Chris Shelton

Chris joined Linklaters in March 2009 after studying Political Science and International Relations at
Birmingham University. He’s currently a trainee in his first seat in our Corporate practice and has been busy putting his adventurous side to use – and not just on pioneering deals.

Variety is the spice of life.

I am currently in my first seat in Corporate, but even at such an early stage of my career the work has been so varied. I’ve already experienced a number of M&A deals, reverse takeovers, schemes of arrangement and equity deals (capital raising). In fact, I’m currently working on a big international equities deal incorporating India, UK, Holland and the USA. I’ve been given a lot of responsibility in this deal and I’ve had lots of client contact. I’ve also been told to get my Indian visa as I might be off to India for due diligence. I’ve got my fingers firmly crossed!

Surprisingly supportive.

The thing that surprised me most about Linklaters was the wealth of support the firm gives you. I was under the impression that by joining a firm the size of Linklaters, you might not be given the individual care provided by a smaller firm. This couldn’t be further from the truth. There has not been a moment when I’ve felt lost in my work, simply because I know there is always someone there to help, either from a professional support lawyer, my principal or a colleague in the office next door. But the support I get isn’t just reserved for the work arena.

Enjoying the adventure.

Each year, I try to take on a different adventure. Most recently I took part in the world’s longest canoe race, The Yukon River Quest. The race follows the Yukon River through 750km of Canadian wilderness and competitors must finish in less than three days. I began my training for the race a few months before starting my training contract and was anxious that I might not be given the time off. To my disbelief, not only was I given two weeks’ holiday (within two months of arriving at the firm) but Linklaters also gave a donation to my charity and my colleagues help me raised a further £3,835. The race itself was quite simply the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The combination of no sleep and constant exercise was gruelling; our longest stretch without stopping for any break was a long 29 hours. But in retrospect, I loved every second of it and I’ve decided to go back and do it all again next year.

Getting involved.

Community investment and charitable acts are immensely important to the firm and very easy to get involved in. Every week, an email is sent round setting out all the ongoing projects and how you can help. Since I started I’ve been to the seaside with a primary school, I am helping create and run a mock trial for the Prince’s Trust and will be delivering citizenship classes in a local school towards the end of the year.