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Before he left for his secondment, attorney Bjørn Jurjans Moosgaard had many thoughts about what his stay would be like. With the help of his counsellor, partner Jacob Gunst, he chose one of Ireland’s leading law firms, Arthur Cox LLP in Dublin.
Magnificent nature, pub culture and broadening professional and personal horizons. It was a different autumn for attorney Bjørn Jurjans Moosgaard, who normally works on complex corporate law matters, restructurings, contracts and private equity transactions in the Corporate / Mergers & Acquisitions group.
Now he has also gained experience in these areas of Irish law. The secondment to Dublin has shown him that, despite a different starting point in Irish law, there are many similarities in the way the two firms work.
“Both Arthur Cox and Gorrissen Federspiel are leading law firms with large, exciting clients and cases. We approach our work in the same professional and conscientious manner. The processes, client handling and legal craftsmanship are very similar to what I know from Gorrissen Federspiel, but the legal traditions and legal sources are different. I’ve learnt that although I’m not an expert in Irish law, I do have something to offer,” he says.
The fact that he is not a specialist in Irish background law freed up energy to focus on interactions with clients, colleagues and new acquaintances. Being a lawyer is a people business, and for Bjørn it was important to build friendships and professional connections in a new environment.
“You have to keep in mind who you work with and what they need from you. That’s why it’s always good to practice being around people who are different from you. Being open to getting to know new people and learning from them. I was already aware of this, but the secondment has put it even more into perspective,” he explains.
Arthur Cox LLP, one of Ireland’s leading law firms, went to great lengths to look after Bjørn and the other expats and help them off to a good start. Among other things, they were invited to a football match between Ireland and England and had dinner with the partners.
Bjørn had no trouble filling his time when he was off work. He is a big fan of literature and has enjoyed Dublin’s historical setting.
“I’ve barely had enough time. Dublin is a fantastic city that is steeped in history and literary tradition. The classic literature of the Irish from the 19th and 20th centuries is fantastic,” says the attorney, whose daily life in Dublin often began with a cup of coffee and a book.
He used the city a lot, both for cultural experiences such as visits to the National Gallery and Trinity, but also to meet new people who didn’t work in the legal world. One of them was Aaron, who Bjørn met when they got chatting in a pub over a Guinness. He took Bjørn on a visit to his hometown in Galway. Here he was at the stadium watching the Irish national sport of hurling, where you shoot with an axe-shaped wooden stick and a small, hard leather ball. Although Bjørn is not a big sports enthusiast, Irish sports culture has made an impression on him.
“I’d say the most Irish thing I’ve done on my secondment is watch the Galway County hurling semi-final between Loughrea and Clarinbridge in the rain,” he laughs.
Entering a new workplace and becoming part of a team in a different country with a different culture has been an exciting challenge for Bjørn. Also, in terms of networking, the secondment has been extremely positive and rewarding for him.
“What has struck me most is the joy and importance of creating new relationships when entering a new culture and context. I’ve met a lot of people with different focus areas in their professional work. If I ever have a question about Irish company law or operating in regulated markets in Ireland, I know who to go to,” he concludes.