Julie Audoux (Banking and Finance LLM, 2011) talks about her career and shares her advice for women in legal profession and beyond on the International Women’s Day.
As we celebrate International Women's Day on 8th March, we caught up with our CCLS alumna, Julie Audoux (Banking and Finance LLM, 2011), Attorney-at-Law and founder of the law firm MAJ Avocat, who also co-launched and still runs Le Café Des Arbitres, our successful series of conferences in international arbitration in Paris since 2013.
I am a French business lawyer and entrepreneur. I set up my practice, MAJ Avocat, 7 years ago, with one objective: to provide entrepreneurs and small businesses with the legal tools to safely expand their companies.
Today, my team and I are more than ever committed to making the law accessible to economic players who are contributing to the development and influence of female entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship with impact. My clients work in diverse sectors including real estate, travel, food, beauty, construction, wellness, art, social media, and the music industry. This diversity fuels my creativity and shapes my business strategy.
When I graduated, I would have probably answered that the QMUL LLM in Banking and Finance Law is an advanced, hands-on, and interdisciplinary program that opened the doors of the international law firms where I did my training.
I found that French law students, myself included at the time, tend to have a binary view of the world. It's either right or wrong. With hindsight, I would say that training in a multicultural setting within an international city has enabled me to gain insights from individuals with diverse educational, social, and cultural backgrounds, thus broadening my perspective on the world. This experience not only enhanced my understanding of present and future economic, legal, and financial challenges, it undoubtedly fostered my curiosity, open-mindedness, and improved my communication and advocacy skills.
It's an intensive, short programme. To make sure you get the most out of it, I would recommend the following: (i) ask yourself what your objectives are, (ii) determine what you want from it, and (iii) adopt a strategic and proactive approach rather than a passive one. Find out all you can about the programme, meet the programme directors at open days and get in touch with alumni.
My message for women on this International Women’s Day would be do not waste time doing what people expect from you. If you stay curious and know your strengths, there is an exciting path to walk down. The empowerment of women is fundamental for a peaceful society, and we need powerful women to lift others. Do not hesitate to be the boss!
My mum. She's a successful, caring and (too) hard-working entrepreneur. Coming from a humble background, as the eldest of six children, she did not have the luxury of a lengthy education or family wealth to start her own business without hesitation or fear. Yet she succeeded. Thanks to her, I had access to prestigious universities, but above all I grew up without doubting that a woman can be both a mother and a leader, and be the only person who should decide for herself.
Read more about CCLS in Paris programmes on our website. CCLS in Paris - CCLS in Paris (qmul.ac.uk)
Find out more about Le Café Des Arbitres series of conferences. (Ten years of Le Café des Arbitres - School of Law (qmul.ac.uk)