Natasha Hall – trainee solicitor

trainee solicitor, secondment to Brussels

Name : Natasha Hall
Employer : Mayer Brown International LLP
University : University of Liverpool
Subject : English and French law with French
Graduated : 2001

Continental living

During my six-month stint in Brussels I lived in an apartment provided by my firm located right in the city centre. It was a five-minute walk from two of Brussels' most famous landmarks: the Mannekin Pis and the beautiful Grande Place. I was able to walk practically everywhere - a luxury I just don't have, and now miss, in London. A typical working day would start with a 20-minute walk to work, arriving in the office for 9.00 am, where I would stay on average until 7.30 pm/8.00 pm. Several nationalities were represented at work but our working language was English. Lunch in a continental city like Brussels meant that it was often more relaxing and drawn out than a hurried sandwich in front of the computer. The work was varied ranging from competition law and merger control to researching new European legislation and its likely impact on various industries or clients.

Cafe culture

Brussels has an active social life with excellent bars and restaurants; in fact it has the most Michelin star restaurants in any one city in the whole of Europe. A typical weekend consisted of sightseeing in Brussels, Bruges or Antwerp. Saturday evening started in a restaurant and ended in a club at 6.00 am (café culture in Brussels starts late and it feels as if you're going home early if you leave at 4.00 am). Sunday was reserved for more relaxing activities such as late lunches and the cinema. The locals are friendly and the main language spoken in the city is French but you can get by with only English.

My top tip for anyone going to Brussels would be to take advantage of the European diversity and do a language course. If you get homesick pop to your nearest supermarket, which will have a shelf dedicated to British foods such as baked beans, marmite and Branston pickle. Living in Brussels was a fantastic experience but it feels more provincial and less ‘buzzy' than cities such as London and Paris. The flip side is, however, a friendlier city with a great atmosphere and true joie de vivre.

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