
3 minute read
A helping hand
In 2022, Gorrissen Federspiel took on two new IT assistants. Our new colleagues are Mariia and Yuliia, who have come to Denmark from Ukraine seeking escape from the war in their homeland.
But also a warm feeling of a welcoming society that reached out and took them in.
“Everyone was so helpful. They still are. That’s something from the Kharkiv National University. Before the war, she worked as an in-house lawyer in different companies. Yuliia Samko is also a law graduate. mentation of an internal IT project. The project is designed to automate standard processes for creating document templates, such as contracts. we’re very grateful for,” says Yuliia Samko.
“In my experience, both Mariia and Yuliia are performing perfectly in their jobs. Although the software may be a bit tricky, they never give up but just keep on going,” says Sebastian Flørnæss Peters, Head of Digitalization at Gorrissen Federspiel, and the immediate superior of the two new Ukrainian IT assistants.
We’re still pinching ourselves
Mariia Chentsova is a trained lawyer, and she graduated
She worked as PA to the CEO of BDO Kyiv. Having circulated their resumes through a Danish business network, they both landed project positions at Gorrissen Federspiel where they are assisting in the imple -
For their part, Mariia and Yuliia are delighted about the opening into the Danish job market.
“I think it’s incredible. And to think that we’re working at a law firm like Gorrissen
Federspiel. I must pinch myself sometimes,” says Yuliia Samko, and Mariia Chentsova expresses her agreement. “We’re doing our best every day trying to do our jobs as well as we can.”
The difficult Danish language
Mariia Chentsova and Yuliia Samko did not know each other before they came to Denmark. Today they are not only co-workers but also close friends. They meet after work, enjoy meals together and share a deep frustration over the difficulties of the Danish language.
“It’s so difficult,” says Mariia Chentsova and Yuliia Samko elaborates:
“The grammar isn’t that difficult, but I fail to find the logic. For instance, when are letters silent and when aren’t they? Pronunciation is really a challenge. When people I meet in the lift say “have a nice day,” I try to say “you too”, but I can see that they don’t understand. Only my Danish teacher understands what I’m trying to say,” she laughs.
Unknown future
Planning ahead is a luxury you do not have when you have been forced to leave your home country. Therefore, they are both looking to make a life for themselves here and now in Denmark. For Mariia Chentsova, this means first and foremost taking care of her son and making sure that he is as happy as possible.
“Maybe we’ll stay, maybe we’ll go back. It depends on the war and how long it lasts,” she says.
Likewise, Yuliia Samko does not know if and when she will return to Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think the war will end soon. And even when it does, the country will be in severe financial distress. That’s why I’m trying to make a life here in Denmark. Get a job, make friends, find a place to live. I believe that the possibilities I have here in Denmark are the best way for me to help my family back home.”
Gorrissen Federspiel helps create open access to maritime research data and technology

Having provided legal advice since the establishment of the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping in 2020, Gorrissen Federspiel has become a Knowledge Partner. There are three primary reasons for this, says partner Søren Høgh Thomsen.
“Firstly, the centre’s maritime focus fits very well with our experience in the shipping industry. Secondly, we want to do something concrete to promote sustainable development and, among other things, signal to current and future employees that we contribute to solving an important social task. Thirdly, we possess specialised competences and unique experience in handling the legal and contractual issues related to development projects and collaborations. It’s deeply rooted in the centre’s objects clause to ensure, as far as possible, open access to data and technology for all operators in the industry. We assist with all the legal aspects of cooperation agreements, regulation, rights and more.”
The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping is pleased to add Gorrissen Federspiel to the list of Knowledge Partners.
“Our partners include some of the very largest companies in the global maritime industry, and the cooperation is characterised by a high level of transparency, mutual trust and willingness to share information. Gorrissen Federspiel is deeply rooted in and has a great understanding of the shipping industry and has been instrumental in establishing the legal framework for the centre from the very beginning to ensure the basis for mutual trust and transparency,” says Chief Strategy and Operations Officer Tanja Ebbe Dalgaard.
The declared object of the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping is to contribute to making the global shipping industry carbon neutral by 2050.