Secondment in Oslo
Lara, you have been working in our partner office in Oslo for almost 4 months now, how did the secondment come about?
After completing my second year at Rödl & Partner, I was offered the fantastic opportunity to ‘taste’ working abroad in a partner office for around three months. As I have always had a passion for travelling and discovering new cultures, I knew from the start that I wanted to take this opportunity. Oslo was a bit of a coincidence: I had already travelled to Norway on a personal trip last year and fell in love with the country. As soon as I was offered the job in Oslo, I immediately asked: ‘When does the plane leave?’
How was your arrival in Oslo and did you find it easy to settle in?
The country and its people make it extremely easy to feel at home from the very first second – and that’s exactly what I was lucky enough to experience. The Norwegians in general, but especially my colleagues in the Oslo office, were very helpful from the start (even during the planning phase) and made me feel welcome right away. The start couldn’t have been better!
What did you like most about Oslo/Norway?
Norway in general just has an incredibly fascinating and varied nature: fjords, mountains, beaches, waterfalls, northern lights… picture postcard! But the larger cities, especially Oslo, are so diverse, modern and full of international influences. There is so much to do, especially for young people: Architecture (favourite building: Opera House/highlight: ‘The Twist’ museum), art (must-see: Munch Museum and National Gallery), food (impossible to pick a favourite). The working culture is also great. Norwegians work in a very goal-oriented way, and time at work is used very purposefully. To compensate for this, social life is also super important and therefore their work-life-balance. This may be one of the reasons why Norway is one of the happiest countries in the world.
What did you get out of the secondment, both professionally and in terms of your career?
On a professional level, it was extremely exciting to see how the legal situation differs in some areas of law and where there are similarities. However, the most important thing for me was the direct contact and exchange with local colleagues and the fact that I was able to further expand my personal Rödl network. I am sure that everyone who takes part in such an exchange will benefit in the long term from the relationships forged.
Thank you for the interview!
What’s the best thing to do in Oslo after work?
Watch the sunset from the roof of the Opera House.
What makes working at Rödl & Partner special for you?
The global networking and collaboration with great colleagues.
What was the best experience of the Secondement?
The general hospitality of the Norwegians and the different facets the country has to offer.
The secondment is not only an opportunity to think outside the box, but also to discover new countries and cultures, to grow personally and, above all, to meet great new people. I would do it again in a heartbeat. And to all those who are worried about the length of a secondment: Time flies!
Lawyer, Corporate/M&A
