Richard Hodgson

Richard graduated from the London School of Economics where he studied law, and joined Linklaters as an Associate in June 2003. He became a Managing Associate in August 2006, and his focus stretches way beyond his own development.

Encouraging growth.

I very much enjoy having the opportunity to support Trainees and Associates in their development as lawyers and at Linklaters, Managing Associates and Partners are encouraged to take on this type of role. I’ve been fortunate to have five trainee solicitors sit with me to date, two of whom have come back to join my practice area as newly qualified solicitors. In fact, one of them is now assisting me on what has been my most challenging matter to date, the Lehman Brothers administration.

A lesson in development.

Training here really is quite exceptional. The Linklaters Law & Business School is a fundamental part of the development of lawyers at Linklaters - both in terms of the technical aspects of the training on offer, and also with respect to the skills-based training, such as negotiation skills, presentation skills and accounts courses. I’m also committed to mentoring junior associates in the Restructuring and Insolvency Group and I’m soon to be part of the firm’s new firm-wide mentoring programme.

Giving a lot back.

At Linklaters, I’m not only given the opportunity to focus on the development of myself and those I work with. Through the firm’s commitment to pro bono work, I’m encouraged to focus on the community too. For instance, over a period of two academic years, I mentored four young people as part of the Hackney School Mentoring Programme. This involved meeting with the students once a week to discuss academic and non-curricular issues. I also co-presented a one-day course on job searches, interview techniques and other work-related skills to a group of young people in Hackney as part of a summer-long course – one that was co-sponsored by the Prince’s Trust.

A step in the right direction.

You’ll quickly discover that when you make the step up from Associate to Managing Associate, there are many more opportunities to manage aspects of the firm’s business, such as taking responsibility for marketing activities, getting involved with graduate recruitment and managing capacity and staffing within the group. Like me, you may also find you want to give something back too, be it to trainees who are now in the position you once were, or to the communities in which we work.