Bettina Hinz‑Uhl

After leaving school, I studied law in Trier and graduated in record time.

Eight semesters later and full of idealism, I went to Chemnitz for a traineeship and to help turn the east of Germany into a flourishing place once again. But Chemnitz wasn’t for me, not in the long term anyway. I liked Erfurt better.

And so I took my very first job as a lawyer in Erfurt, and I had no idea what life had in store for me, namely, first and foremost, heaps of files I had to work my way through for months and entirely on my own.

My initial frustration soon turned into a state of shock. Fate came to my rescue and saved me from drowning in files, but it did so in its very own way – through an insidious illness that threatened my life and put me to a gruelling test. I struggled again. With optimism and an irrepressible will to live, I managed, against all odds, to survive and recover.

As an athlete, I knew the importance of perseverance. And aged just 26, my experience gave me a new perspective on life. The word “freedom” took on a new meaning: By overcoming fear, I became free, “Carpe diem” became my motto. I no longer cared what others thought of me and enjoyed every day.

My path eventually led me to Erfurt Trade Fair. I took care of the company's legal and contractual matters and advised the management on legal issues, full of renewed vigour. My negotiating skills soon led to considerable success, and my integrity, as well as my ability to grasp larger contexts, paved the way to my appointment as Risk and Quality Management Officer.

It was a demanding job that challenged me but also gave me the opportunity to grow.

Yet, despite all my successes, after 19 years of working for the same company, I found myself wondering more and more often: Is this really it?

And, of course, my inner self already knew the answer and made itself heard through a strong longing for change. It felt like I was still searching for my professional calling, even though I had found personal happiness in my marriage. My husband sensed what was going on inside me. And so, in the summer of 2018, we decided that we were going to work together from here on out.

I have been in charge of all legal matters in the company ever since, but I also develop well-thought-out inheritance and estate plans for the transfer of assets from our clients to their children and grandchildren. This job finally allowed me to settle down professionally as well.