Schalast | Sarah Scherer
My secondment at Duane Morris LLP in Philadelphia and New York
First of all: I had the most wonderful time in the US, both professionally and personally. Duane Morris really is a great law firm and a fun place to work.
But let’s start like this: After finishing my Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) at Frankfurt School of Finance and Management I was thinking about the next steps in my career. I always wanted to spend a longer time in the US, but somehow missed the chance to do so during my law studies.
After talking to Prof. Dr. Andreas Walter, head of the banking & finance practice group and co-managing Partner of Schalast, we have developed the idea, that a secondment in the US would be a good next step for me and my career. Prof. Dr. Andreas Walter himself worked for a law firm in Miami.
Schalast is part of the international network of law firms Multilaw. The Multilaw Visiting Lawyer Programme provides lawyers at member firms with the opportunity to travel to another firm, forge relationships with lawyers at that firm and familiarise themselves with a new jurisdiction. I’ve chosen Duane Morris LLP, an international law firm with more than 900 lawyers, which is headquartered in Philadelphia. Highly supported by Schalast, I’ve been given the great opportunity to join Duane Morris’ litigation practice group and spend three months in the US.
I’ve met great lawyers both, in the Philadelphia Office and the New York Office, learned a lot about federal and state law and the whole legal system. I’ve attended various trials, jury trials as well as bench trials, which have been taken place in impressive courtrooms with a huge painting of the judge hanging on the wall. I’ve attended and learned in inhouse trainings a lot about depositions which also helps me in my daily work at Schalast. If I was asked after my stay what I consider to be particularly important as a trial lawyer, I would say: Telling a story is key!
But also besides work, I had the best time and enjoyed the City of Brotherly Love and the Big Apple a lot. Of course, a visit of the US Supreme Court in Washington D.C. was also a must!
