When looking for a job, lawyers often overlook an attractive employer: associations. This article provides an overview of the many areas of activity in an employers' association, using the example of Sudwestmetall, the association of the metal and electrical industries in Baden-Wurttemberg.
Working as a lawyer for an employers' association? Neither in college, nor in the clerkship did I ever think about it. But not because I couldn't have imagined it, but because I simply didn't have it on my radar.
In law school, I was – and I think most people are – focused on the typical legal professions: Judge, prosecutor or lawyer. When I took my second state law exam in the spring of 2020, the following things were at the forefront of my mind when I was looking for a job: I wanted to work as a lawyer, specializing in one area of the law. For this, I was hoping for "mentoring" from my future employer so that I could learn a lot quickly and become good at what I do every day in the future.
In addition, after the long training, a fair starting salary was important to me, as well as a good work-life balance. When I was looking for a job, however, I found out that it is not that easy to reconcile these factors.
No sales pressure, pleasant working hours and a good starting salary
The job advertisement from the Sudwestmetall employers' association already made it clear that the job here combines the best of both worlds. The way of working in the association is comparable to that in a law firm:
– Direct contact with the member companies who are our clients, and
– Regular appearances before labor and social courts.
Nevertheless, there is no sales pressure. This makes it possible to devote the necessary time to each case to be handled. The pressure of "billable hours" in law firms often does not allow for it.
In addition, you can look forward to pleasant working hours, a good starting salary and even a company car that can also be used privately. Another positive aspect is that we are a small familiar group in our district group, but in the background there is always "the association" with its total of 160 employees. So you are employed by a large employer who offers many opportunities such as training or events on specific areas of law. This often gives you the feeling of working in a company, but is more practically oriented in your work with more client contact. Sudwestmetall is the employers' association of the largest and strongest industry in Baden-Wurttemberg: the metal and electrical industry (M+E). As a cross-sector association of the collectively bargained M+E industry, the association organizes more than 650 companies. We advise our member companies on all questions of individual and collective labor, social and collective bargaining law. We supervise and conduct court and other proceedings under labor and social law, such as arbitration and conciliation boards. In addition, we design and hold training courses, seminars or working groups. Since Corona, we have also been offering these in the form of webinars.
Not just a desk job
It's nice that we don't just work from the office, but (when there isn't a pandemic) we also spend a lot of time on site at the companies. The job is far from being a pure desk job, but offers a lot of variety.
No day is like the other and you are always challenged anew legally, which is also the experience of my colleagues, some of whom have been with Sudwestmetall for a very long time. Unlike law firms, who often never hear from many of their clients again once the case is closed, we have our member companies as a steady "client base".
Our member companies are not only corporate groups, but also small and medium-sized family businesses. that alone is very varied. Through regular contact, you get to know the companies and the contact persons there better and better over the course of time. This helps to better customize consulting through individual solutions. One knows the issues of the companies and can thus work together more closely and constructively. This kind of close and trusting cooperation is very special in a legal profession.
If you were to prepare expert opinions behind closed doors and were shy of people, you would certainly not enjoy working for the association.
The ability to prioritize is just as important here as a certain organizational ability due to the large number of member companies and the cases that go with them. Since we as a socio-political association do not only carry out classical lawyer work, but look by honorary offices and the activity in equally occupied committees over the "legal edge of plate", an interest for economic and political connections is besides advantageous.
I myself have always been between economics, politics and law in my areas of interest. I ultimately chose Yura because I've always liked to stand up when I thought something was unfair. Exactly that is lost then however in the law study somewhere between the demand-disrobed mortgage and the theories to the Erlaubnistatbestandsirrtum.
The dry theory in law school didn't always make it easy for us. So I find it all the nicer to be able to get back to work in my new job, and at the same time come into contact with political and economic issues.
By the way, there is the possibility for trainee teachers to complete their elective station with us.
Association activities in times of pandemic
Like everywhere else, the pandemic is currently dominating our day-to-day work – and not only with regard to the issues of our member companies. Even before Corona, Sudwestmetall provided its employees with good technical equipment. This made it possible to work optimally from home even in times of pandemic without having to make any major new purchases.
In this way, we can z. B. accessing our consulting and process files directly via laptop or taking calls via this in the mobile office. Thus an uncomplicated accessibility for our member enterprises is always ensured. We also use the Dragon Legal speech recognition software to convert documents and the like directly into text after dictation.
We have also consistently developed the area of "legal tech" during the pandemic. For example, we provide our member companies with numerous "legal tech tools" (z. B. a termination and cancellation agreement generator), which offer automated legal support and help to further increase the efficiency of legal work. Certainly, the situation – as with most employers – has contributed to the acceleration of these processes – at least a positive aspect. Nevertheless, the work of the association also lives to a large extent from events and consultations at the member companies on site. I look forward to hopefully getting to know this area of activity even better soon.