Careers at Duan & Duan UK
We believe our firm is one of the best places to work in the British-Chinese business sector in the UK.
Duan & Duan UK LLP is a specialist bilingual firm at Middle Temple, London — part of the Duan & Duan international network spanning 40+ offices worldwide. Our client base sits at the intersection of the UK and Greater China, and so does our team. We are always interested in hearing from exceptional solicitors, barristers, and law students who see this intersection as the place they want to build a career.
There are four routes into the firm. Pick whichever describes you.
Route 1
Current Vacancies
We are presently recruiting for two positions. Applications are considered on a rolling basis — there is no fixed deadline.
Vacancy 1 of 2 — Open
Solicitor (NQ or qualified) — Litigation
About the role
We are looking for a newly-qualified or qualified solicitor with solid litigation experience to join our dispute resolution team. You will work on a varied caseload of commercial disputes, shareholder actions, asset recovery, cross-border litigation, and related advisory work, closely alongside our partners. Much of our practice has a Mandarin- or Cantonese-speaking client element; bilingual ability is desirable, but not essential.
You will
- Conduct litigation matters from pre-action through to trial and enforcement, with close partner supervision at first and growing independence over time.
- Draft pleadings, witness statements, applications, skeleton arguments, and correspondence to the standard expected in the High Court.
- Instruct and work with counsel, both within the firm and at external chambers in the Inns of Court.
- Manage client relationships in English and, where relevant, in Mandarin or Cantonese.
- Participate in the firm's cross-border practice, including matters with Chinese, Hong Kong, Singapore, and wider Asia-Pacific elements.
We are looking for
- A solicitor qualified in England and Wales, newly-qualified or at any post-qualification level.
- Demonstrable litigation experience, whether from a training-contract seat or in post-qualification practice.
- Clear written and spoken English.
- Mandarin or Cantonese fluency is desirable, but not essential.
- Sound judgement, commercial awareness, and the ability to run matters with increasing autonomy.
What we offer
- A varied caseload with genuine responsibility from day one.
- Close working with the partners, with no layer of management in between.
- A bilingual specialist firm with a distinctive UK–China cross-border practice.
- Central London office at Middle Temple, inside the Inns of Court.
- Skilled Worker sponsorship is available for the right candidate who requires a work permit to work in the UK.
Vacancy 2 of 2 — Open
Trainee Solicitor / Paralegal (SQE route — QWE available)
About the role
We are offering a position for a trainee solicitor or paralegal who is working towards admission to the roll through the SQE (Solicitors Qualifying Examination) pathway. Time spent in this role will count towards the two-year Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) requirement under the SRA's SQE rules, and will be signed off by a partner of the firm.
The role supports our partners across the firm's practice areas — dispute resolution, commercial, immigration, criminal defence, family, and reputation management — and is designed to give a rounded experience of modern bilingual specialist practice.
You will
- Assist fee-earners on a range of matters: document review, bundle preparation, legal research, drafting case summaries, and correspondence.
- Attend client meetings, court hearings, and internal case-strategy discussions.
- Support the firm's Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking practice, including translation assistance where helpful.
- Take on progressively greater responsibility as your experience and confidence grow.
- Where appropriate, contribute to the firm's published insights (articles, case notes).
We are looking for
- An LLB, GDL / PGDL, SQE-1 pass, or an equivalent international legal qualification.
- Working towards SRA admission via the SQE route.
- Excellent written and spoken English.
- Mandarin or Cantonese fluency is a significant advantage.
- Organised, diligent, and willing to be hands-on across a wide range of matters.
What we offer
- Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) counting towards SRA admission, signed off by a partner of the firm.
- Real cross-border work from day one, not photocopying.
- Mentoring from partners and senior solicitors.
- A genuine step up for serious candidates prepared to work hard and learn quickly.
- Central London office at Middle Temple.
- Skilled Worker sponsorship is available for the right candidate who requires a work permit to work in the UK.
To apply for either role: send your CV and a short covering letter to jng@duanduanuk.com, stating clearly which role you are applying for. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Route 2
Consultant Solicitors
We welcome applications from solicitors qualified in England and Wales who want to build a practice inside a collaborative, bilingual firm, with genuine flexibility over how and when they work.
Our consultant solicitor arrangement is built for senior lawyers who want:
- To pick the hours and days that fit their life, without a billable-hours target dictating the week.
- Real specialist work: the kind of cross-border and bilingual matters a generalist firm is not set up to handle.
- To talk to the partners directly, not through a layer of management. Small team, flat structure, case strategy discussed face to face.
- The full regulatory and administrative scaffolding of a SRA-regulated firm: indemnity cover, compliance, billing, IT, and an office at Middle Temple. You focus on the law; we handle the rest.
We are particularly interested in hearing from solicitors whose practice has a cross-border UK–China, Hong Kong, Singapore, or wider Asia-Pacific dimension, whether by subject matter or by language.
Route 3
Solicitors and In-House Barristers
We are always on the lookout for stand-out solicitors and barristers who would like to work within a firm rather than at chambers or at a larger practice. Speculative applications are welcome at any level — from newly-qualified solicitors through to senior counsel considering a move from the Bar or from a larger firm.
Route 4
Internships & Work Experience
We invite applications for internships and work experience from law students and trainees throughout the year. We believe in empowering the next generation of legal professionals and offer a genuine step up: exposure to live cross-border matters, mentoring from our partners and senior solicitors, and a close look at what modern bilingual legal practice feels like in a specialist firm.
A qualifying legal background is usually a minimum requirement — an LLB, GDL / PGDL, SQE-1 pass, or an equivalent international legal qualification in progress. We consider applications on academic record, commercial awareness, and, for bilingual roles, language proficiency.
How to Apply
Send your CV and a short covering letter to jng@duanduanuk.com. Please make clear which of the four routes above you are applying under.
- If you are applying as a consultant solicitor, please include a short outline of your current practice and, where relevant, the portable work or client base you would bring with you.
- If you are applying as a solicitor or in-house barrister, please indicate your current stage (for example NQ, 5 PQE, 15 PQE; junior or senior counsel) and your practice area.
- If you are applying for an internship, please note your current year of study, your course, and your earliest availability.
We read every application. We regret that, given volume, we cannot always respond to every enquiry individually, but we keep CVs on file for 12 months and will be in touch when an appropriate opportunity arises.