Advant inaugurates international program for associates

Advant inaugurates international program for associates

The initiative aimed to provide junior lawyers with 'exciting opportunities for professional and personal advancement in a competitive market

Advant, an association of European law firms, has launched a program to offer associates of its member firms enhanced career development opportunities across its international network.

According to Advant, providing such opportunities for its team on an international scale is one of its strategic priorities.

Associates from the association's member firms - Advant Altana in France, Advant Beitten in Germany and Advant Nctm in Italy - are invited to apply for internship placements lasting from three weeks to three months in one of seven sites across the association's network.

Currently, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Milan, Munich, Paris and Rome are among the available locations.

Advant Nctm's Guido Fauda, one of the coordinators of the initiative, stated: "The competition for legal talent is fierce, and it is increasingly important for our professionals to expand their experience and to network with their colleagues at other Advant member firms.

"This new program will ensure that we provide the brightest and most ambitious individuals in the industry with an industry-leading work experience," she concluded.

The secondments will be evaluated on a rolling basis, and candidates will be considered based on their motivations and ambitions, seniority, English proficiency, and the approval of the department. According to a spokesperson, no set number of secondees is expected for any given period.

The three founding firms of Advant created the association as a Swiss Verein last September.

A press release at the time said that the firms would operate as a 'single entity under the Advant brand to serve existing clients in continental Europe and internationally, with a shared objective to become more visible outside their home markets in North America and Asia.

In 2020, the trio had combined revenues of €216m, which placed them just outside the top 10 law firms in Europe. There are more than 140 equity partners and more than 600 legal and tax professionals working together in the association.

Advant Beiten announced last month that it had hired a 16-person team from Friedrich Graf von Westphalen - led by longstanding co-manager Barbara Mayer - to assist with the opening of an office in Freiburg during the second half of the year.

Upon taking this step, the Munich-based firm will expand its presence into Germany's south-western state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, a move which managing partner Philipp Cotta has described as a strategic ambition for some time.