RIAA Barker Gillette – Karachi Office

Section 1: Basic Information

RIAA Barker Gillette is an all-service firm with a clear delineation of the corporate and litigation side. They offer representation across Pakistan and have offices in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. The corporate work generally includes transactional and advisory work e.g. mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance etc. The criminal work at the firm is mostly white-collar. The criminal work outside white collar is very limited and is generally related to the existing commercial work at the firm. The firm has a significant volume of work in both lower and higher courts.

Section 2: Structure of the Firm

RIAA Barker Gillette is a large-sized firm with 10 partners including a senior partner and a managing partner. There are 5 senior associates and 35 associates. The Karachi office has 5 partners, 2 senior associates and 6 associates. There is a dedicated person who is responsible for the finance department. The partners have formed committees among themselves to handle human resources work.

Section 3: Hiring Mechanism

Internship:The firm offers internships on rolling bases. The candidates are required to send in CVs. The candidates are expected to apply in April for an internship in the summer. If a candidate wants to do frequent court visits, they should apply in June/July for an internship in August. Based on their CVs, the candidates are shortlisted for interviews and successful candidates are offered internships. In the litigation department, the interns are required to do research, prepare reports on files, prepare a synopsis of arguments and accompany lawyers to court. In the corporate department, the interns are required to conduct general research, research on advisory matters and prepare advice. The interns are also required to prepare comparison reports on the amendments in laws for internal use at the firm.

Associate:The candidates are required to send CVs to the general email ID of the firm or partners directly. There are two interviews before the final selection. Associates are hired for particular departments such as litigation or corporate. However, they are expected to work on all kinds of cases within their department. The salaries for associates vary but are above market. After 3 to 4 years at the firm, the associates can receive a finder’s fee for bringing in business. Associates receive occasional performance-based bonuses. The firm offers a partnership track.