asia’s best law firms to work for june 2014...law firms do very well, however, with more than 80...

COVER STORY18 ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESSJUNE 2014

ASIA’S BEST LAW FIRMS TO WORK FOR

The ALB Employer of Choice Rankings were compiled taking into account responses from thousands of law firm employees across Asia, ranging from managing partners to support staff, as well as our own market knowledge. The survey was open in the months of April and May, and law firms have been ranked on the basis of job satisfaction, remuneration, work-life balance, career prospects, mentorship, job security and other aspects, with respondents being asked to submit their responses anonymously to help maintain fairness

and objectivity. Law firms have been listed in alphabetical order.

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Asia is obviously a happy place to be a lawyer right now. Despite a slow-ing global economy and sporadic economic and political risks within certain countries in the region, ALB’s Employer of Choice Survey recorded

a satisfaction rate of more than 95 percent among its respondents, with more than 45 percent describing themselves as “extremely satisfied.” Additionally, they also consider themselves well paid. More than 57 percent consider their remuneration to be above the market standard, and a quarter says they are paid “well above” the market standard. And above all, the environment in firms is conducive to happy employees. “I have an understanding boss who believes that all of us should have a work-life balance,” says an associate at a Singapore law firm. “In addi-tion, the nature of the work that I am doing is interesting. Most importantly, I think the firm culture is conducive in that I get along well with many people, including associates, partners and staff.”

When it comes to career growth, an over-whelming majority of respondents (more than 94 percent) feel that opportunities for professional development in their firm are either good or excellent. “The firm boasts nu-merous professional development seminars every year which are at par with external paid seminars,” says an associate at a U.S. firm in Hong Kong. At the same time, there are areas where firms can improve, with junior lawyers calling for more training, particularly overseas, as well as secondments so that they can learn their trade even better. “My firm should provide more opportunities to work with the top professional teams, and the chance to take the lead in large M&A transac-tions,” says a senior associate at a Chinese firm. Meanwhile, an associate in Indonesia wants “more international exposure and op-portunities for international courses, such as summer courses and training.” Meanwhile, the numbers for the quality of mentoring received are also very high, with upwards of 92 percent rating it as good or very good. “I supervise two junior lawyers, and I believe that it is important that they understand what they are doing – as in, why we take a certain approach to an issue – and not simply regurgitate what has been done before,” says a partner at a Singapore law firm. “This helps develop them professionally and adds value to the work output.”

While a solid majority believes that the path to partnership in their firms is “very transparent,” it is telling that more than 40 percent of respondents believe that things could be better. “There is no information on what factors are taken into consideration when assessing an associate for partnership,” complains a senior associate in Singapore. Says an associate in India: “It’s hit and miss. People who you think deserve to be made partners do not end up being made partners, and some just become partners for being at the right place and at the right time, or be-cause of their bargaining position.”

Collaboration seems to be something law firms do very well, however, with more than 80 percent impressed by how well the various parts of the firm work together. “Everybody in my practice group has a very collaborative approach, and although there are demarcations of responsibility for projects and tasks, colleagues are willing to help and compensate where needed,” says an associ-ate in Malaysia. However at the same time, there is still room for improvement. “Partners need to communicate with each other regard-ing work allocation,”says a consultant at an international firm in Hong Kong. “The firm is currently short of headcount.” One associ-ate in India suggests collaboration should be more than just internal. “I think that each firm should understand that there needs to be an open dialogue across firms between various designations,” they say. “Competitive edge is one aspect of business, but sharing and learning from others is another aspect of becoming a better professional. I think each firm should endeavor to create such oppor-tunities where people from across firms can come and interact.”

Lawyers tend to be among the more hardworking professionals around, but sur-prisingly, more than 86 percent are at the minimum satisfied with the work-life balance their firms offer. “The work-life balance at our firm is excellent,” says a partner at a Korean firm. “There are several hobby groups inside the firm like baseball, basketball team, climb-ing and so on.” Says a lawyer at a law firm in Vietnam: “Due to the friendly working envi-ronment within the firm, working late does not make you tired of the work. Moreover, the firm offers many team-building opportunities through which each employee feels close.” But still, there are horror stories. “I spend most of my time in the office,” says an asso-

ciate at an Indonesian firm. “Once I get back from the office, I am tired and I hardly do any-thing else. Work becomes my daily routine.”

But how much do law firms value their employees, or at least express their apprecia-tion? Nearly 60 percent of our respondents felt “extremely valued,” with a partner at a Korean firm saying: “The firm’s management does a good job of expressing appreciation towards the attorneys in our firm.” Adds a lawyer at an international law firm in Hong Kong: “In an office like this, you can really feel the contribution you make.” Similarly, job security remains high, with nearly 75 percent of respondents noting that they feel secure in their current roles. “I guess partners know that just going about firing people isn’t the best way to get things done,” says a senior associate in the Philippines. “Instead, lawyers who need a little help somewhere get support from a team, and the mentoring bit is ramped up so that the lawyer is better prepared in the future. Job security is further enhanced by the fact that individual lawyers are highly valued by the firm.” An associate in Malaysia adds that as the firm views its associates as long-term prospects, “the longer I stay, the more apparent this becomes … and the more valuable I feel.”

Finally, on the issue of how their firms can improve, respondents offer a wide variety of constructive suggestions. “I think the firm should also follow others firms’ efforts in providing incentives and a clear career path,” says an associate in Indonesia, “I understand that some firms regularly increase salary at each level.” An associate at a Hong Kong law firm wants their firm to review its maternity benefits. “It should consider raising the insur-ance protection level of maternity-related medical expenses, and providing longer paid maternity leave beyond the statutory minimum,” they say. “Currently, it is not at par with many other international law firms.” And a senior associate in Singapore believes that change needs to begin at the top. “I believe improvements can be made in management,” they say. “The management seems rather inflexible, and feedback and suggestions from associates are often only dealt with in a perfunctory manner.” In general, however, feedback remains positive; nearly 80 percent of respondents “definitely” or “probably” see themselves in the same firm in five years’ time, while more than 68 percent “wholeheartedly” recommend their firm to a friend.


With the largest number of responses to the survey – by some distance – coming from China, the jurisdiction has a total of 10 firms in the Employer of Choice list for 2014. And job satisfaction levels run very high across the board, with more than 93 percent de-claring themselves to be satisfied at the very minimum. While salary levels don’t appear to be as high as other markets, respondents are happy with the opportunities for training and professional development (93 percent), the collaborative nature of their teams (86 percent) and work-life balance (83 percent).

A lawyer at anJielawfirm praises the firm for providing a “great platform to improve one’s skills,” while Dacheng Law Offices is cited for its “range of interesting work and top-notch clients. Meanwhile, an associate at fangdaPartners says that at that firm, “the cases are challenging and my colleagues are full of enthusiasm. The working environment is good and friendly.” At Global Law Office, an

associate cites three reasons why the firm is such a good place to work: “The atmosphere here is relaxing,” he says. “Partners are pro-fessional not only in legal practice, but also in marketing. And there is a transparent evalua-tion system and promotion scheme.” Han Kun Law Offices is praised for its “extraordinary exposure, decent and knowledgeable partners and excellent peers,” while shanghaiYoung-benlawfirm has a “strongly connected team and powerful but modest leaders, with a good atmosphere of creativity and team building.” An associate hails wang Jing&co for its “comfortable work environment, good rela-tionship with colleagues, and opportunities to learn and get promoted,” while a Yingkelawfirm lawyer says “colleagues are friendly and sincere. It provides development opportuni-ties.” And a zhonglunlawfirm associate gushes: “We are building an extremely warm and active working environment in the firm that is full of love and happiness.”

At Llinks Law Offices, the firm has a sys-tem for training and development in place that allows partners and senior lawyers to strengthen communications with junior lawyers so that a good team atmosphere can be created, according to David Yu, the firm’s managing partner. “Regular customised training can help lawyers with different ex-perience and make personal career planning in accordance with the development plan of Llinks. We try our best to create suitable development room for every lawyer,” he says. “Meanwhile in terms of life, our considerate care for employees deepens their sense of identity and belonging.”

According to Yu, the spirit of teamwork enables lawyers at the firm to help each other and share experiences and lessons without

ANJIE LAW FIRM

DACHENG LAW OFFICES

FANGDA PARTNERS

GLOBAL LAW OFFICE

HAN KUN LAW OFFICES

LLINKS LAW OFFICES

SHANGHAI YOUNG-BEN LAW FIRM

WANG JING & CO

YINGKE LAW FIRM

ZHONG LUN LAW FIRM

any reservations. “Frequent discussions, and skill and knowledge sharing among lawyers helps improve their professional expertise and thebuilding of the firm’s culture and co-operative spirit,” he says. “Llinks is not only a place for you to work, but also a place where your dreams can come true.”

Satisfaction levels are consistently high in Hong Kong, with not a single respondent expressing dissatisfaction. While salary levels are generally acceptable, respondents praise the salary structure and overall transpar-ency (85 percent) and training and develop-ment opportunities (96 percent). More than three-quarters of respondents also rate their work-life balance as “good.” About the same number also see themselves in the same firm five years from now.

baker&mckenzie is praised for being “one of the few firms which is quite decentral-ised and takes a bottom-up approach. This allows the firm to be quite nimble with its de-cision making and provides autonomy across the functions.” The one word to describe Deacons is that it is “collegial,” according to a partner. “Colleagues share information and enjoy working together,” they say. “The firm has exceptional roots and reach in Hong Kong, and partners share their contacts with

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LLINKS LAW OFFICES


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tycoons, institutional clients and new clients.” Finally, a PaulHastings partner lauds the “great opportunities for promotion, excellent platform for developing new clients, and [the fact that] outstanding client service is highly appreciated and legal expertise is treasured,” apart from the friendly work atmosphere and the strong collaborations between partners and associates.

AMARCHAND & MANGALDAS & SURESH A. SHROFF & CO

ANAND AND ANANDTRILEGAL

India, which records a job satisfaction level of more than 96 percent in the survey, also scores reasonably well when it comes to sal-ary perceptions – more than 92 percent feel that their earning is in line with the market or better. Collaboration is a strength – 98 percent

believe their firm works well together – but work-life balance is an issue that needs some improvement, with more than a fifth citing it as poor. That said, more than 85 percent of the respondents like the opportunities for training and professional development at their

firms, and 83 percent say their firm offers solid opportunities for mentoring of junior staff. And nearly half would recommend the firm to a friend “wholeheartedly.” amarchand&mangaldas&suresha.shroff&co is praised as being an “extremely professional firm with

ANAND AND ANAND


warm staff and friendly lawyers to work with. Every day is a learning experience.”

At IP giant Anand and Anand, Managing Partner Pravin Anand believes that the secret to creating a great work atmosphere includes employee-centric recreational events, a col-legiate atmosphere with easy accessibility of senior partners and an open culture, and rewards and recognition with well-defined reward programmes such as Star Performers Award and employee referral programmes. “Our retention strategy includes a holistic eco-system centred around career growth, along with a one-stop shop for employees covering facilities, such as transportation, cafeteria, health and safety, medical facilities and so on, and a fun working environment,” he says. Anand adds that the firm also has a number of initiatives such as an annual employee satisfac-tion survey, where feedback and suggestions received are published with full visibility to all employees.

Among the things Trilegal does to maintain employee engagement, says Kosturi Ghosh, a partner at the firm, is the annual firm retreat, a “much-talked-about team event with ‘One

Firm’ as the overall message.” The retreats are designed to foster a team spirit and engender the firm’s value system. “By creating a platform for all our 180 lawyers to meet and get to know each other, our retreats create avenues for dis-playing leadership skills and integrity towards each other,” she says. “Birthday celebrations, office drinks and dinners, festive theme events, quiz contests and children’s competitions are some of the other engagement efforts. We encourage lawyers to participate in NGO initiatives and other initiatives of their interest. And of course the inter-firm quizzes, football and cricket games require no push at Trilegal.”

For Ghosh, the answer to a happy work environment lies in the values the firm believes in. “Quality without compromise and deliver-ing to our commitment are the two engines that keep people constantly motivated,” she says. “Small teams ensure active sharing of knowledge and expertise. Small sizes of teams also imply direct interaction with the partner. Even our senior most partners are easily ap-proachable. Open environment, free-flowing discussions and work transparency is what makes for a productive environment.”

AKSET

ASSEGAF HAMZAH & PARTNERS

HADIPUTRANTO HADINOTO & PARTNERS

The numbers remain generally positive in Indonesia. Job satisfaction is experienced by more than 93 percent of our respondents, and nearly 58 percent say their salary is above the market standard. For more than 95 percent, opportunities for training and professional development are “good” at the very least, and the path to partnership is very transpar-ent for at least half the respondents. With job security experienced by more than 97 percent of respondents, it is no surprise that nearly 48 percent “definitely” see themselves in the same firm in five years’ time, and a further 35 percent “probably” see themselves there.

Among the firms winning the highest rat-ings are AKSET, which earns praise for “a nice working environment, good benefits from the


company, and good professional develop-ment.” An associate at assegafHamzah&Partners says that they are “exposed to a variety of transactions, seniors and partners at the firm are professional, work environ-ment is extremely satisfactory and career path is open and merit based.” Meanwhile, HadiputrantoHadinoto&Partners is lauded for “providing each of the professionals with an equal opportunity to grow and at the same time, provide a consistent and well-thought professional development programme, not only for associates but also for partners.”

MORI HAMADA & MATSUMOTO

NAGASHIMA OHNO & TSUNEMATSU

NISHIMURA & ASAHI

Responses from Japan this year were sur-prisingly low, amounting to a fraction of

the responses from Korea and China. Of the several dozen that filled out the sur-vey responses, though, moriHamada&Matsumoto was cited as having a “very professional work environment” and “the best partners.” An associate at Nagashima ohno&tsunematsu lauded the firm for “always helping me achieve my professional goals, while helping me maintain a work-life balance.” And the partners at nishimura&Asahi were praised for being very cooperative and supportive, thus enabling a “pleasant office environment.”

BAE, KIM & LEE

SHIN & KIM

YULCHON

However, the mood is tremendously upbeat across the ocean in Korea. Job satisfaction

comes in at a whopping 98 percent, with salaries at or above the market standard (97 percent), salary structure rated highly (94 percent) and well-received training oppor-tunities (96 percent). More than 71 percent believe that the path to partnership is very transparent, and more than 90 percent are satisfied with their work-life balance. With more than two-thirds of respondents feel-ing “extremely valued” and job security at upwards of 98 percent, it is no surprise that more than 87 percent see themselves in the same firm in five years’ time. An associate at shin&kim praises the quality of work: “Our clients are the nationwide or global leading companies and their legal issues are always tough but challenging and interesting. I al-ways feel I’m encountering new issues others have yet to come across.”

According to Sky (Sih Kyoung) Yang, a partner at bae,kim&lee, the firm of-fers a great work atmosphere by fostering mutual trust based on which its employees can develop and maintain strong bonds and relationships. “Furthermore, bkl encour-ages corporate social responsibility through

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diverse pro bono activities, and our experts and employees make contributions in vari-ous regions of the country,” he says. “Such valuable experiences make our members

feel proud of our firm and our commitment to society.”

With the belief that its people are its greatest asset, BKL consistently strives to

recruit top-notch professionals for both entry-level and experienced attorney positions, says Yang. “Our competitive benefits packages and continued commitment to rewarding work experiences attract applications from the industry’s most qualified candidates,” he says. “At the same time, the firm believes that effective training is essential for professional development and, therefore, maintains vari-ous internal training programmes to ensure that its professionals are well prepared for the evolving needs of clients.”

Further, Yang points to BKL’s “open and democratic working environment” which en-courages all its members to freely and proac-tively discuss and put forward suggestions on a variety of issues ranging from client service and internal communications to management issues. “For example, partners and associates hold their respective town hall meetings at least once every year where they have open debates and panel discussions on topics of their concern,” he says. “The firm also ar-ranges annual partner retreats and associate retreats to provide a platform for internal co-mingling among professionals and morale

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building.” He also notes that BKLis one of the few leading law firms in Korea to institute a transparent partnership system. “We believe that our fair and accountable management structure allows us to maintain healthy and sustained growth, and to promote collabora-tive teamwork,” says Yang.

The name Yulchon literally translates to “law village,” and this, says partner Doil

Son, reflects Yulchon’s “unique and conge-nial” work environment. “Yulchon works as a team,” he says. “Unlike other law firms, Yulchon rewards its professionals not based on their individual practice, but based on their overall contribution to their practice team and the firm. This allows us to staff a matter with the best professionals for the task regardless of who generated the matter. In turn, this

enables us to stay nimble and flexible, and create a collegial work environment condu-cive to efficient and effective collaboration among our professionals.”

In 1997, adds Son, Yulchon founded the Yulchon Academy, the first of its kind in South Korea’s legal industry. “It is an in-house con-tinuing education centre that provides career development programmes, language training

YULCHON


Thank you for also recognising the Firm with the following awards:Asian Legal Business Malaysia Law Awards

• IntellectualPropertyLawFirmoftheYear2014• EquityMarketDealoftheYear2014• M&ADealoftheYear2014

Asian Legal Business Southeast Asia Law Awards• MalaysiaDealFirmoftheYear2012-2013• SoutheastAsiaM&ADealoftheYear2013

Wong & Partners is a member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein with member law firms around the world. In accordance with the common terminology used in professional service organizations, reference to a “partner” means a person who is a partner, or equivalent, in such a law firm. Similarly, reference to an “office” means an office of any such law firm.

Employer of ChoicePassionately Global | Culture of Friendship | Commercial Pragmatists | Ahead of the Curve

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Wong & Partners Level 21, The Gardens South TowerMid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra59200 Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTel : +603 2298 7888 / Fax: +603 2282 2669

programmes, various professional and gen-eral liberal arts courses as well as short-term and long-term overseas study programmes for Yulchon employees all year round,” he says. In terms of recruiting the best talent, Yulchon has a special recruiting programme targeting provincial law school graduates in South Korea for the purpose of helping pro-vincial law schools increase their competitive-ness as well as discover the best talent from all parts of South Korea rather than just from the capital city of Seoul, adds Son.

AZMI & ASSOCIATES

RAJA, DARRYL & LOH

WONG & PARTNERS

ZUL RAFIQUE & PARTNERS

With the amount of capital markets and M&A work that has been available to Malaysian

lawyers in the past year or two, it is no surprise that they’re generally a happy bunch. Job satisfaction is at 93 percent, and 89 percent appreciate the training and development opportunities at their firms. While work-life balance could generally be improved (more than a fifth rate it as poor or very poor), nearly half feel “extremely valued” within their firm, and 46 percent would “wholeheartedly” rec-ommend their firms to a friend.

A lawyer at azmi&associates praises the firm for its “easy decision making, minimal organisation layering and very understand-ing management.” At raja,darryl&loh, an associate lauds the “good exposure, friendly colleagues and staff,the minimal politics and the decent working hours.” And Zul Rafique &Partners makes the cut on the basis of its “emphasis on continuing professional devel-opment and a reasonable work-life balance.”

Chew Kherk Ying, managing partner of wong&Partners, says that the firm believes that continuous employee engagement is important for the retention of good talent, and this entails really listening to what the employees need and want, and valuing their

views. “We are conducting an Employee Value Proposition survey to gather feedback from everyone in the firm,” she says. “This allows us to ensure that we continue to offer a good combination of rewards, professional and tal-ent development, and organisational culture and work environment to retain our best tal-ent.” The firm also conducts professional and soft-skills training throughout the year, and its lawyers have the opportunity to engage and work with lawyers in the other member firms of Baker & McKenzie through cross-border deals, joint initiatives and retreats, she says.

Chew adds that in addition to the initia-tives described above, the firm is also com-mitted to building a conducive and inclusive work environment, “so employees have all the support they need to be effective and efficient, and have a sense of belonging” to the team. “We constantly try to improve or implement processes to support greater effectiveness and efficiency,” she says. “We also organise non-work related activities throughout the year. These include celebrat-ing cultural festivals together, participating in community outreach initiatives and outdoor


activities such as a friendly but competitive go-kart race.”

When it comes to attracting the best legal talent in the market, Wong & Partners offers a “very competitive package but in addition to that, we also invest heavily in developing the team,” she says, adding that the firm also provides the team “with exposure to interesting and challenging legal work, and our associates have the opportunity to be seconded to other member firms in Baker & McKenzie’s global network.”

ROMULO MABANTA BUENAVENTURA SAYOC & DE LOS ANGELES

QUISUMBING TORRES (BAKER & MCKENZIE)

Of the ranked firms in the Philippines, an “ex-tremely satisfied” associate at quisumbingTorres mentionsthe “big clients, high per-centage of wins and very competent partners and lawyers.”

Ramon Miguel C. Samson, an associate at Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc &de losangeles, says that a great work atmosphere begins with a good fit among people. “This is why it is important to not just hire the best talent, but to hire people who will work well together,” he says. “Our people consciously try to create a team spirit and a

sense of trust among each other. Even when there are disagreements about strategy and legal position, we work on threshing things out in a respectful, civil manner, always with an eye toward the shared goal of giving our clients the best service and outcome.”

Samson adds that in order to retain the best talent, the firm makes sure its lawyers are well compensated, and that everyone has an incentive to work hard. “Everybody gets hired on the assumption that they will seek to advance their careers in the firm and eventually make partner,” he says. “We also make sure that our people are busy but not overburdened with work, and understand that everyone seeks a proper balance of work and life.”

While job satisfaction is high (93 percent), much like across Asia, Singapore’s lawyers don’t consider themselves extravagantly paid, with more than 80 percent believing their salary to be at the market standard

DREW & NAPIER

DUANE MORRIS & SELVAM

HARRY ELIAS PARTNERSHIP

RHTLAW TAYLOR WESSING

RODYK & DAVIDSON

ROMULO MABANTA BUENAVENTURA SAYOC & DE LOS ANGELES


or below. That said, the opportunities for training and professional development are well-rated (93 percent), and work-life bal-ance is solid as well (87 percent). Job security also remains high (less than 3 percent feel insecure about their jobs) and two-thirds of the respondents see themselves at the same firm in five years’ time. Duane Morris &selvam is “growing, responsive and highly dynamic. This is exactly the type of environ-ment in which I enjoy working,” according to a respondent. According to an associate, HarryeliasPartnership has “good support and staff welfare. Autonomy is given to manage cases. I have good resources and team mates.” Meanwhile, RHTLaw Taylor Wessing has “excellent working conditions surrounded by great people who are willing to teach and impart their expertise. It’s also a firm that promotes work-life balance.”

“We are very careful when we choose people to join us, and we have been very fortunate to continue to have really excellent talent join us,” says Kelvin Tan, a director at drew&napier. “Our duty to them is to invest our efforts to ensure they will have good suc-

DREW & NAPIER


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Premier Singapore law firm since 1861.

EMPLOYER OF CHOICE 2014

cessful careers with us. We take mentoring very seriously. Senior lawyers take time and effort to train young lawyers and pay close attention to their development. This is an investment for the long haul, and it has paid dividends. We are proud of the fact that many of our partners started out with our firm as pupils.”

Tan adds that Drew also has a “family atmosphere” and an “open door” culture. “People in your team are like friends and family, so this makes it easy to come to work every day,” he says. Says Blossom Hing, an-other director at the firm: “We offer flexible arrangements to respond to the different needs of our lawyers. For example, we have a Work from Home programme where lawyers can work from home a day every two weeks. We trust our lawyers to work from home and deliver quality work. We also encour-age secondments to major clients so that our lawyers can experience work from an in-house perspective.”

At another ranked firm, rodyk&davidson, the key to a happy atmosphere is making sure employees feel valued. “Lawyers need to

feel they contribute to the case, and that their contribution is valued,” says Philip Jeyaretnam, SC, the firm’s managing partner. “It’s the same for all employees – right down to the tea lady. The dignity of work, being useful, and winning respect are important. No one gets pampered, but everyone gets respected.”

As managing partner, says Jeyaretnam, he is constantly talking to young lawyers. “Also, every equity partner knows it is part of their responsibility to nurture young lawyers, and help them with the next step, whether it is making it to senior associate or to salaried partner, or that last great leap into the ranks of equity,” he says. Younger lawyers are the best opportunities to develop their skills, he says. “This means entrusting them with re-sponsibility,” says Jeyaretnam, “Sometimes, this requires actively persuading clients to give younger members of a team the chance to take the stage. An example from our disputes practice is when we get a younger lawyer to take on the cross-examination of a witness while the ‘first chair’ takes the back seat.”

EIGER LAW

LEE AND LI ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW

In Taiwan, Eiger Law is noted for its “work environment with no glass ceilings, and in which advancement is based on attorney merits.” Meanwhile, Lee and Li is praised for its “quality of work, and a work-life balance that is very satisfying.”

TILLEKE & GIBBINS

WEERAWONG, CHINNAVAT & PEANGPANOR

In Thailand, another country with high job satisfaction rates, local giant Weerawong,


chinnavat&Peangpanor is praised for its “extremely dynamic environment and very high standards of work ethics.”

Darani Vachanavuttivong, co-managing partner and managing director, intellectual property, at tilleke&Gibbins, says that the firm’s approach to acquiring and retaining talent is simple: Hire the best and brightest lawyers in the market, and give them an op-portunity to shine. “Early in their careers, we encourage our associates to build their ca-pabilities through challenging assignments, while ensuring that they receive tailored mentoring to help in their development,” she says. “And we have set out a clear career progression model, so that both associates and partners can measure their progress against the firm’s expectations. Through this talent management approach, our lawyers are able to continuously improve and advance in their careers.”

Adds Tiziana Sucharitkul, co-managing partner and director, dispute resolution, at the firm: “Everyone wants to do work they can be proud of. At Tilleke & Gibbins, every member of our team - whether partner or as-

sociate, legal assistant or support staff - takes pride in carrying out complex, high-stakes work for our world-class clients. By shar-ing knowledge among our various practice groups and offices, we foster an environment of open communication and continuous learning, and this approach ensures that we keep our employees fully engaged while delivering exceptional results for our clients.”

RAJAH & TANN LCT LAWYERS

TILLEKE & GIBBINS

VILAF

Salaries might not be the strongest point for a lot of Vietnamese firms, but the solid job satisfaction level means that lawyers find a lot of other good things about their firms. This includes the opportunities for training and development (upwards of 95 percent) a

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strong tradition of mentorship (98 percent) and a great work-life balance (83 percent). Similarly, the salary structure and overall sal-ary transparency at the firm seems to be well-received, with more than 85 percent in favour. Additionally, nearly 90 percent of the respon-dents believe the path to partnership is either very or somewhat transparent. “Partners can share with you what you may need to be pro-moted to a partner,” says an associate at one of the country’s larger law firms. “You can ask questions if it is not clear. With nearly half of the respondents feeling “extremely valued,” and a high level of job security for nearly three quarters, it is not surprising that 71 percent see themselves in the same firm in five years’ time. The quality of work is also a highlight. “The deals are mostly cross-border and involving foreign parties,” says an associate at Rajah &tannlctlawyers. “I could not expect a better firm to start into the legal world.” Meanwhile, vIlaf is lauded for its “friendly and professional environment, wide practice, skillful and experienced lawyers, good benefits for employees.”

According to Thomas Treutler, partner


and managing director, Vietnam at Tilleke &Gibbins, teamwork is a key factor in the firm’s success. “We’ve seen rapid growth in our headcount over the past few years, but we’ve managed to maintain a high level of

team integration by giving everyone a voice in shaping their work environment,” he says. “Teamwork depends on strong relationships with your colleagues, so we make an effort to regularly bring together everyone in the

office, and we often include families in these events. Through CSR initiatives, team-building activities or other social events, our employees build strong bonds with one another, and this is reflected in their strong teamwork.”

TILLEKE & GIBBINS

asia’s best law firms to work for june 2014...law firms do very well, however, with more than 80...

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