Amsterdam

Lily Tebbutt

Trainee secondment to De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek

I am currently on secondment at De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek in Amsterdam. The office is in Zuidas in the south of the city, and I have a lovely commute cycling through Vondelpark every morning!

I am part of the MACM team (M&A and capital markets) and have had the opportunity to work on some very interesting matters, including helping a listed company through its first acquisition and being involved in a joint venture. The structure at De Brauw differs from London, as the firm does not have trainees or formal supervisors. This has given me the opportunity to work more independently and take on increasing levels of responsibility, building on the experience and skills I developed during my training contract in London.

A real work highlight for me has been being involved in my matters from early on in their life cycles; it was particularly rewarding to be across the whole of one acquisition, participating from the initial introductory call through to closing.

From a personal perspective, Amsterdam is such a lovely city, especially in the summer, and I have loved being able to experience life here. The city has great parks for running, and, on sunny days, everyone flocks to swim at Amsterdam's many swimming spots. A real highlight was being in the streets of Amsterdam for the infamous Koningsdag!

I would really recommend going on secondment both from a professional and personal perspective. It has been great to stretch my professional boundaries and build a network at a new firm and in a new team – everyone has been very welcoming and friendly. It has also been great to learn to build new routines and find new places to explore in Amsterdam each weekend, especially when friends come to visit and I can show them my favourite spots.