My Flash Secondment in Milan
Earlier this fall, I had the pleasure of spending two weeks in Milan as part of DLA Piper’s Flash Secondment Program. We were in total seven secondees from different countries and practice groups who got the opportunity to work at the Milan office for this period of time.
Being part of the employment team in Stockholm, I got a warm welcome from my fellow employment colleagues in Milan who gave me an introduction to Italian employment law and explained that a good Italian employment lawyer also needs to be a good litigator. They told me that they handle court cases all over Italy and that the process (and duration of the disputes) can vary greatly depending on the region. They also taught me that it is nearly a crime to order a cappuccino after 11:00 a.m., and that pastries should be enjoyed during morning coffee breaks rather than in the afternoon.
In the evenings I enjoyed “aperitivos” and either pizza or pasta with the other secondees and our designated hosts from the Milan office. The secondees were also invited to several activities with an Italian theme, such as a pasta cooking class, Italian karaoke (which turned out to be more "analogue" than in Sweden as it essentially involved a guitar player and his songbook) and a wine tasting trip to a vineyard.
In summary, I had an amazing experience that I won’t forget, and I’m so thankful for the opportunity and for the hospitality that all colleagues at the Milan office showed. I would definitely recommend anyone who’s interested in experiencing new places, cultures, and building networks and friendships across borders to participate in a secondment like this.
