{"id":11160,"date":"2026-02-13T11:10:03","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T10:10:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dignitas.ch\/?post_type=news&p=11160"},"modified":"2026-02-13T11:16:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T10:16:28","slug":"series-insights-into-working-at-dignitas-externalrelations","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/dignitas.ch\/en\/news\/series-insights-into-working-at-dignitas-externalrelations\/","title":{"rendered":"Series: Insights into working at Dignitas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Part 4: An interview with Michael* from the External Relations Team<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What brought you to<\/em><\/strong> Dignitas?<\/em><\/strong>
Two things: On the one hand, my mother passed away shortly before I applied to Dignitas, which made me more sensitive to the issue. On the other hand, I was attracted by the job advertisement, especially the description of the \u201ccombative lawyer\u201d they were looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does \u201cfurther development of law\u201d mean in the context of the association\u2019s activities?<\/em><\/strong>
We are active on two levels: national (i.e. Switzerland) and international. At the national level, where much is already well established, our task is primarily one of monitoring. The focus is on preserving the fundamental concept of freedom, and the legal framework thereof, in Switzerland. If we deem it appropriate, we also take action at the cantonal level. A current example is the popular initiative \u201cSelf-determination at the end of life, also in retirement and nursing homes\u201d in the canton of Zurich, where Dignitas is actively represented on the initiative committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dignitas believes that people have a fundamental right to access a self-determined end of life and legal, professional assistance for this in their own country. Internationally, we look at the legal situation in a country and compare it with our understanding, and the one of our members, of the implementation of this \u201clast human right.\u201d If we identify a need for action, we consider whether and how we can respond. We often try to use legal proceedings to persuade key players in politics and legislation to make assisted dying possible in their own countries. The \u201cNeue Z\u00fcrcher Zeitung\u201d[1]<\/span><\/a><\/sup> once aptly summed up this concern as follows: \u201cThe fact that a phenomenon like \u2018going to Switzerland\u2019, that is, assisted dying tourism, exists at all, is a fundamental failure of politics on the part of countries with restrictive laws. They are abandoning their citizens in a desperate situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question is always: What is the appropriate means for the respective context?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What qualities are important for your work?<\/em><\/strong>
Among other things, one needs to be able to analyse, focus on the essentials, and listen \u2013 in different languages and different contexts. It is also important to have \u201cantennae\u201d to be able to respond to a counterpart while recognising and respecting their boundaries. And, surprisingly, creativity is always in demand. Especially when one intends to conduct a legal procedure, it is necessary to find an appropriate starting point and line of argumentation. This can be a straightforward process, as was the case a few years ago in Austria, when we determined that a provision in the Austrian criminal law violated the Austrian constitution and the European Convention of Human Rights[2]<\/span><\/a><\/sup>. But it can also be more complex, as in a case against France[3]<\/span><\/a><\/sup> in which Dignitas was involved behind the scenes and which was ultimately taken to the European Court of Human Rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you like about working at Dignitas in general and in the External Relations Team in particular?<\/em><\/strong>
At Dignitas in general, I appreciate the flexible arrangements regarding working hours and working from home. The diversity of issues in the field of external relations is stimulating to me. I also like the team structure: in some cases, I work quite independently, but I value reflecting on and discussing my ideas within the team, as well as exchanging ideas with people from completely different professional backgrounds. These \u201cdoor openers\u201d for a different perspective suit me very well, as I always want to look beyond my own horizons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which moments \/ situations do you remember most vividly?<\/em><\/strong>
What has stayed with me most vividly from my first few weeks at Dignitas was the legal case against Austria mentioned before. I had only just started at Dignitas, and the first lockdown[4]<\/span><\/a><\/sup> in Switzerland had just ended, when I was given the opportunity to follow that case in a hearing at the Constitutional Court in Vienna. This and the atmosphere surrounding the court hearing were impressive. That was also where I first met some people \u2013 especially among the plaintiffs \u2013 directly involved with the issue of self-determination over one\u2019s own end of life from different perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which moments \/ situations particularly affect you?<\/em><\/strong>
In my role as a lawyer in the External Relations Team, I have little direct contact with our members and therefore rather rarely encounter emotionally challenging situations. Nevertheless, there are always touching moments, for example at a conference on end-of-life issues in Zurich: a member of the audience spoke up and said that she had received the \u201cprovisional green light\u201d[5]<\/span><\/a><\/sup> for assisted suicide and that knowing to have a real option had given her so much will to live that she did not want to make use of it for the time being. Dignitas\u2019 practical experience also shows that having the option to possibly make use of assisted suicide can have a life-prolonging effect and improve one\u2019s quality of life. The conference participant confirmed this in an impressive way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How has working at DIGNITAS changed you?<\/em><\/strong>
My horizons have definitely broadened, very much so. I have also noticed that I talk about certain topics more frequently and openly in my private life. I share much more about my work in my personal circle today than I did in my previous jobs \u2013 obviously, without giving away confidential information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

—<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Michael is an attorney and has been with Dignitas for some 5 years now. The External Relations Team, in addition to the further development of law<\/a> is mainly responsible for external communications, relations with other players and organisations in Switzerland and abroad, as well as a variety of activities in the area of education and training<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

—<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part 1: Carola from the First Contact Team<\/a><\/em>
Part 2: Myriam from the Planning Team<\/a><\/em>
Part 3: Andrea and Tino from the Assisted Dying Companion Team<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

[1]<\/span><\/a><\/sup> https:\/\/www.nzz.ch\/meinung\/die-sarco-show-gefaehrdet-die-errungenschaften-der-schweizer-sterbehilfepraxis-ld.1839886<\/a> (Paywall; in German)
[2]<\/span><\/a><\/sup> More information about the legal case in Austria<\/a> can be found in the sections News and Court rulings<\/a> of our website
[3]<\/span><\/a><\/sup> More information about the legal case in France<\/a> can be found in the News section of our website
[4]<\/span><\/a><\/sup> “First lockdown” is used here in the common meaning of the term in Switzerland, i.e. the first phase of COVID-19 measures in spring 2020.
[5]<\/span><\/a><\/sup> If a member receives the \u201cprovisional green light\u201d, they have fulfilled one of several important requirements for assisted suicide to be conducted. Find out more about the assisted suicide process<\/a> on our website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part 4: An interview with Michael* from the External Relations Team What brought you to Dignitas?Two things: On the one hand, my mother passed away shortly before I applied to Dignitas, which made me more sensitive to the issue. On the other hand, I was attracted by the job advertisement, especially the description of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","tags":[540],"class_list":["post-11160","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","tag-dignitas-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dignitas.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/11160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dignitas.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dignitas.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dignitas.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dignitas.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}