Takeaways from Our Visit to Harvard Law School’s China Law Society
What to expect after they graduate from the gilded halls of HLS and start their big law careers.
On March 13, 2019, Jessica Chin Somers and I visited the student members of the China Law Society (CLS) at Harvard Law School to share some of our experience with preparing for success as an attorney at a top firm in Asia. The topic of the day was what to expect after they graduate from the gilded halls of HLS and start their big law careers. Here are the Five Takeaways from our visit for people who want to get out to Asia eventually:
- The top practice areas to focus on: Capital Markets (debt capital markets and securities) and Private funds (investment funds and private equity funds)
Comment: This means if you end up in litigation or executive compensation, you will probably limit your marketability in Asia since the skills aren’t transferable as litigation or executive compensation involves US specific laws. [NOTE: there are exceptions; if you are a fluent Chinese speaker and can work at DOJ for a stint as a prosecutor, you’ll have “punched your ticket”] - Practice at a US Global Law firm anywhere in the world
Comment: While everyone wants to practice in the US, the recent unpredictability in the granting of H1-B visas has caused some junior associates being transferred to another global office. This is OK as long as you are practicing in one of the top practice areas. See #1. - Stay at this firm for at least two or three years
Comment: No employer wants to get an associate who has obvious signs they fear commitment. - Maintain language fluency
Comment: We are finding that many of the lateral positions prefer someone with fluency in the language of the Asian country where the position is located. For example, for a position in Seoul, it is expected the associate will speak Korean. Fluent does not mean, “can get around.” At a minimum, this means holding your own in a room full of natives discussing social topics. - Be open-minded to opportunities
Comment: While your career trajectory as a law student appears linear in your mind, life happens and you may not get the perfect opportunity with the perfect firm when you are ready to make the move to Asia. But if you are open-minded and accept the “imperfect” opportunities at that moment to move to Asia, you will find out that as you build your career, that “imperfect” opportunity will be the best decision you made for yourself. For people who are flexible and have the “soft” skills that come with high EQ, it will always work out in the end.
If you have any questions about the above, please email us at katherine@kinneyrecruiting.com or jessica@kinneyrecruiting.com
