Who are you today?
Valerio, a qualified lawyer in Italy and waiting to be qualified also in France. In Milan, I’m an Associate Lawyer of an international law firm created by the merger of a British and an American with more than 45 offices globally (in +24 countries) and over 2800 lawyers.
I work in the Litigation department representing clients before all types of trial, appellate, regulatory and alternative dispute resolution tribunals around the world. In particular, I provide litigation and transactional assistance in cross-border litigation, international arbitration and investigations on: insolvency and bankruptcy, insurance, corporate, financial, intellectual property, antitrust and competition, fashion, advertising, technology, data privacy and information technology law.
How did you get here?
Even when I was still at university – after a period of 2 years spent abroad between an exchange program and an internship – I started to collaborate with a large international English law firm where I worked for over four and a half years.
Subsequently, I had a brief experience in an American international law firm and then arrived at the firm where I am now.
Selection process to access major international law firms is tough: excellent academic results, fluent knowledge of English and possibly other foreign languages and relevant previous working experience is required.
How would you describe your profession in 3 adjectives?
- Very committing: requires intense effort and the need to actively look for ways to deliver the best results both for the clients and for the firm.
- Innovative: The aim is to satisfy clients through a deep understanding of their needs, their businesses, and their industries, by using innovative legal service delivery and by exploring the latest technology.
- Responsible: As part of my law firm, I embrace my responsibility to give back to our communities through pro bono and community service work and I am committed to a diverse workforce that is inclusive and welcoming.
How did you face and eventually overcome the toughest moment?
The difficult moments are numerous and frequent. For me, the ideal solution is to rely on loved ones without ever losing sight of the ultimate goal and have a lot of creativity. It’s a hard job which requires a lot of sacrifice in your private life, but at the same time it allows many rewards on the long run.
What’s the very best advice you would give to someone pursuing a working path like yours?
I recommend to all those who decide to embark on this career to be determined and aware of the sacrifices. You need to have a lot of passion for the subject or you won’t keep up with the pace. Always be flexible, multifaceted and creative. This will help you a lot!
What is your destination?
I still don’t know what my destination will be. I think that “life is a journey, not the destination”: the result is not as important as the experience of getting there.
How do you think be influenced can be helpful to young ambitious people?
Be Influenced can help people build a network of contacts and relationships that can be very useful; it can be a tool for socializing and even just asking questions and/or clarifications. I firmly believe that this platform can be a source of inspiration for many to develop useful ideas for their professional and/or personal future.