Our lawyers wanted to know: Does the scale of the challenge the Tough Mudder race presents match that of the Second State Examination? We accompanied the mixed GvW team with members from legal clerk to Partner with a camera when they put themselves to the test in the Lüneburger Heide heath. The result was this spectacular footage of obstacles and mud pits – and the realisation that we could have done better had we prepared! In any case, we will take part in next year’s Tough Mudder race with a company team again. www.toughmudder.de/firmenteams (firmenteams@toughmudder.de)

What is it like to work as a lawyer at a commercial law firm? We followed Hamburg lawyer Melanie Eilers, a specialist in construction and architects’ law, with our camera for one day, and it was a busy one with a practice group meeting, client meetings and a court hearing. But there are also those evenings when the Associates gather at the bistro to show off their cooking skills.

Clearly, emission compensation is not a “silver bullet” solution, but reducing CO2 emissions is a must. However, there is currently no solution available in aviation that would be more climate-friendly, such as a zero-emissions plane. This is the reason why atmosfair, a non-profit organisation based in Berlin, offers passengers the ability to compensate for the climate impacts caused by their necessary air travel. This money is used to expand renewable forms of energy in countries of the southern hemisphere. We have asked them to tell us what project the funds support and how professional service firms like law firms can make an effective contribution to climate protection.

Getting insights into a commercial law firm and achieving excellent exam results are the two top priorities of legal training at GvW Graf von Westphalen. We want our legal trainees (Referendare) to get a full and true picture of the work of a commercial lawyer in the various areas of commercial law. At the same time, we offer them a range of support and the breathing room they need to prepare for their Second State Examination in Law.

Companies wishing to export physical goods, software or technology abroad now have a digital tool at their disposal: With our online tool, they receive an initial export control risk assessment free of charge. Our lawyers have created the tool themselves using BRYTER's automation software. During our tour through the Port of Hamburg, Michael Grupp, CEO of BRYTER, and our partner Dr. Lothar Harings, head of the practice group Customs and Foreign Trade Law, exchanged views on Legal Tech applications in foreign trade.

The job of a legal assistant at GvW Graf von Westphalen covers a wide range of tasks. An apprenticeship at our firm is no less diverse. We make it a point to ensure that apprentices rotate through different jobs during their training to enable them to get a full picture of a legal assistant’s job early on.

Yoga connects, creates (mental) balance and simply does you good. Although the health-promoting effect has been scientifically proven, yoga is currently still lacking legal recognition as an integral part of preventive health care and health protection in Germany. A large omission, which showed up straight in the corona crisis. The BDY would like to change this - and our lawyers support it with full conviction.

We have been present at legal career fairs for many years. They are a great opportunity for us to meet young lawyers and to tell them first hand about the work at our commercial law firm at the same time. JuraCon in Munich is one fair we exhibit at. More are listed at www.gvw.com/karriere/karrieremessen.

Wilhelm Schröter opened his first elbgym location at Gorch-Fock-Wall in Hamburg in February 2012. Since then elbgym has opened two more five-star gyms in the heart of Hamburg and will continue its growth without diluting the brand. elbgym is all about doing real and down-to-earth workouts in a classy environment, as members of the GvW team were able to check out themselves during a workout class which they took at Gorch-Fock-Wall and which we documented on camera.