Auckland secondment story

I must admit I was slightly apprehensive about taking the opportunity to go on secondment to Bell Gully in Auckland. As it turns out, I really needn’t have worried as, despite being so far away from home, I’ve been made to feel more than welcome.

I’m currently sitting in the corporate and commercial department, working with a team which deals largely with mergers and acquisitions. The similarities between the New Zealand and English legal systems, together with the lack of any language barrier, means that I’ve been able to get stuck into some fairly complex work. I’ve also been lucky enough to work on a project which involved various aspects of Maori law - arriving at a client meeting and witnessing the hongi, a traditional Maori greeting, is an experience I will never forget. Another highlight has been my department’s weekend away to Lake Taupo, which consisted of training sessions, dinner, the annual Bell Gully quiz and jet boating at the Huka Falls.

Outside work, I’ve made the most of the last few months of summer by exploring the volcanic islands and vineyards of the Hauraki Gulf, seeing dolphins in the Bay of Islands, going "tramping" (bushwalking) in the Waitakere Mountains, visiting the Coromandel Peninsula and taking in the natural geothermal sights of Rotorua. I’ve also completed the Tongariro Crossing, which is meant to be one of the best day hikes in the world, and I’m currently looking forward to a trip to the South Island to take advantage of the ski season.

• Laura Gledhill
• Trainee secondment