From Paris to Buenos Aires – Charles Umbach-Bascone’s legal internship experience with Lexlink

Charles Umbach-Bascone, a trainee lawyer at Lext in France, recently travelled to Buenos Aires to complete an internship at WSC Legal, having previously worked with Philippe de Richoufftz (Partner at Lext) in project finance and with Céline Arcivos (Partner at Lext) in corporate law.

He began learning Spanish a few years ago and wanted to make sure his language skills could be applied professionally.

“I did not want my Spanish-learning journey to be only a hobby,” Charles says.

“I wanted to reach a level that would allow me to work in Spanish. That’s why I chose to look for an internship opportunity in a Spanish-speaking country.”

When he mentioned this goal to Philippe, he suggested contacting their fellow Lexlink member firm, WSC Legal in Buenos Aires.

“Thanks to the Annual General Meetings arranged by Lexlink, Philippe already knew some of the partners at WSC Legal and was able to contact them to see if they were interested in having a French intern join their firm,” Charles explains.

Charles was drawn to Argentina both for professional and cultural reasons.

“I was sure I would have the opportunity to practice my Spanish, but I was also attracted by the cultural offerings. Everyone I know who has visited Argentina told me it was one of the best trips of their life,” he says.

On arriving in Buenos Aires, Charles was immediately struck by the city’s size and diversity.

“After spending weeks here, I have only scratched the surface of what it can offer,” he reflects.

The working culture also offered new experiences for the intern.

“I have already noticed that both France and Argentina have a religious respect for a lunch break, but from what I have seen, Argentinians like to organise more activities outside of work and place greater emphasis on strengthening team bonds.”

During his internship, Charles has used his French to translate documents, conduct legal research and draft notes on Argentinian and French law.

Charles expressed that one of his most valuable lessons from the experience is not to be afraid of working with foreign law.

“At first, practising a foreign law, especially in a foreign language, can feel overwhelming. However, with patience, the right tools and support from colleagues, it does not feel nearly as daunting as it first seems.”

Charles found the WSC Legal team welcoming and supportive, exceeding his expectations. He sees international internships like this as valuable for both professional and personal development. “Internships like this provide experience in foreign law, valuable contacts and improve language skills,” he says.

“On a more personal level, living abroad helps you become more independent and teaches you to deal with challenges on your own. For someone like me, who never had the chance to study or work abroad, the experience has been very valuable.”

He also recognises the role of Lexlink in supporting international opportunities.

“Being part of an international network helps your practice gain a global reach and make contacts that could be useful in the future. The cultural exchange at AGMs is also very valuable. Having the internship opportunity through the connections of Lexlink is a great demonstration of the network’s benefits, and I hope it leads to other exchanges between members.”

The internship has strengthened Charles’s desire to have a practice that is open to international work.

“I hope to develop a practice linked with Argentina and Latin America, but no matter what happens, this experience has been enriching and will influence me in one way or another,” he says.

If you would like to become a Lexlink member or learn more about international internships with member firms, please get in touch.