Since my start as an attorney, which was February 2022, I have been working at LVH. Before that, during my master’s, I got to know the firm as a legal assistant. LVH made a good first impression on me back then and actually still lives up to that. I immediately became acquainted with all of LVH: the partners, the attorneys and practice assistants. My first day at LVH – the office was then still on the Veerhaven – I took a lunch walk with office colleagues Ben van Nieuwaal, Hans Rijntjes and Lisa Kloot. The inappropriate footwear notwithstanding – my heels and I were only counting on “a walk around the block” – I was glad I came along. I immediately felt welcome.
In terms of content, LVH knows how to challenge me well. As a novice lawyer, I don’t work exclusively for one of the office colleagues or my pattern, but many of the lawyers know how to find me to take on a case together. Ideal, since I was not yet immediately sure of my desired specialization. They also didn’t shy away from taking me through the more complex files early on here or letting me figure things out on my own. In doing so, especially in the early years, I was really given the time to tackle cases qualitatively and substantively well, without the pressure that all the time spent would necessarily be passed on to the client. And, more importantly, if at any point there was a lack of time or guidance, there was enough freedom and approachability at LVH to indicate that.
This culture, I have found, continues the more independent you become as a lawyer. The size of the team makes it easy to keep short lines of communication with everyone and usually a colleague’s door is open for substantive – or less substantive – consultation. Meanwhile, I have a four-day work week due to my social and musical activities, and that, as soon as I expressed that need, was responded to positively and given space. Although it is possible to work from home at LVH, I would say that there is not really a “work-at-home culture. I myself ride my office bike easily to the office daily, and I can count on all my colleagues to meet me there regularly. I have also gotten to know them in other ways in recent years, including during dinners, a boat trip on the Rottemeren, a painting course and a champagne trip in beautiful Rheims. Only good as far as I’m concerned, because that makes it extra fun to then work together for a cause.