Alexander Laute (TADS LLM 2026): Building an International Career in European Antitrust

I am a German-qualified dispute resolution lawyer with over two and a half years of experience in arbitration and EU antitrust litigation prior the program. I previously worked as an associate in commercial, construction and sports arbitration at an international Swiss law firm in Zurich and as a senior associate in antitrust and cartel damages litigation at an international German law firm in Hamburg. I studied law at the Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg, Germany, including three semesters at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. I completed my legal traineeship at the Higher Regional Court of Hamburg, which included internships at the Hanseatic Stock Exchange, the Hamburg District Court, the Public Prosecutor's Office and international law firms in Germany and Switzerland. 

The TADS LLM offers a truly international environment and provided me with perspectives and experiences far beyond the borders of the European Union. While the workload was demanding, I particularly appreciated the combination of lectures and practical workshops. I was especially impressed by the calibre of practitioners and professors involved in the program, and the small class size created excellent opportunities to engage with them on a personal level.

For me, having worked for over two years in large law firms beforehand, the program was also a valuable opportunity to take a step back, deepen my knowledge, and reflect on my future career path. At the same time, it was an amazing experience to spend a year living in Paris.

I started working immediately after the program as an Associate in the European Antitrust team at Morrison Foerster, a U.S. law firm, based in Brussels. My work is highly international, involving collaboration with colleagues across offices worldwide. It focuses on litigation before the European and German courts, as well as on multijurisdictional merger control proceedings. Brussels offers, in addition to its high quality of life, tremendous opportunities to work in a truly international environment and on cross-border matters, particularly for those interested in European competition law.

I am really enjoying my current work in Brussels in the heart of Europe and am excited to see where it will lead me.

I would recommend that everyone reflect on their goals for the program—whether it is to advance their career in their home jurisdiction, to enjoy an unforgettable year in Paris, or to use it as a stepping stone to work in Europe. In the latter case, given how competitive Paris can be, it is worth considering other jurisdictions such as Switzerland, Germany, or the UK. Finally, although the workload is demanding, make the most of your time in Paris. Even though I am now working in a different field than arbitration, I remain very grateful for the experience. I continue to draw on what I learned during that time, and I would not have missed it for anything.