Anne de Jong talks about her internship at Poelmann van den Broek

For the past few weeks, Anne de Jong has been an intern at Poelmann van den Broek's Environment and Government service area. And not without result: she is now working as a legal assistant at the firm. She is also still following the Master's degree in Constitutional and Administrative Law at Radboud University. Anne talks about her experience:

Introduction through Legal Business Day

"I thought it would be a good idea to check whether my interest in this field would meet my expectations in practice, so to speak. At that time, Poelmann van den Broek offered an internship in environmental law that perfectly matched what I had in mind. I had already become acquainted with the firm at the Juridische Bedrijvendag (Legal Companies Day) and that had made a positive impression on me. In addition, the office is very central so I could walk to the office: ideal. Before I started my internship, I hoped above all that I would have a good time. The rest would come naturally."

Openness and commitment

"On the first day I was warmly welcomed by everyone and began my first assignment. What struck me was the open and committed attitude of all the colleagues and the friendly and pleasant atmosphere among them. It is easy to walk in on each other. I was also taken seriously from the first moment which gave a lot of confidence."

Advisory role

Anne learned a lot during her internship: "I learned a lot from the internship in different areas and my interest in environmental and administrative law was confirmed once again. The internship included participating in section meetings, figuring out a variety of legal issues, collaborating on litigation documents and attending meetings and hearings.

Beforehand, I had a bit of an image of a lawyer as a problem solver. What struck me is that the lawyer also has an important advisory role, which is more focused on preventing problems. I also found the pre- and post-session discussions with clients to be instructive. You want to reassure the client but at the same time give a realistic picture. Clients really trust you."

Anne continues: "Besides the content, there was also time for social activities, such as the Friday afternoon drinks. In short: an instructive and fun period that I certainly don't regret, as I get to join the team permanently."

We are always looking for motivated student interns

Are you a driven law student and at least in your third year? Then come join us as an intern and get to know the various service areas of our firm. For more information click here.