Mark Middleton

Mark joined Linklaters as a trainee in 1994. He qualified into the Capital Markets group and became a Partner in 2007. Almost a year ago, he changed practice areas to become a Partner in our Financial Regulation Group.

Doing things differently.

My career at Linklaters has not followed the well-trodden path you might expect. I joined the firm as a trainee in the London office, but I have also spent time on secondment in Hong Kong, Moscow and Rome. I have also experienced life as a client of the firm, spending a year at Credit Suisse, and also at a competitor law firm before returning to the mother-ship in 2001.

Keeping change constant.

The fact that my career has involved working in a number of offices within the Linklaters network as well as time spent working outside the firm means that I am not intimidated by change. That is why, when the firm identified a need earlier this year for an extra partner to support our Financial Regulation Group, I volunteered. It is not common for Partners to move practice areas, but I was excited by the prospect of a new challenge and Linklaters really encourages flexibility.

If the firm identifies a particular business need in a certain area and you would be interested in making a move to support it, then the firm will be hugely supportive. Our markets are changing faster than ever and the continued success of the firm depends on all of us adapting more quickly than our competitors to the new environment.

Ready for anything.

Linklaters’ training programmes are designed to make sure our lawyers gain an understanding of the wider context in which they work. For example, if you qualify into the Banking department, you won’t only be taught the specific legal skills needed for your day-to-day work but will also gain a broader understanding of corporate finance law and practice. The firm feels very strongly that its lawyers should have the skill set to enable them to turn their attention to any challenge and that the key to producing adaptable and flexible lawyers is to provide market-leading training.