Guest Blogger
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Key Facts
Joined A&O
My International Secondment to A&O Budapest
21 Jun 2010
Neil vagyok! (it’s Neil here!)
Having been asked to appear in the coveted role of “guest blogger” on Allen & Overy’s graduate recruitment website, I wondered: who will read my humble offering and when will it be read? The answer being probably not by anyone before 12 July (the day after the FIFA World Cup when the world starts turning again). However, if you do not like football, are reading this between matches or after the FIFA World Cup, you are probably interested in working at A&O and finding out more about a typical trainee's experience whilst on international secondment. Hopefully this will help you!
I chose to work for A&O because it is an international law firm. The appealing by-product of the possibility of an international secondment as a trainee was a central factor in my decision.
The application process for an international secondment came around surprisingly quickly and, having thoroughly enjoyed my banking seat in London, I applied for a six month banking secondment in several of A&O's overseas offices. Fortunately, most trainees at A&O get the opportunity to experience an international secondment in the final six months of their training contract, and I was naturally excited when A&O informed me that I would be seconded to 'the Queen of the Danube', Budapest.
For a (very) brief moment the idea of spending six months somewhere where I did not know anyone or speak the language was daunting. However, A&O made the transition easy and arranged language tutorials, flights, insurance, accommodation for six months, all necessary documentation, a tax residency certificate, and even a travel guide for Central and Eastern Europe (which has come in very handy). All I had to do was ensure that I held a valid passport for the duration of the secondment.
I had heard tales of Hungary's warm, pleasant springs and long, hot summers. So, when the time came to pack, I filled my suitcase with sun cream and summer clothing. I grudgingly threw some long trousers, an overcoat and an umbrella into my 40 kilogram baggage allowance (mainly as a concession to my mother following a particularly forceful exhortation!). It was fortunate that I did as, upon my arrival in March, I was greeted with snow for the first few weeks and rain for most of May (with some volcanic ash thrown in, just for good measure!). Fortunately, summer has now arrived and Budapest has really come to life. My long trousers, overcoat and umbrella are now firmly packed away!
Megérkeztem Budapestre (I arrive in Budapest)
I touched down in Budapest airport and was greeted by a pre-arranged taxi tasked with ferrying me to my new home for the next six months. Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised to find a spacious, modern, well-decorated, two bedroom flat, and was even more delighted to find that my 40 kilogram luggage allowance had arrived safely before me.
Any concerns that I had about spending six months in Budapest quickly evaporated when I arrived at the office for my first day. Everyone was really welcoming and very friendly. It was comforting to see that A&O’s friendly atmosphere, a hallmark of the London office, applied equally to the Hungarian office.
Budapesten élek küföldi turistaként (living in Budapest as a foreign tourist)
My first couple of months saw me visiting many of Budapest's main attractions (often upon the recommendation of my new colleagues and friends at work) and getting to know about the history and culture of Budapest and Hungary. This included the surreal experience of visiting an outdoor thermal bath on a freezing cold, wet and windy (spring!) afternoon. It was an odd experience to be contentedly relaxing in an open air, naturally occurring thermal bath, surrounded by beautiful baroque buildings, and to almost forget about the freezing cold driving rain. The short walk from the outdoor bath to the indoor changing rooms soon reminded me just how cold it was though!
Of course, I have also sampled some Hungarian delicacies (including lashings of gulyash!). Tomatoes, pork and paprika also seem to be a staple part of the Hungarian diet. I have also developed a taste for the Hungarian national spirit; pálinka (fruit flavoured brandy), which should definitely be taken in moderation!
I have also taken the opportunity, helpfully arranged by A&O Budapest, to take Hungarian lessons at the office and everyone in the office has patiently withstood my attempts to converse in their native tongue. This has been good fun and has definitely enriched my experience, although I have learned that a little Hungarian can be a dangerous ally (particularly when used in conjunction with pálinka)! It seems that the more Hungarian that I learn, the greater the margin for error (and embarrassment) has become. Initially, I thought people, particularly bar tenders, found my attempts to pronounce Hungarian amusing. It later transpired that I had been consistently misplacing a letter which resulted in me telling bar tenders “I love you, a glass of beer please”, as opposed to my intended meaning that “I would like a glass of beer please”.
“A secondment is an ideal opportunity to develop the skills needed to bridge the divide between final seat trainee and newly qualified Associate.”
Meglátogatom a barátaimait (visiting friends)
Studying the bespoke A&O Legal Practice Course and subsequently working with the same group of people for eighteen months allows you to forge strong friendships. Secondments present a brilliant opportunity to visit surrounding countries, often with the benefit of a trainee friend acting as an unofficial guide.
I recently returned from a week in Dubai where I stayed with two trainee friends currently seconded there. We were also joined by two trainee friends from Abu Dhabi and a couple of trainees from London. Whilst we were there we all found out that we would be staying on at A&O after our training contracts end. Although we did not arrange to meet up for this purpose, it was great to celebrate the culmination of years of studying and hard work with friends with whom I had shared the experience.
Budapesten dolgozom (working in Budapest)
A secondment is an ideal opportunity to develop the skills needed to bridge the divide between final seat trainee and newly qualified Associate. Often, as the only English trainee (or one of only a few) in a particular office, you are given an increased level of responsibility and can take a more active role in transactions.
In Budapest, I have been the client’s main point of contact on two smaller transactions. One of these involved representing a bank that was acting as agent for a syndicate of banks in respect of a loan agreement under which the borrower had defaulted. I had to draft letters to the borrower, first informing them of the default and, secondly, to amend the loan agreement in a manner satisfactory to the syndicate of banks so that a restructuring of the loan could be negotiated. It was a good experience to try to deal with and resolve client's problems before checking my suggested approach with the matter Partner.
As the Budapest office is smaller than the London offices, I have also been fortunate enough to work on several different types of financing transactions, including project finance and leveraged finance. I have also drafted an English law governed project finance standard form precedent that is compliant with the Loan Market Association's standard credit agreement, for use in the Budapest office. Such experience is beneficial and will be very helpful when I return to A&O in London as an Associate.
Although not strictly working, I recently went on the office offsite to a large hotel complex outside of Budapest. It was great fun to socialise with everyone outside of work and I particularly enjoyed the sporting activities on offer. These included tennis, archery, watching the FIFA World Cup, table tennis, swimming, drinking pálinka (of course) and a particularly brutal game of water polo!
A jövö (the future)
I am very much looking forward to returning to the banking team in Canary Wharf as a newly qualified Associate and beginning the next stage of my career at A&O.
However, before that happens, there is the small matter of spending the rest of the summer in Budapest! What with the FIFA World Cup, the Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix, several music festivals, open air parties, planned trips to Moscow, Prague and Vienna, and numerous other highlights, it promises to be a brilliant summer!
Then there is the small matter of six weeks qualification leave (to be spent driving across America) before returning to A&O London in mid-October.
Neil Coxhead
Trainee Solicitor
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