5 Questions for Léonie Alibran Le Bourgeois, Senior Associate at SideAngels
Discover, in five questions and answers, the academic and professional journey of Léonie Alibran Le Bourgeois, an alumna of the Sorbonne Law School.
1. What is your background?
I completed all my higher education at Paris 1. I started with a dual Bachelor's degree in Law and History at the Sorbonne in 2014. At the same time, I completed the DULA, a university diploma in languages applied to Common Law. I then went on to complete a Master 1 in Tax Law, followed by a Master 2 in International Corporate Transactions and Taxation.
I was then fortunate enough to be selected to pursue an LLM at Washington University in St. Louis in 2020.
Fortunately, I did not need to take on a part-time job, which, I am fully aware, is a real advantage for a student.
I was therefore able to get involved in numerous associations, particularly at the Sorbonne. I joined “Lunivert étudiant”, an association whose aim was to develop a vegetable garden in the green spaces adjoining the PMF site building. I took part in planting and maintaining it… even though I was not the most regular volunteer in the garden, it was a great experience! I believe the garden no longer exists today… It was an initiative led by fellow students from the dual Law/History degree, students who were very committed to environmental issues. It gave me the opportunity to meet some wonderful people in a setting different from my studies strictly speaking.
I was also vice-president of “Révolte-toi Sorbonne”, an association focused on public speaking, which helped me considerably throughout my academic and professional journey. Public speaking was a great discovery for me and a real means of empowerment. I gained a lot from it: it taught me to feel comfortable speaking in public and to know how to capture an audience’s attention… which is very useful! Not to mention, of course, the lasting bonds I formed with the members of the association, whom I still see even years later.
At the same time, I also completed several internships. In particular, thanks to the events organized by the BAIP (Career Development Office) !, I secured an internship at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, an experience that greatly enriched my background ! The BAIP also organized the competition with BNP Paribas, which I won in 2019.
Finally, for my LLM, the International Relations Office provided me with a great deal of support.
In short, I really completed my entire academic journey at Paris 1, and I owe a great deal to all the university services that helped me build it!
2. What memories do you have of Paris 1?
What I remember most generally is a real sense of intellectual stimulation, a constant flurry of ideas.
This creates a very special atmosphere at university which, I believe, is truly unique to the institution !. You have the opportunity to meet people with different perspectives and to encounter professors from a wide range of disciplines, some of whom are simply exceptional.
I had Mr. Calafat as a teaching assistant, for example, and I still have very fond memories of his classes today, even though I did not continue studying History.
Some professors have truly remarkable expertise combined with an ability to captivate you … and years later, you regret no longer attending their classes, even if there is an exam at the end !
Beyond all that, I also remember more personal moments: the stress before exams, for example. But above all, the strong sense of solidarity that these somewhat anxiety-inducing moments could create among us.
And then, of course, I remember my public speaking competitions, in front of packed lecture halls. These experiences had a tremendous impact on me and gave me so much that they will remain etched in my memory for a very long time.
I particularly remember the first selection round for my first public speaking competition. The text dealt with a subject I had loved because it resonated with me personally. It was about childhood, and I found the theme both beautiful and profound. I have a unique memory of it.
But university also meant moments of intense, sometimes terrible stress. I remember the anticipation and anxiety surrounding the selection process for the Master 2. Fortunately, what I remember most is the immense joy I felt when I was admitted to the master’s program I wanted: International Corporate Transactions and Taxation.
And while waiting to hear about the LLM, I also went through a very stressful period, before once again experiencing immense joy when my departure was confirmed.
For me, university really was an emotional roller coaster!
3. What is your current position?
I am a Business Manager specializing in legal matters at SideAngels, a club-deal venture capital fund. In other words, we offer individuals the opportunity to invest in startups that we select. I have been in this position for a year and a half.
Before that, I completed several internships to find my path and figure out exactly what I wanted to do. I worked in insurance, in legal protection; at an accounting firm; and I also completed internships in public affairs and business law.
I really turned towards startups after my LLM, which shows just how important a role Paris 1 played in my journey. Without the LLM, I probably would never have discovered this field.
I was fortunate enough to take part in a course with MBA students from Washington University in St. Louis. The course involved helping startups facing challenges with their growth, positioning, or other aspects, often more economic than legal. And I loved that world! I was really impressed by the creativity, the energy… It had a major influence on me.
After that, it is true that I held positions that were not directly related to this field, but I kept looking. And I eventually found a position at SideAngels, so truly in venture capital.
And once again, I may have been a little lucky: at the time, my manager was a Paris 1 alumnus.
Even when you do not know each other (I did not know him at the time), it creates a connection. He knew my master’s program, the professors I had studied with… it created a real connection. And he also knew the value of a Paris 1 education. I think that played a role ... and I am grateful to him today for giving me this opportunity !
4. How did you find your jobs?
Surprisingly, I am a fan of www.village-justice.com. It is a platform specializing in legal jobs. I recommend it because it is quite comprehensive.
I found my internships partly through the BAIP and partly through unsolicited applications. So yes, unsolicited applications do sometimes work!
My little “tip” would be to systematically send your application to a partner.
5. Finally, to conclude the interview, a more personal question: Who is your favorite fictional character?
It is not really a fictional character; it is more of a cartoon character, originally from a comic strip: Snoopy.
I was immediately drawn to Snoopy’s design and artwork. Since I love antique markets, I must have been attracted to the slightly retro feel of his world. But beyond the aesthetics, I am now discovering the comic strips and I find there is something very philosophical and rather gentle about Snoopy’s view of life.
So I recommend that everyone discover the Peanuts gang!
And as a bonus, I recommend a book that was suggested to me by a teaching assistant in public law. It is The Influence of the Smell of Hot Croissants on Human Kindness, by Ruwen Ogien, a philosopher whose work focuses on ethics. It is a book that, in my view, can challenge established ideas and principles. I am passing on this reading recommendation that came to me from Paris 1... to bring everything full circle!
Thank you to Léonie Alibran Le Bourgeois for answering Alumni’s questions!
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