Legal Trainee

Are you ready to launch your legal career in an international, dynamic and maritime environment? The Damen Legal Traineeship offers a unique opportunity to develop into an all-round legal professional within a diverse and forward-thinking shipbuilding company.

Over the course of two years, you will gain broad exposure to corporate, compliance and commercial legal matters, with direct involvement in major transactions and strategic projects. You will experience Damen from multiple perspectives and grow into a confident legal sparring partner for the business.

The Legal Traineeship

The Legal Traineeship is a two-year journey consisting of four rotations of approximately six months each. The program has a solid core structure, while allowing room to tailor certain elements to your interests and background.

You will rotate through, among others, the following departments:

• Compliance – advising on export compliance and integrity matters in an international context and driving and developing the compliance program;
• Corporate Legal – supporting and advising on corporate housekeeping and structuring, governance, M&A, financings and other strategic corporate matters;
• Commercial Legal – legal support to sales and divisions, including contracting and commercial support to specific divisions such as the building divisions, Damen Services (providing after-delivery warranty), or Damen Financial Services, where the focus is on providing financial services to customers of the Damen Group via loan or lease, or negotiations with financiers to Damen Financial Services itself.

Throughout the traineeship, you will be guided by one overall mentor and work closely with experienced legal professionals across the organization.

During the traineeship, you will develop your legal and compliance knowledge and transform this knowledge into practice. You will explore the many facets of negotiating and contracting, including the compliance side of the business. Along the way, you will uncover what energizes you most and master the skills needed to provide solid legal advice while supporting the company in doing business. As you progress through the traineeship, opportunities for international experience may come your way, guided by your development and business needs.

What You Will Do

As a Legal Trainee, you will:

• Get to know the wider Damen group and corresponding network for building your future career;
• Gain hands-on experience across disciplines within the legal field;
• Learn to balance legal risk management with commercial objectives;
• Build a strong internal network with colleagues worldwide;
• Develop the decisiveness, ownership and improvement mindset defined in the Damen Leadership Profile, with a focus on managing complex stakeholder environments, identifying legal and compliance risks, and contributing to effective risk mitigation strategies;
• Contribute directly to complex international transactions and strategic projects.

Who You Are

We are looking for ambitious starters with strong legal foundations who are keen to develop within an international corporate environment. You:

• hold a completed Master’s degree in Law (LL.M.), preferably in private law, corporate/commercial law or maritime law;
• feel at home in the values of fellowship, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship and stewardship and share enthusiasm for the maritime world;
• are at the start of your professional career; prior experience through a successful student internship, for example within a commercial law firm, is considered a plus;
• have excellent command of English and preferably Dutch, both written and spoken;
• are analytically strong, accurate and intellectually curious; and
• feel comfortable in a dynamic organization where ownership and responsibility matter.

What’s In It for You?

• A tailor-made, two-year journey designed to unlock your full potential and grow into a role that suits you best;
• A passionate community with peers across Young Damen and colleagues worldwide;
• Dedicated coaches, mentors and training offered through the Damen Academy;
• Hands-on experience across disciplines and contribution to legal matters with an international scope;
• A competitive salary, at least 40 days of leave and unique trainee events that make your journey both meaningful and fun.

What You Will Take With You

By the end of your traineeship, you will have:

• a clear understanding of your talents and ambitions;
• a clear understanding of the variety in legal functions within the company;
• boosted your leadership and people skills;
• gained the insights to support the business from the legal perspective;
• made meaningful impact.

You will be well positioned to take the next step in a career direction that matches your strengths and ambitions.

About Damen as an Employer

Damen operates shipyards on five continents and in more than 100 countries. The company is growing, offering diverse development and career opportunities.

Working at Damen means contributing to high quality in shipbuilding with an eye to the future and future generations. The company’s ambition is to become the most sustainable and connected maritime solutions provider, combining digital technology with standardised shipbuilding to offer services throughout the entire vessel lifecycle.

Working at Damen offers an international environment known for quality, innovation and continuous learning.