November 2025: Hong Kong trainee Chloe Wong takes us on a journey: her first six weeks as a trainee. From training to cross-border teamwork, a typhoon and some fun at Disneyland, follow Chloe's story here.
Week 1: Warm welcomes
The week kicked off with the Foundational Milestone Program: a balanced mix of technical legal training and soft-skills development.
In addition to the training sessions, the week was also packed with good food and even better company. From lunches with our buddies and mentors to dinner with several partners, there were ample opportunities to get to know our new colleagues on a more personal level.
Friday ended with a trip to an escape room center, where our trainee cohort was faced with two thrilling challenges. Drawing on our new teamwork and problem-solving skills, we were able to conclude the week with a resounding success!
Week 2: Beginning my first seat
My first seat is with the Disputes team. I was quickly looped into a variety of matters, from in-depth research on new topics to court procedures and much more. I also had the opportunity to experience more fast-paced work, such as helping to answer urgent client queries. The range of work that I encountered was new and broad, but never too overwhelming, thanks to the strong support of my team.
Another highlight of this week was the arrival of two trainee secondees from Australia. Both of them were familiar faces, as they had worked briefly in the Hong Kong office previously. It was great catching up with them and hearing about their experiences in the Sydney and Melbourne offices. Lara and I are both in Disputes and have been exploring the city together during our lunch breaks!
Week 3: A truly global network
My third week really shone light on the cross-border nature of the Firm's work, as much of my time this week was dedicated to addressing questions from our clients that touched on the laws of multiple jurisdictions. Through this, I was able to witness our strong global network in action. Colleagues across multiple offices worked around the clock to get the job done.
Although the week was busy, our team still found time on Friday evening to gather for a small social—a great way to wind down.
Week 4: A big storm
Week four began with a literal storm brewing. Given that Typhoon Ragasa, forecast to be the strongest storm this year, would almost certainly cause offices and the courts to close, our team hurried to file and serve important documents before the city would start shutting down.
After just a day and a half of having to work from home, we were back in the office. Hong Kong's efficiency and resilience is truly impressive.
Week 5: Settling in
The nature of our work is dynamic and always changing, but in my second month, I found myself becoming more familiar with common tasks and our team's ongoing matters. This allowed me to take on more responsibilities and take greater ownership over my work, which in turn opened the door to more new and exciting tasks—the learning never stops!
To round off the week, my office mate and I treated ourselves to a pre-emptive but nonetheless delicious mooncake gifted by a kind colleague. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
Week 6: Go team!
My sixth week at the Firm was a particularly exhilarating one, as this Thursday marked our office's 2025 Away Day, during which lawyers and business services staff came together for team-building activities outside of the office.
As a fresh member of our office's TeamLink Committee, I helped organize this year's activity, which was a scavenger hunt at Disneyland. Not only was this a great way to collaborate with colleagues outside of my practice area, but it was also very rewarding to see all the smiles, the strong displays of team spirit and a healthy dose of competition at the event!
All in all, my first six weeks at White & Case have been a blast and I look forward to all that lies ahead!
