Vanessa Veenma
Associate
Corporate
Joined: 2005

“From 1999 to 2005 I studied private law at Groningen. But it wasn’t until halfway through my studies that I really started to get excited about the prospect of working in international and corporate law. Groningen offers the opportunity to study for a year abroad, and I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to experience something new. I wasn’t disappointed. I went to Durham in the North of England, and it was here I discovered the term ‘magic circle’ which is an informal term used to describe the five (or by some definitions, six) leading law firms. I realised that the culture and type of work that these international organisations do fitted my ambitions perfectly.

I returned to Groningen determined to complete my studies and thesis, and discover more about international law firms. I completed an internship and wrote my thesis at two different ‘magic circle’ firms, but accepted an offer at Linklaters. As a business we are aiming to become the premium global law firm – so the work we do is challenging, complex and cutting-edge – which was exactly what I was looking for. At the time, I was only the second junior associate to join the office and I instantly felt like anything was possible. Just like everyone else here, I have been given the opportunity to really shape the office. The sense of teamwork and collaboration is fantastic and our capabilities develop with every new person that joins.”