How did your career path unfold after completing your PhD?
Well, now I am a lawyer, an Of Counsel, and I co-chair the global environmental practice at Covington. But when I went to the EUI, I had the idea of becoming an academic, so it changed a lot. Even then, I was not completely sure. I remember the first year; I think I was less certain than others about that. Ultimately, my career went pretty well. I completed my PhD, and when I finished, I received a Marie Curie scholarship. In the end, I rejected it and decided to join another law firm here in Brussels. So, my career changed in the sense that I ended up being a lawyer very quickly.
How do you think your time at the EUI shaped your professional profile today?
The EUI certainly gave me the ability to research and to think about issues in a much more detailed and thorough manner, and to be more critical in my approach. That has been very useful for me in environmental law. I always try to look at the broader picture, which is very important in environmental law because everything is ultimately interconnected. It is not just about looking at one particular article or regulation, but about seeing how it links with other pieces of legislation. And maybe, also because I am in Brussels, I always have in mind the political aspect of things.
In addition, the interdisciplinary environment at the EUI gave me a broader perspective on how to approach and solve issues, something clients really value. The multicultural environment was also very important. In Brussels, and also in Berlin, we work with lawyers from all over the world, and my time at the EUI prepared me well for that.
What was your research about, and how was your relationship with your supervisor?
My research was on international trade law, so interestingly I later ended up doing environmental law from scratch. My supervisor was Francis Snyder, and our relationship was fantastic. He is a brilliant man and someone I regard as a reference point not only as an intellectual but also as a person. He was intellectually very honest, but also very human. I always keep that in mind, and I try to be a mentor to others as he was to me. That human touch is very important.
How do you think the network you found at the EUI helped you beyond academia?
When I was at the EUI I was very young, and I was obsessed with doing a PhD. And for many of us, especially coming from Southern Europe, it was the first time really living on our own for such a long time.
Personally, I had studied abroad a little, I had done an Erasmus, and I had completed a Master’s in the United States, but ultimately, this was different. The support of friends was like a little family, and that was very important. Intellectually, it was also supportive because of the constant exchange. I must say that is something I have missed. I never had that same level of intellectual discussions again. Maybe those theoretical debates are ultimately irrelevant to my current professional path, but they were so challenging and interesting.
What advice would you give, either to current or future EUIers, or more generally to lawyers considering a career like yours?
The advice I would give is the same advice my father gave me when I started my PhD journey. He was a very senior university professor, and although he said it in general about PhD studies, I think in the case of the EUI it was particularly relevant, at least in how I experienced it. His advice was: think of this as an enormous privilege, and realise that you will probably never have a better time in your life. From a professional point of view, it will likely be the most beautiful experience of your life.
Considering your father’s advice and his experience in academia, what would you say to PhD applicants or candidates who are undertaking this journey, with all its ups and downs?
That is why I was saying it, because at the time, when it’s happening, you are already stressed, and later on you become even more stressed. But it is very important to keep in mind the idea that you are privileged, and that this is the best time of your life. You need to put things in perspective.
I don’t know what the chances of finishing a PhD are now, but at the time it was maybe 40–50 percent. Even if you don’t finish, it is not a drama. I know people who never finished and have done very well, they are directors in the Commission, the European Parliament, or elsewhere. And if you do finish, that is great.
Ultimately, though, the PhD you write is something you probably won’t even want to look at five years later. Even if you do a reasonably good one, I think I did, mine was published in a book with Hart Publishing, there is still so much learning afterwards. Life after the PhD is long, so it is important to keep perspective and focus on the many good things about the experience.
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The EUI Alumni Testimonials series offers a glimpse into the diverse paths and experiences of our alumni. Through their stories, we revisit meaningful moments from their time at the EUI and discover how these experiences continue to shape their personal and professional journeys.
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Disclaimer: All information reported in this article reflects solely the perspective of EUI alumni and former EUI members. In no case does this article represent the view of the organisations the interviewees are affiliated with.