Keeping a balance.

Philippa Gavey studied Law in South Africa before moving to the UK and joining Linklaters in September 2000. She is a Managing Associate in Mainstream Corporate – and a mum.

A global outlook.

I always knew that joining a global law firm would present me with many opportunities for growth and development, and Linklaters has certainly not disappointed. I have also had the opportunity to work on large and innovative deals in numerous countries including India, Hong Kong, South Africa, Russia, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Belgium, France and Hungary to name but a few.

Flexibility is key.

A career in a Magic Circle law firm is challenging, rewarding and requires a great deal of commitment. However, the flexibility of my working arrangement with Linklaters has made it compatible and sustainable with raising a young family. I'm still as passionate about the work I do today as I was when I first started and the deals I'm working on are still just as exciting. I now work three days per week. On a typical day I work in the office from 9am to 5.30pm before leaving to spend some time with my son. Once he is in bed I sometimes work from home if necessary but the true flexibility of the arrangement enables me to balance my career with my family commitments. And importantly my career is still progressing. My ambition had always been to combine a successful career with bringing up a young family. I've always loved my work – and now it fits perfectly with my life objectives as a whole.