Paris secondment story

I am now halfway through my six-month secondment to Bredin Prat in Paris, and it has been a fantastic experience so far. My French colleagues have been wonderfully friendly and welcoming and I arrived just in time for the firm’s summer party in September - a full-day event in the countryside, which was a good opportunity to meet people. The office is a friendly and supportive place to work and it is common to spend more than an hour over lunch that frequently involves at least two courses - there is not a sandwich in sight!

Despite Paris’s relatively compact nature, I am constantly discovering new parts of the city and there is an endless number of landmarks, galleries and shops to visit and restaurants to try. Some mid-week bank holidays have afforded opportunities for day trips to Versailles and Fontainebleau as well as weekends further afield. The relatively short winter days just mean more time to enjoy Paris by night, and the city’s Christmas lights are particularly magnificent.

Work so far has included assisting on the early stages of a cross-border merger and drafting the English law elements of a presentation to a client choosing between English and French law to govern a contract. Some of my work is done in French and some in English. I am frequently asked to check the English in documents that can find their way to me from any department, which has allowed me to meet and work with lots of different people within the firm.

Despite being at Bredin Prat for only a short time I feel very settled, although I still can’t quite believe it when I catch a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower from the office window!

• Sophie Kitchener
• Trainee secondment