Advice from women with inspiring legal careers
March 8th Series
"What advice would you give to women looking to pursue a legal career similar to yours ?"
.webp)
Amélie Beauchemin
WJ Avocats
International Criminal Attorney
Have confidence in yourself, in your abilities and don't be afraid to listen to yourself.
Many people will try to tell you what to do, when to do it and how to do it: you have to go to the most prestigious schools, you absolutely have to pass the bar, you have to accept numerous unpaid internships before you can get your foot in the door...
All this can help, but nothing is a prerequisite. If it's important to listen to advice, it's even more important to listen to yourself.
I've often been told that having an atypical background and no experience in France would make it difficult, if not impossible, to return to work in a law firm. I'm glad to have proved them wrong!
%20(1.jpg)
Annabelle Thieffine
Thieffine & Co
Corporate lawyer
"Believe in yourself and don't try to look like anyone but your best self".
Indeed, the road for a woman seeking acceptance beyond her gender is a dead end, delaying the moment of true fulfillment.
Management based on guilt enables its proponents to take advantage of labor forces that are definitely cheap with women, often more efficient than real expectations, yet rewarded with unequal remuneration (thus, a double penalty).
Fortunately, law and new technologies now offer women a multifaceted career, with the possibility of developing ancillary business activities for female lawyers, working remotely and needing less capital outlay than before. Women now have a whole range of "scalability" options to ensure their independence.
Aude Londero
August Debouzy
Litigation, Arbitration and White collar crime
A career isn’t necessarily linear; it can encompass diverse subjects and sectors.
Multidisciplinarity is a stance often valued by clients considering the interconnection between different fields in most cases (e.g., criminal law, tax law, commercial law, social law, etc.).
Having experience within a legal department also enables a better grasp of a company’s strategic issues, which can alter a lawyer’s way of working. Recommendations become more pragmatic and business-focused, incorporating risk analysis in an immediately actionable format, etc.
Thus, seek diversity !
.png)
Firstly, it's essential to have confidence in yourself and your skills, even when stepping beyond your comfort zone. Women can tend to downplay their achievements and doubt their abilities, especially when they first experience a law firm. Being a business lawyer is a demanding profession, requiring rigor, hard work and a good understanding of all the legal issues involved in transactions in different areas of law (labor law, tax law, competition law, etc.).
It's normal not to have all the answers right away; getting them is the very essence of your job. It's important to remember that you deserve to be where you are, and that you have as much right as anyone else to achieve your professional goals.
Secondly, it's important to cultivate a network of mentors and supporters. For example, when you first start out as an intern or associate, it may be a good idea to ask the women you work with about their career paths, the difficulties and opportunities they've encountered in the course of their careers, how they've progressed within the firm, and how they've organized themselves to maintain a balance between their professional and personal lives. Find caring, inspiring people who can guide you on your career path. Don't be afraid to ask for help or advice when you need it, and be ready in turn to offer your support to other women who ask for it.
Finally, it's important to dare to assert yourself. It's essential to know how to give your opinion on a case, assert your positions and defend your interests within the law firm you work for. This demonstrates your ability to effectively defend the interests of the firm's clients, and earns you the respect of your peers.
.png)
First of all, it's crucial to like the law, its rigor and its proximity to societal evolution. To this end, internships are a vital element in forming a more precise opinion.
The law is an evolving field, and it's important to devote the time needed to progress, to build up your legal awareness, to keep asking yourself questions whatever your experience, and to keep abreast of the latest legal developments.
To be a woman lawyer is above all to be a lawyer. Whether consciously or not, I've always been unaware of my gender in my professional life. I think that to be treated without discrimination, it's preferable not to ask for different treatment, to be equal to men in everything, including the pace of work.
In addition to skills and quality of work, this approach seems essential to me. This doesn't mean, however, that you have to give up your life as a wife and mother. And that's where your partner's attitude is crucial. The sharing of tasks, which has fortunately now become the norm, contributes to women's self-fulfilment in their professional lives.
In the same way, it's essential not to tolerate any discrimination, condescension or macho behavior. A few years ago, I had to reinstate a company director who was negotiating the takeover of a company from shareholders I was advising. He didn't do it again, and my clients were totally supportive.
It's also important not to put barriers in your head. I've often heard young female colleagues fear that they won't be able to pursue a career as an M&A lawyer. It's a question of organization. Incidentally, there are also many more women in investment banking today.
Developing your networks is key, and constantly improving your external visibility by writing articles, taking part in conferences and so on.
I'd also like to stress the importance of respect for colleagues and ethical standards. This is a very strong marker of our profession.
In the same way, building a relationship of trust with one's clients not only helps to consolidate a practice, but also makes for particularly rewarding work.
While doing M&A, I would like to draw your attention to the importance of also doing litigation. The two disciplines overlap in many ways.
My first piece of advice would be to dare - dare to highlight your qualities and seize opportunities. Women often downplay their skills - the famous impostor syndrome. To remedy this, you need to
work on your CV, apply for as many internships as possible and acquire the legal and non-legal skills you need to pursue a legal career.
My second piece of advice would be to listen to your desires and define the field you want to work in.
I did internships in a wide variety of areas of law before concluding that what I liked best was the law.
I came to the conclusion that what I liked best in all of them was litigation, an area I went on to specialize in.