Emily in Brussels: Diary of a Trainee Solicitor

Emily in Brussels: Diary of a Trainee Solicitor – Week 7

This week I worked on an interesting project concerning the EU Whistleblowing Directive and its implementation across Europe. For the assignment, I conducted a review of various local regulations across Europe, and it was enlightening to learn about the different requirements and approaches across the region. The Directive provides for a minimum level of protection in all member states, though it is possible for member states to go beyond the minimum and create legislation that is more stringent. This requires organisations to ensure that they understand, and more importantly, are compliant with, the relevant rules in the jurisdictions where they are active.

In addition, I had the pleasure of attending the Education USA LL.M. Fair organized by the Commission for Educational Exchange between the U.S., Belgium, and Luxembourg on 9 November. The fair, which was hosted at Crowell’s Brussels office, featured representatives from over 20 American law schools, attracting law students and young lawyers interested in pursuing legal education in the United States. This was a great event for law students to learn about educational opportunities and network with global legal peers – it was a fantastic evening!

This week’s cultural takeaway: it is clear my Belgian colleagues hold contrasting views on the best type of Belgian chocolate, and luckily I was able to weigh in on the debate this week by sampling a few! The milk chocolate truffles melted in your mouth, a new favorite of mine!

Emily in Brussels: Diary of a Trainee Solicitor - Week 6

This week I worked with the Brussels Intellectual Property team on a life sciences matter. Part of the work included strengthening my understanding of routes to authorised use of medicines in Europe and the importance of various EU regulations associated with such procedures. I also undertook a comparison between the EU and UK regulations to review any differences between approaches.

In addition, on Tuesday, a group of 9 nine Crowell colleagues, including me, volunteered at Serve the City Brussels “Lunch 4 All” a food distribution project that the Brussels office has made a long-term commitment to support. Serve the City is a global movement of volunteers who partner with homeless shelters, refugee centres and other associations offering help and support to those who vitally need it. We prepared and served both food and hot drinks to hundreds of people during the course of several hours. We learned more about the organisation and its sheer dedication to the community. It was a deeply enriching experience and a stark reminder of how many people rely on fantastic organisations such as Serve the City to survive daily life.

Pro bono initiatives are a core part of Crowell’s culture. For example, our London office also works with the Social Mobility Foundation and, through its Aspiring Professionals Programme, where colleagues act as mentors to ambitious young students. I mentor a student who is currently studying at sixth form and is aspiring to attend University. As a mentor, I liaise fortnightly with my mentee and provide her with guidance and advice on progressing her education and career prospects. The benefits the mentoring programme has for young students are significant.

This week’s cultural takeaway – the spirit of giving is an important priority to many Belgians!

Emily in Brussels: Diary of a Trainee Solicitor - Week 5

This week I continued to work with colleagues across multiple Crowell & Moring offices on an exciting project and I was invited to attend the Brussels Office annual retreat held in Ostend, on the scenic Belgian coast. The retreat was held over two days and was a fantastic opportunity for me to interact and connect with colleagues in an informal setting.

The retreat began with a very engaging session on best practices for timekeeping - I have already put these practices to good use this week! The Brussels office practice groups then presented their substantive business plans. It was interesting for me to understand how each practice group has developed this year and where its ambitions lie in the future. No retreat is complete without some friendly competition between colleagues – in the afternoon we teamed up to solve riddles and challenges in order to ‘escape from the city.’ Unfortunately I was not part of the winning team! To close out a fantastic retreat, the team hosted a fireside chat with the Chief Legal Officer of a large Belgian retail company. My colleagues submitted questions and engaged in an in-depth discussion about the distinction between private practice and in-house work. The learnings served as a great reminder to deliver reliable and exemplary client care.

In addition to the retreat, the Brussels office had a busy week hosting numerous events including a “mental health start-to-run” training, an alumni event, and a diversity workshop. We were also able to attend a webinar hosted by our London colleagues to celebrate Black History Month.

This week’s cultural takeaway – never underestimate a Belgian’s competitive spirit!

Emily in Brussels: Diary of a Trainee Solicitor - Week 4

This week I’ve been able to catch up with my colleagues back in London to stay up-to-date on work commitments. I have also been working on a large project for a client which includes collaborating with colleagues across multiple offices, always a great way to stay connected firm-wide. I cannot quite believe that I am already halfway through my secondment!

Reflecting on my time here so far, I received some great advice from fellow associate Christopher Dumont: “Whist you continue to grow your practice area knowledge, remember to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Engage in hobbies, explore the city and new parts of country where possible to maintain overall well-being. Embrace all of the challenges as this will help you remain motivated. Remember, every experience is an opportunity to learn and grow!”

With this advice in mind, I have joined a local gym and a local netball training session each week. To further expand my network, I’ve reconnected with old friends who live in Belgium. Everyone has been welcoming, allowing me to seamlessly settle into Brussels life by helping me explore the diverse local cafe and restaurant culture!

This week’s cultural takeaway, if choosing a Belgian beer, bear in mind those with the most enticing branding are much stronger than English beer!

Emily in Brussels: Diary of a Trainee Solicitor - Week 3

I’m amazed that I've reached the end of week 3 in our Brussels office already!  I have enjoyed continuing to develop my understanding of different areas of law and this week I had the opportunity to do some sightseeing in beautiful Belgium.

I collaborated with my Brussels colleagues throughout the week on a number of Intellectual Property matters, including conducting research and drafting of an article about the newly established Unified Patent Court for IP partner, Kristof Roox. It will be very interesting to monitor the impact of the UPC both in Europe and across the globe over the coming months.  Stay tuned for the published article!

On the sightseeing front, I visited the historical Bruges - which I have learned has many different spellings and pronunciations!  I took a beautiful canal ride across the city, and soon understood why it is sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North. The city was breath taking and whilst enjoying all the Belgian culinary delights on offer, I basked in the unexpectedly warm October sunshine.  When I returned to Brussels, I had an opportunity to explore another side of Belgian culture by attending a pro league football match watching Anderlecht KV beat Mechelen 3-1.

This week’s cultural takeaway, I must ensure to continue to consume the delicious Belgian waffles at least once a week!

Emily in Brussels: Diary of a Trainee Solicitor - Week 2

This week, I immersed myself in Crowell & Moring’s Brussels office and gained a better understanding of their, specialised legal practices.

On Monday, I joined an engaging, all-lawyers lunch where everyone shared updates on their ongoing matters and projects, as well as business development highlights and initiatives. It was a fantastic opportunity for us all to gain insights into each other's work, and to find areas for (even more) cross-practice collaboration.

In addition, I attended a series of training sessions led by Privacy & Cybersecurity Partner Maarten Stassen. He provided a comprehensive introduction into data protection laws, which is of importance to me as I am keen to develop an understanding of such a crucial area of law. The sessions were highly informative and interesting, especially when exploring the acceptable grounds for processing personal data under the applicable legislation. I'm eager to apply these learnings in my future practice.

We also received a visit from our London Business Development Manager, Carly Halpin who joined the BD team here to strategise on collaboration ideas for the future!

Emily in Brussels: Diary of a Trainee Solicitor - Week 1

When I arrived in Brussels, I was excited to explore my new neighborhood, the vibrant Ixelles. My first mission was to explore the European Parliament and get a glimpse of history with a visit to segments of the Berlin Wall which have stood there since 2021.

Monday was all about diving headfirst into Brussels office life. I had lunch and chatted to various Belgian colleagues to discuss potential collaborations in the months to come.

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend a networking event hosted by Crowell in collaboration with the IBJ-IJE (the institute of company lawyers in Belgium) at a fantastic venue, the Merode.

On Wednesday I joined the Brussels Competition practice group fortnightly lunch, whereby the team shared insights into recent developments impacting their practice.

Now that the weekend is just around the corner, I am gearing up for a netball tournament with a team that I have joined during my time in Brussels.

I’m looking forward to seeing what next week brings, but this week’s cultural takeaway is better time management – the supermarkets appear to close here at 7pm!