Linklaters

Linklaters is a limited liability partnership. Ultimately it is our partners who make the firm's long-term strategic decisions, guided by our boards and sub-committees.

Our boards

• Our International Board (IB) is the firm's senior governance body and is responsible for major decisions and making sure all partners are properly consulted. It is chaired by our senior partner and made up of 14 elected partners, each representing a different part of the firm and elected by their fellow partners.
• Our Executive Committee (Excom) is chaired by our firmwide managing partner and is responsible to the IB for the sound management of the firm. It is responsible for key management decisions as well as for making recommendations to the IB. Its members include the senior leaders of the firm’s major regions and practices, along with the Global Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and HR Director. These members are appointed by the firm wide managing partner, with the approval of the IB.

Both senior management boards vary the location of their board meetings, holding them in different Linklaters offices around the world.

They also operate through sub-committees that have authority over specific areas within the International Board’s and the Executive Committee’s remit.

Our sub-committees

The IB has six sub-committees:

• The Audit Committee – a corporate audit committee, which also reviews the firm’s management of risk.
• The Partnership Matters Sub-committee – similar to a corporate remuneration committee, it ensures equal and fair remuneration for partners, covering areas like benefits, secondment payments and tax treatment.
• The Mobility Terms for Partners Committee- a committee that conisders the application of mobility terms to individual partners.
• The Corporate Responsibility Committee – a committee that governs and monitors the firm's CR policy and practice.
• The Partner Election Committee – a committee that assesses the quality of candidates proposed for election to partnership.
• The Global Community Investment Committee- a committee that governs and manages the firm’s community investment strategy and plans.

These sub-committees are made up of members of the IB, along with other relevant partners, directors and staff when necessary. The two exceptions are the Partner Election Committee, whose members are nominated and appointed by the IB, and the Corporate Responsibility Committee, which includes the CR champions from each region of the firm.

Our partners

Our partners make the decisions that are core to our business.

These include:

• electing the firm’s senior partner and firm wide managing partner
• electing other senior and management partners, new partners and partners hired from other firms
• agreeing mergers and significant joint ventures
• opening and closing offices
• approving changes to the principles of profit sharing
• electing representatives to the IB
• making changes to the members’ agreement.