Roelien van den Berg – Associate

When I studied law at university, I wanted to work in business or for a non-governmental organisation (NGO): anything with an international slant, interacting with other countries. I'd already heard of Freshfields, and I knew their formidable reputation for international work. Then they visited my university. When I met people from the firm and heard about their cases, my decision was made. I started in the Amsterdam office in 2006, and it felt right from my very first day.

So what makes working here so enjoyable? First, the people are terrific, always positive and ready to involve you right from a project's start. When your input fits the bill, people aren't afraid to recognise that and act on it, which really makes you feel like part of the team. You also feel it in the office, partly from small things like people always leaving their office doors open. Outside work it goes a bit beyond Friday drinks after work: we even have an annual office ski trip.

I've built up legal relationships beyond Amsterdam as well. Freshfields runs an annual conference in a different European city each year, where we can meet colleagues from other countries. It's really helped in my work for an American client - an assignment which spans both London and New York. The case falls under foreign jurisdictions, so all the contacts and friends I've made between offices and at conferences suddenly become really important.

I specialise in litigation and arbitration, which balances the appealing and the demanding cases - though they're all rewarding in different ways. What keeps me going is the thought of assisting the next fascinating client on a challenging case, plus the odd ski trip to keep up the energy.