Meritas Exchange Program x Lexia 16.-27.9.2024

We are pleased to share the highlights of the past two weeks, made possible by the Meritas exchange program. We had the honor of hosting Armin Heinsaar from the WIDEN office in Tallinn. Concurrently, our Associate Kia Kopra visited the WIDEN office in Latvia to gain insights into their practices and company culture.

How did you get interested of the Meritas exchange and have you been visiting other law firms abroad before? Was this your first time in Latvia?

My colleagues at Lexia advertised the exchange and told me about their positive experiences. I have been on a student exchange during my studies, and I had a great experience. I knew that the exchange would be a unique experience and a chance to get to know the local culture on a completely different level. This was actually my third time in Latvia, having been there with my family in the early 2000s, and with a group of friends in 2017. On the previous two occasions I only spent a weekend there, so this time I had much more time to explore the city.

Did you find any differences between the working community and culture in WIDEN-Latvia comparing to ours in Lexia (if any)?

At Lexia we work much more remotely, which was a clear difference. Otherwise, the office routine and work culture were very similar. It was nice that Widen always remembered the person celebrating their birthday by having everyone come and congratulate them and sing for them. I was also able to observe a court case, where I noticed some differences between the Finnish and Latvian legal cultures. In Latvia all court officials wear robes (lawyers, prosecutors and judges), whereas in Finland everyone wears casual clothes.

What was the best part of your exchange?

The best part of the exchange were the lunches and get-togethers at the Widen office. We had interesting discussions about the differences between our cultures and the history and linguistic heritage of our countries.

Would you recommend the work exchange for others? And is there something, you want to say to Meritas or your colleagues at WIDEN? 😊

I would definitely recommend the exchange programme to anyone! The exchange gives you insight and perspective on your work. I will always remember this experience. I have thanked my colleagues there on many occasions, but I would like to thank them again for their hospitality and warm welcome. I also wish them well in their future endeavors. I hope that we will meet again, either in Latvia or in Finland!

How did you get interested of the Meritas exchange and have you been visiting other law firms abroad before? Was this your first time in Finland?

I got interested in the exchange through a colleague who visited Sweden through the exchange. It was my first time in such a position, so I was unsure whether to go. In the end I still went, and it was totally worth it.

Did you find any differences between your working community and culture in WIDEN-Tallinn comparing to ours in Lexia (if any)?

Yes. Working from home is much more common in Lexia than it is in WIDEN. The office in WIDEN still has people in it quite late into the night, while Lexia’s office is quite empty after about 5 PM. Lexia also has afternoon cake days where people eat different desserts in the afternoon, during the workday.

What has been the best part of your exchange?

Overall, it was the warmth and kindness the people at Lexia showed me. My schedule was jam-packed with different fun events and social gatherings. The most memorable would probably be singing random finnish songs in karaoke bar at 1 AM without understanding 90% of the words. After work and in the weekends, I got to tour around Helsinki and Turku to see the sights and the people. I even got to visit Art Museum Ateneum in the weekend and see what Finnish art is all about.

Would you recommend the work exchange for others? And is there something, you want to say to Meritas or your colleagues at Lexia? 😊

Absolutely. Coming here was totally worth it!

Thank you, Armin, for spending two weeks with us at Lexia. We truly appreciated the opportunity to get to know you and learn about your home office, WIDEN. And Kia, thank you for taking the initiative to learn from another attorney’s office. Although, we’re more than happy to have you back home!

Meritas is a global alliance of independent, market-leading law firms that provides legal services to companies looking to effectively capture opportunities and solve issues anywhere in the world. Clients benefit from local knowledge, collective strength, and new efficiencies when they work with Meritas law firms. Founded in 1990, Meritas has member firms in 254 markets worldwide with nearly 9,000 dedicated, collaborative lawyers.