“A new challenge and a chance to grow”. It is one of those phrases that we usually use in a job interview, and one that we usually do not put much thought into beforehand or even after getting the job. However, that phrase has become a significant part of my experience at Freshfields.

Before coming to Freshfields in Frankfurt, I had spent years working in Chicago as a litigator. My time as a litigator provided me with some abilities that I have been able to put to use at Freshfields: working with deadlines, handling multiple matters at the same time, client contact and negotiating with opposing counsel. However, there is a significant difference in how these skills are used in litigation as opposed to the transactional work, namely negotiating non-disclosure agreements, that I have been doing at Freshfields.

If negotiations are breaking down in litigation, you always have as a last resort the ability to take your case up with the judge and let them decide. And having that last resort can lead to increased inflexibility and stubbornness, and less willingness to negotiate, compromise and work towards a solution with the counterparty. In transactional work, however, there is no impartial third party to hear your position, so you have to adapt, become more patient and to reach an agreement with the counterparty that still suits your clients’ needs.

That is what Freshfields has provided me; a chance to use my existing skills in a new way. An opportunity for me to grow while giving me a new challenge.

My name is Jean Carlo Arévalo Gutiérrez and I have been working at the Freshfields Hub as a transaction lawyer since September 2019. As a transaction lawyer, it’s my job to work in various teams at Freshfields on cases, not only in Germany, but also in other countries, and to provide the necessary support.

I heard about the company when I was working in Columbia. Although Freshfields does not have an office of its own in Columbia, it does have a strong presence in the market through its network of various law firms. In Columbia, I worked on a number of transactions with which Freshfields was also affiliated as counsel. Afterwards, my attention was drawn again to Freshfields when I was in Hamburg for my studies. This time it was through my university. Freshfields and my university have always worked together on a number of different projects and many alumni work for Freshfields.

At the moment, most of my tasks are in the Dispute Resolution department, especially together with the office in Madrid, although I have worked with offices in Germany, Britain and the U.S. and for other departments.

Although there are many aspects of my work that I value, I would especially like to mention that I have the opportunity to work with different offices and working cultures. I can also use and improve my language skills, and the exceptional team that I belong to is very multicultural. This not only means that I come to work every day full of motivation, but that I can learn about different cultures and perspectives from my colleagues. I find it particularly helpful to be able to learn how people from different backgrounds work, and also to strengthen my own personal understanding of the cultures of my colleagues.

For a business lawyer, who holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in law, a corporate law firm might not seem to be the most obvious choice as a prospective employer. However, learning about the concept and role of a “Transaction Lawyer” (TSL) at Freshfields, its independent career path, and the chance to work on top global transactions in teams with “traditional” lawyers in an international and dynamic legal environment immediately convinced me to join the Freshfields office in Dusseldorf. And it still does.

In my early days at Freshfields, the rather newly established position of a TSL working in the anti-trust practice group was still in a maturing phase. This meant that I was able to shape my work environment and help define the tasks and the involvement of an antitrust TSL on mandates. Today, the role is rather settled of course, but the tasks and fields of activity for a TSL are still diverse and definitely not “set in stone”, which I appreciate. This allows for further personal and professional development and offers variety.

Like our lawyers, I am an integral part of the deals team. As a TSL working in antitrust law, I support in almost all kind of mandates, for example by reviewing and evaluating documents in large antitrust proceedings or reviewing global obligatory registrations for M&A transactions. Additionally, I am also responsible for the management of our TSL team in Dusseldorf. This includes a range of tasks, including being involved in recruiting and onboarding activities of new colleagues. As a contact person for our practice group, I also plan and coordinate the involvement of TSL in mandates. Lastly, I ensure that our antitrust lawyers always get the support they need.

Before I joined the Freshfields antitrust team in Dusseldorf in 2015, I had no idea what to expect from working in a major international law firm, as I solely planned on working in corporate firms after graduating, and therefore only focused on this area during my business law studies. However, I already had some points of contact with the area of antitrust law during my master’s studies and later during an internship. So not everything was new and due to my interest in business topics, I was confident that Freshfields is the right place for me.

In the Transaction Lawyers team in Dusseldorf, we mainly work on antitrust mandates together with the partners and associates, but we have the opportunity to practice across all practice groups and become acquainted with other fields of law as well. I like that our work often mirrors current social topics and are perceived by the public due to their impact and relevance.

Over the last years, I have gotten to know a wide range of antitrust activities, and I have participated in national and international antitrust and merger control proceedings, as well as in antitrust damages proceedings. The work is sometimes very challenging, but it is also so much fun to work with all these great and brilliant lawyers at Freshfields. I really appreciate the open and collaborative working atmosphere between and among transaction lawyers and associates, not only in Dusseldorf or Germany, but from foreign Freshfields offices as well. We always support each other, regardless of role or location. There is a truly international team spirit at Freshfields.

I completed my degree in Business Law (Bachelor of Law) at the Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences. While spending a term abroad in Canada, I was also able to gain an insight into North American law. I had already gained practical experience in the legal field during my previous apprenticeship as a legal and notary assistant. Right from the beginning of my studies, I was very interested in getting to know the working atmosphere of a major law firm. The name, Freshfields, was one that I had already come across during my studies due to the renowned publications of its lawyers. After successfully applying for a position as a transaction lawyer that was being advertised, I moved from Paderborn to Berlin to start my work there in October 2018. As a young graduate, I had the advantage of always having a point of contact in the office who helped and supported me. Within a short period of time, I was entrusted with the responsibility of helping to organize a team of 15 students whom still I supervise, even today.

For the most part, I work in the Dispute Resolution department on big cases, but I was also able to work on international projects. I think it’s great to have my core tasks, but, at the same time, to always have a change with new tasks and, in doing so, to grow through these new challenges. This includes working independently and helping to set up new processes. This has meant that I have been able to participate in various work streams and I have learned a lot in the legal field, and about project management. In addition, it’s great that Freshfields gives you the chance to further develop your knowledge through in-house training courses and also to acquire new skills. I was able to attend language courses and to participate in workshops in various departments such as Legal Tech, M&A, NDA and Due Diligence. I was also able to obtain my first aid certificate as well as one in fire prevention. Due to cross-location cooperation, I often have the possibility of travelling to Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Hamburg in order to participate in project meetings. As a member of the Freshfields Responsible Team, I take part in planning various projects that promote and provide support for non-profit organizations.

As an international commercial law firm, Freshfields has given me the ideal career start and offers me the great opportunity of cooperating with motivated colleagues all over the world, on interesting projects.

I applied for a position as a transaction lawyer (TSL) at Freshfields while still being a law and economics student at Bucerius Law School and writing my master’s thesis in the M&A field. For me as an Ukrainian lawyer, it was important to work at a truly international company where lawyers from all over the world feel at home.

After graduating, I joined the Corporate/M&A team in Hamburg. I work primarily on M&A transactions and have the opportunity to experience the different steps of the M&A process and interesting challenges that can arise daily.

As I anticipated, I can work on different projects together with great colleagues not only from Germany, but also from around the world. This includes being able to gain a wide range of experience by visiting other offices and working together on project with teams in other Freshfields offices within Germany and abroad.

I especially enjoy being able to make use of all the languages I speak, in a workplace where a variety of languages are spoken in everyday work life. This strengthens the cooperation within our team and makes our work even more interesting.

All these factors have helped me to grow professionally, gain invaluable experience and set new life goals.

I began my career at Freshfields in September 2015 after I had completed my studies at the Hochschule Wismar in Business Law. I was awarded an LL.M. and specialized in International Business Law. At first, I worked across practices, but then I joined the Dispute Resolution practice group. From day one, I was entrusted with a mass litigation when it was still unclear in which direction the journey would lead. In the course of my work, I was involved in project management and process optimization. This, in turn, brought new challenges and meant that I had a varied and instructive working day. First as Senior TSL and later as a manager in the Freshfields Hub, I began to establish and supervise a project-related TSL and student team.

My ambitious approach in my work is due to the fact that even on turbulent days, which can sometimes be quite long, we work as a team and stick together. At Freshfields, I have learned many things in real life that are not taught at law school. Above all, I appreciate the flat hierarchies, the team spirit across locations and the international colleagues.