Associate — Spring 2021
“Close to the end of my legal education, Wach und Meckes was recommended to me as a renowned alternative to international law firms in the areas of litigation and arbitration. Despite having completed the two state examinations, I made the conscious decision to take up a position as a research assistant in December 2019 so that I would have sufficient time to complete my doctoral thesis while working part-time.
Right from the start, I was given the opportunity to work closely on cases and thereby gained my first practical experience in legal work. After a successful working relationship, Wach und Meckes offered me a part-time position as an associate in the spring of 2020. This working model continued to take my ongoing doctoral thesis into consideration and at the same time set the course for my career as a litigator by giving me the best possible support to develop the required skills.
What I particularly appreciate about my work at Wach und Meckes is the combination of work at the highest professional level in a balanced and constructive environment. The compact size of the team offers the possibility to take up more responsibility when working on cases with a wide range of tasks and at the same time ensures direct contact with partners. Through the regular exchanges, I saw a sharp increase in my learning curve, which is additionally supported by a detailed development plan for associates.
Wach und Meckes attaches considerable importance to the fact that, in addition to the work in the team, everyone can also develop individually, for example by deepening his or her professional knowledge in a specialty area of law or through engagement, for example, in business development or personnel marketing. Individual wishes and ideas are met with a high degree of flexibility and openness. Those who contribute to Wach und Meckes with enthusiasm will receive just as much in return – on a professional level as well as personal.“
Research Assistant — Spring 2020
"My initial contact with Wach und Meckes was during an academic event on arbitration organised by the firm, where I first became aware of the high professional standards of the boutique law firm.
A thorough and transparent job application process then resulted in a one-year position at Wach und Meckes as a research assistant while working on my doctoral thesis.
During my time at the firm, I was able to work on a wide portfolio of cases in the areas of post-M&A, corporate law, capital markets law and commercial law, with a focus on litigation due to the firm's specialisation in complex and contentious proceedings.
I was rewarded with a steep learning curve. In addition to the firm's high-calibre and broad range of practice areas, this steep learning curve is mainly attributed to the stimulating working atmosphere at Wach und Meckes, which is the result of the close cooperation between the partners and the entire team. Those who are open to take on responsibility by actively working on cases are – especially when compared with the big law firms – trusted to work on challenging tasks, which also include the direct contact with clients.
As a research assistant working on my doctoral thesis at the same time, it was also important for me to be able to work flexibly in terms of time and place. The flexibility offered to me by Wach und Meckes – even before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic – was more than I had expected: I was able to choose my regular working days and was also provided with excellent equipment for the work that was done remotely in home office.
Finally, it should be emphasised that the team spirit was held in the highest regard by all the pleasant colleagues. This team spirit also manifested itself outside of work in numerous team events, such as during a hiking trip and the regular team lunches."
Intern — Autumn 2020
I started my two-month internship at Wach und Meckes while still in the middle of my studies, during my professional orientation phase. I was always curious about other areas of law and was searching for opportunities to broaden my horizon.
There, I met empathetic and enduring thinkers – the perfect blend of professionalism in a well-balanced environment. I gained insight into the professional everyday life of a law firm specializing in conflict resolution in complex and large-volume commercial disputes.
As a trainee, I was given the opportunity to familiarize myself with the essential tasks of a lawyer in the areas of litigation and arbitration. From the very beginning, I was involved in ongoing cases and projects. The assignments were varied. They ranged from research assignments on various legal issues, preparing chronologies of facts and memos as well as reviewing pleadings to prepare oral hearings. I even had the opportunity to participate in an internal training session. The tasks were always adapted to my level of knowledge, and yet I was challenged and supported. Whenever I had any questions or uncertainties, the colleagues were always ready to lend me an ear. Regardless of whether it was an associate or a partner, I always had the feeling that my questions were welcomed and that they were happy to show inquisitive, interested young lawyers the ropes. Not only do Wach und Meckes undertake their work with a high level of professionalism, they also establish and value a good personal working atmosphere and team spirit. Apart from work, there was time for personal exchanges over lunch. Through this, I also received tips and tricks on my own studies and got the chance to get to know a lot about the life paths of the lawyers – which I personally valued.
I would like to thank Wach und Meckes for this professional and personal opportunity – how else could I, as a student and prospective lawyer, get to know new areas of law, orient myself and decide what I would like to specialize in one day? I am now even more motivated in my choice of studies and excited about what the future has in store for me.