice and business heads across the firm to identify and discuss how key risks are being managed. The action points arising from these reviews are incorporated into the relevant business plans.

Some of our biggest risks concern association with the “wrong” clients or third parties, including those who have a controversial reputation or become involved in market scandals or are associated with bribery and corruption.

 The Linklaters Seven Questions and new business approval processes have been developed to control and mitigate these risks. As part of these processes, we have developed ‘Guidance on High Risk Business’ for certain categories of business warranting special jurisdictional or sectoral focus because they give rise to acceptance of a higher degree of risk than is normal.

 The Guidance serves as a filter for such business which, prior to approval, is then subjected to further background checks and consultation with the risk team as well as partners with specialist knowledge, experience or expertise in dealing with business in the relevant category.

 Our client confidentiality obligations mean that we can not disclose why we decide not to accept work in any particular case.

The Risk Register
Our risk register is a forward looking register, documenting all risks that the firm is potentially exposed to as well as being an effective tool to demonstrate the relevant controls in place to mitigate those risks. Risks identified through many different systems and processes are added to the firm’s risk register, where they are rated by severity and likelihood and assigned to one of six categories (e.g. client based reputational risk or litigation and service level risk).

 Any particular areas of high risk or significant changes can be highlighted in risk reports to the firm’s Executive Committee as necessary.

Data security
We take our legal and regulatory obligations in relation to information security and data protection very seriously. We have established procedures and provide regular training in relation to confidentiality and the use of information barriers. We have recently put in place a new system of automated information barriers and a firm-wide set of binding corporate rules to ensure consistent and greater protection of personal data throughout our offices.

Security and Safety team
Our Security and Safety team works in conjunction with our international premises team and assists in numerous projects around the world by reviewing the political, security, crime and environmental risks of each region, country and city in which our people are working. 

Other issues that we are aware of and monitor include:

maintaining a safe and secure work environment, which includes a travel risk service for all our travellers, taking into account security and medical issues. the successful recovery of the business in the event of a major disruption disruption to staff’s travel arrangements due to flooding or high temperatures uncomfortable working conditions increased energy bills due to more cooling required in the summer months legislation requiring tax on carbon emissions the maintenance of staff health and well being through proactive assessment and monitoring programmes.

We assess our safety, security and business continuity risks formally once a year and, if any external risks have increased, we carry out further assessments. 

This research, along with our annual business impact analysis, helps us develop and plan our overall risk strategy and manage our resources. We also look closely at our threats and risks using our Terminate, Reduce, Assess, Pass-on (TRAP) business risk management methodology. 

To ensure that there is continued awareness within the firm, three security and safety awareness weeks are held annually.