There is a particular clarity to professional growth that comes from distance, from stepping outside one’s home jurisdiction and learning how law is practised somewhere entirely different. It is this principle that underpins the LFN Secondment Programme: travel purposeful, hands-on immersion within member firms around the world.
For Felipa Eichel, former intern at Haver & Mailänder, that principle recently took her to New Zealand.
Through her placement with member firm Burton Partners, Felipa joined the firm not as a visitor but as a working member of the team. From the outset, she was involved in day to day matters, observing client strategy and gaining practical insight into the mechanics of a common-law system shaped by its own commercial and regional realities.
It is precisely the kind of exposure that young lawyers rarely access so early in their careers: responsibility over observation, participation over theory.
New Zealand also offered something less tangible, but equally valuable perspective.
Outside the office, the landscape itself leaves a strong impression. Weekends brought boat journeys through the country’s vast fiords, encounters with whales and manta rays along the coast, and visits to vineyards that form part of the country’s growing wine industry. Time spent engaging with Māori culture and heritage added another layer of understanding, grounding the experience in the history and identity that shape the nation beyond its legal framework.
These moments matter. They cultivate the cultural literacy and adaptability that international practice increasingly demands.
Felipa’s time in New Zealand followed an earlier secondment in Egypt hosted by Ibrachy & Dermarkar, giving her exposure to two markedly different jurisdictions and legal environments. Taken together, the experiences reflect the breadth of the LFN and what it can offer: meaningful international placements where young lawyers are trusted, supported and challenged in equal measure.
For member firms, hosting secondments is an investment in the next generation. For young practitioners, it is an opportunity to accelerate both professional development and global outlook.
Felipa’s story is a reminder that the most formative stages of a legal career sometimes begin far from home.
We extend our sincere thanks to member firms Ibrachy & Dermarkar(Egypt) and Burton Partners (New Zealand) for opening their doors and integrating secondees into their teams. Without your support, this programme would not be possible.
