Skip to Content

Moritz Goedecke, Germany / May-August 2007


Moritz Goedecke

Düsseldorf, Germany

Education: University of Trier and University of Kiel, 1st State Examination in 2005, Legal training at the District Court of Duisburg 2005 – 2007
Languages: German, English

Heskia-Hacmun gave me the opportunity to spend the last stage of my practical legal training from June until the end of August 2007 at their office in the absorbing “white city” of Tel Aviv. This was my first layover in the Middle East so I was full of different expectations and curious about my stay there off the beaten track which legal trainees usually use to walk.

HH is a medium-sized law firm specialized inter alia in legal relations between Germany and Israel. That is one reason HH established an office in Germany in May 2007, shortly before the beginning of my internship. Inasmuch I had the opportunity to be engaged with well known German material law and law of civil procedure.
Besides that it was very interesting to deal with different types of clients. For example I had to give advice whether a company shall be formed due to the German code of commerce or due to the nowadays “famous” British private limited company by shares (Ltd.).

Because Amos Hacmun is a member of the board of directors of the “Israeli German lawyers association” I was furthermore allowed to get a good impression of the management of such an association and the duties of a member of the board of directors has to fulfill.

Working at HH was not only a great pleasure because of the young average age firm members compared to most of the German law firms, but also because of the team spirit and very good mood of all the members. On the second day of my term a delicious and entertaining barbecue demonstrated this fact at the very beginning. I experienced the same during the annual art event when everybody did their best to ensure success.

All members of the HH team expounded Israel and its legal system. It was very interesting to see similarities and differences between the German and the Israeli legal systems. I accompanied firm members to courts in Tel Aviv as well as in Jerusalem and that was an experience I did not want to miss. Worth mentioning is the first courtroom of the Supreme Court of Israel and the history of the old buildings in Jerusalem.

Last but not least the conversation with other interns from the United States and from Switzerland was highly informative and entertaining.

Tel Aviv fulfilled and surpassed all my expectations. I was lucky to stay in the very heart of the city between Rabin Square and Dizengoff Street – where a lot of Israelis want to live. To explain all the sites and impressions of this amazing city is an impossible mission. That is why I want to quote Maxim Biller:
“I pass bright enlightened Dizengoff Center, through corner Bograshov / Ben Zion. Then I sit down on a bench in front of a falafel store watching people coming back from work towards home. The noise of the street is still ear-battering, and that is not only because of the cars and busses. There is still something different, but I do not know what. Maybe in Tel Aviv you can hear the heartbeat of its habitants, I think.”