In September 2019 I had the honor to take part in an exchange with Chooi & Company + Cheang & Ariff: CCA in Malaysia. The ADVOC exchange scheme is embraced by Boels Zanders to stimulate younger lawyers to strengthen their relationship with the ADVOC network.

On Saturday the 14th of September I flew to Kuala Lumpur to visit CCA for a week. I had no idea what to expect from CCA and had never visited Kuala Lumpur before. As soon as I arrived I noticed that the city had a relaxing vibe with a mixture of so many different cultures. It took me no effort to feel at ease in this big city.

During the exchange it was very interesting to meet new people with the same profession on the other side of the world. Everyone was so welcoming and took the time to get to know me. The lawyers were very interested to know more about our Dutch law system, the way to become a lawyer in the Netherlands and learn more about our profession in general. We shared experiences about education and different areas of law. During my exchange I got the chance to see the lawyers in 'action' in court. It was interesting to see that the system in Malaysia is different from the system we have in the Netherlands. At the same time it is remarkable that the general principles in both law systems are so much alike and as lawyers we all have the same values.

I would like to thank Cindy Goh and her team for welcoming me during this week and the great time I had at CCA. This was an experience I would never forget! To be able to be more active in the Advoc network and get to know lawyers from other countries, is an enrichment for your development as a (young) lawyer, but also as a person. I can recommend it to anyone!

 

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