A former M&A veteran of Linklaters, Peter King is one of Shearman & Sterling's leading European lawyers

Why did you become a lawyer?

I was a linguist (French and German) at school and I thought being a commercial lawyer would be a way of having a career in business and using my languages at the same time. As soon as I started studying law, I knew it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my working life. In practice I hardly spoke a word in a foreign language in my first 10 years as a lawyer, but I have found them very useful since then.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career?

Ferrier Charlton, the former senior partner of Linklaters. He was a massive intellect, but always courteous and had time for people at all levels in the firm. In contrast to today's focused specialists, he was a polymath corporate lawyer who was equally at home privatising BT, arguing about VAT with the best Linklaters tax partners and carrying on correspondence on the merits of various Alpine plants! I had the privilege of spending six months as his articled clerk.

What's your proudest professional moment?

As Jonathan Coppin said in this column a few weeks ago, this is not a profession for a proud person. Nevertheless, I very much enjoy those moments when I have been involved in achieving something really innovative to solve a client's problems – as, for example, when we completed the reconstruction of O2 in 2005.

… and worst day on the job?

A few days before the meeting at which I was elected a partner of Linklaters, I passed a job to a relatively senior partner which turned out to require him to spend the next two or three days and nights working. For some reason I thought that would be fatal to my chances.

Aside from your own firm, which lawyer do you most admire and why?

Apart from Judge John Deed, in my own area of work Matthew Middleditch of Linklaters. Someone who never wastes time on unnecessary argument and always comes up with constructive ways of making a deal happen.

How do you think assistants in your team view you?

You would have to ask them. Often absent, probably, as I spend a lot of time travelling.

What advice would you give to young deal lawyers starting out?

Make sure you master the basics of contract, tort, company law and private international law. It is surprising how many young lawyers think that they can get by knowing no law at all.

What's the best part of your job?

Finding creative solutions to legal problems.

What most annoys you about the legal profession?

Those who seem to think their job is to stop things from happening rather than to make them happen.

How do you see yourself: technical whizz or client man?

I always try to be both, as all the best lawyers are. Inevitably, different situations require different skills to come to the fore. Like all lawyers, I'm a chameleon.

What will be the most significant market trend in terms of your practice area over the next 12 months?

It all depends on whether the current trend for relatively cheap and easily available credit continues. If the banks stop lending, we will face a very different market.

What is most common misconception trainees have about Shearman before they arrive?

That we spend all our time dealing with matters coming out of the US. Actually, that's less than 25% of our work in our group and even less in other parts of the London office. We generate much of our work ourselves.

Any weird hobbies?

I don't think this counts as weird, but I very much enjoy cooking, classical music and gardening (though I have very little time for the last one).

What would you do if you weren't a lawyer?

I would be working for a church or researching some aspect of theology.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years' time?

Most probably, retired and enjoying some of the not-so-weird hobbies listed above.

What's your favourite cheese?

Cheese is not my favourite food, though I do enjoy English goats' cheese when it is in season (apparently English goats only produce milk in the summer).

Dealmaker returns in two weeks.