Munich secondment story

The inhabitants of Munich are famed for the pride they take in their city and its surroundings. Arriving here in beautiful September weather, it did not take me long to realise why... the beer gardens were open, you could see the Alps in the distance and Oktoberfest was just around the corner.

Despite my limited German, I received a very warm welcome from my colleagues here at Hengeler Mueller. The work I have been involved in so far has been excellent and varied. Most of my time has been spent on an international arbitration case, which included a three-day trip to meet our clients in Rotterdam and a four-day hearing in Munich. I have also worked on another arbitration case, assisted with a variety of private mergers and acquisitions deals and helped a partner with an article on German private equity.

Outside the office, I have enjoyed a weekend in Vienna as well as a firm-organised trip to the Austrian Alps. The firm’s Oktoberfest outing (Lederhosen strongly encouraged!) was a particular highlight and I have spent many an evening sampling the local Weissbier  (a Bavarian speciality beer), made trips to art galleries and I have tickets to Wagner at the Munich State Opera. As I write, the Christmas markets have opened in the city centre and I am making plans to go skiing in Austria in the New Year. Not bad at all.

• Anthony Doolittle
• Trainee secondment