‘My name is Olaf de Klein and I am currently in my third year of the Bachelor of Law at Leiden University.’
Why did you choose an internship at Wintertaling?
‘Between my second and third year, I really wanted to intern at a law firm to get an idea of how things work in practice. To this end, I contacted various law firms to get a feel for which firm suited me. During this search, I happened to come across a vacancy at Wintertaling, after which I had a pleasant interview. When I was eventually offered an internship, it felt like the right choice to intern at Wintertaling.’
What are your main tasks and responsibilities during your internship?
‘During my internship, I was primarily engaged in case law and literature research. The substantive quality of my work was very important to me, given that it would ultimately be taken into account in cases involving real interests.’
Can you give an example of a project or case you worked on?
‘I had the opportunity to handle a wide variety of projects during my internship. Examples include scrutinizing GDPR legislation, researching the Notarial Profession Act and related legislation, and delving into the code of conduct for the legal profession. A more specific example concerns a case in which two directors of a company wanted to resign from their duties for the company, as a result of which the company would go bankrupt. In this context, I had to determine the liability risks associated with this for these directors; this turned out to be an extremely multifaceted assignment.’
What do you find most challenging about your internship?
‘Sometimes assignments can overlap and pile up as a result. In this context, you must therefore pay close attention to how much time you can devote to each assignment without compromising the substantive quality. This therefore requires good planning.’
What did you learn during your internship?
‘During my internship, I improved my skills in conducting legal research and presenting the results in a clear and organized manner. Additionally, my professional skills have improved, particularly regarding working within a law firm.’
How has this internship changed or influenced your view of the legal profession?
‘My internship has given me more insight into the practice of the legal profession and the (future) expectations of me as a professional that go with it. Primarily, I have learned about how diverse the work of a lawyer can be and the flexibility this requires of a lawyer.’
How would you describe the work atmosphere and culture within this office?
‘Wintertaling has an open and accessible work atmosphere and culture. As an intern, you can essentially walk into anyone's office without feeling immense hierarchical pressure. It is therefore a great place to do an internship.’
Do you have any tips for other students considering an internship in the legal profession?
‘'As a tip for future interns, I would like to suggest that it is wise to actively seek feedback. Lawyers are extremely busy and, as a result, sometimes forget to respond to the documents you produce, even though they are read. It is therefore important to stop by and explicitly ask for feedback.'’
What are your future plans after this internship?
‘Now that my internship is over, I am going to work hard again on finishing my studies! After my bachelor's, I aim to pursue a master's in neuropsychology and a master's in information law or European and international law.’
