Careers/HUB/TSL Transaction Lawyer Business lawyer or a lawyer with a degree from a foreign country? As a transaction lawyer, you are welcome to become part of the Freshfields Hub. Careers/HUB/TSL With over 80 of them spread throughout Germany, our transaction lawyers form the largest team in our Hub. In close cooperation with our associates, you will provide support in advising major companies, banks and financial investors on national and international transactions. In the process, you will be part of various practice groups and work on a variety of cases such as corporate and real estate transactions, antitrust investigations, finance deals and dispute resolution. Our transaction lawyers not only work across locations within Germany, but also act, in a ”truly international” sense, as a team across national borders. In close cooperation with colleagues in our offices throughout Europe and the rest of the world, they provide advice on international transactions. Our Transaction Lawyer team unites people from more than 20 countries and consists of business lawyers who have qualified in Germany and lawyers who obtained their qualifications abroad. Testimonials Svenja Karusseit Manager Freshfields Hub CE Svenja Karusseit Manager Freshfields Hub CE Dusseldorf Before I joined the Freshfields Competition 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 cartel damage claims 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. Inna Krushchuk Senior Transaction Lawyer Inna Krushchuk Senior Transaction Lawyer Hamburg I applied for the position of transaction lawyer (TSL) at Freshfields when I was a law and business student at Bucerius Law School and while 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 transaction lawyers 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 the interesting challenges that can arise daily. As I had imagined when I applied for the position, I can work on a variety of different projects alongside 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 projects 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. Jean Carlo Arévalo Gutiérrez Transaction Lawyer Jean Carlo Arévalo Gutiérrez Transaction Lawyer Berlin 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. Terry Fernbach Senior Transaction Lawyer Terry Fernbach Senior Transaction Lawyer Frankfurt “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. Evelyn-Kristina Berlin Manager Freshfields Hub CE Evelyn-Kristina Berlin Manager Freshfields Hub CE Hamburg 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 am involved in project management and process optimization. This, in turn, brings new challenges and means that I have 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. Christina Felker Senior Transaction Lawyer Christina Felker Senior Transaction Lawyer Berlin 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. Through an internal programme, I have been offered a secondment to the Manchester office for a few weeks to experience the working atmosphere abroad. Due to cross-location cooperation, I often have the possibility of travelling to Dusseldorf, 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. How to become a part of the team? What requirements do I need to apply to Freshfields as a transaction lawyer? + We are looking forward to meeting exciting personalities with foresight, who enjoy teamwork and are enthusiastic about working in an international environment. Ideally, you will have a law degree from Germany or abroad (business lawyer, a lawyer qualified abroad with an LL.M. from a German university or similar). You have proven your above-average skills in the process. Fluency in spoken and written German and English rounds off your profile. How can I apply and what documents should I include with my application? + Please send your application to: stepin.transactionlawyers@freshfields.com Your complete application documents should include: – a personal cover letter – your curriculum vitae – all relevant certificates We look forward to hearing in your cover letter why you believe being employed by us is what you want and what you find so exciting about Freshfields. Please state your salary expectations, your preferred location and your earliest possible starting date. What are the next steps after my application? + After receiving all the applications, we will make a pre-selection based on our selection criteria. Should you be shortlisted, the first step will be to invite you to take part in a Skype interview. If this interview is successful, you will be invited to attend a personal interview at the respective location. Do you have any tips for my Skype interview and job interview? + The Skype interview provides an opportunity for us to get to know each other and to exchange information about the position you have applied for. We are very curious. What exactly is your interest in the role of transaction lawyer and what do you expect the typical tasks with us to be? Do not hesitate to ask us any questions that you might still have. If the Skype interview is positive, a personal meeting will follow at the respective Freshfields office. You will then have the opportunity to get to know the colleagues from the team and be able to convince us further about your abilities and why we should hire you.