What motivated you to apply to BMW?

"I mainly wanted to know what it's like to work 'in-house'. At the same time, I had heard that BMW’s legal department does a lot of work itself, instead of managing external lawyers from. And of course, I like the cars!"

Were there any things that surprised you?

"What surprised me most was the opportunity to really get to know all kinds of legal areas. Originally, I thought you apply for a very specific area. I also found the combination of support and independence unique: I had a mentor, but I was involved in all sorts of topics by anyone. If you are proactive and approach the lawyers, you have many opportunities to shape your placement. You are really supported – if you want to."

What was a typical day at BMW like for you?

"The typical day starts around half past eight/nine in the interns' office. Maybe with a previous stop over the canteen in the Vierzylinder next door to have breakfast. In most months, there are a handful of interns here at the same time, so there's always something going on in this office. We usually went to lunch together with the lawyers. In terms of content, there is no 'typical day'. The work sometimes consists of research, as you know it from law firms. But often we worked on inquiries from the specialist departments largely independently. We were included in calls or even conduct them alone. The exciting thing about this is to present legal solutions to non-lawyers from e. g. development, finance, sales or PR departments and to communicate in an audience-appropriate way. I usually finished work around 6pm."

And what experiences did you have with us besides the scope of work?

"I experienced a great sense of togetherness and was a full member of the legal department team. I'm still in contact with some of the lawyers, even privately, a year after my placement. By the way, one of my fellow interns, whom I met during my placement at BMW, is now a good friend – and my colleague in the law firm where I now work. We were also offered a lot of ancillary programme. As a car enthusiast, I got my money's worth – for example, on factory tours, in the BMW Museum or on a visit to Rolls-Royce. My highlight was our visit to the recycling centre: to see how a car is completely recycled was really impressive. We were even allowed to detonate the airbags ourselves! The placement at BMW was also valuable for the exam, as the lawyers offered a – very realistic – simulation of the oral exam, including exam conditions and honest feedback. For personal development and preparation for working life, the application training offered by a manager, where I surprisingly learned a lot about myself, was particularly helpful. With the insights from the training, I was even able to help some friends with their job interviews in completely different fields.”

—

SONJA.
^{Former legal intern at the BMW Group}