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My time living overseas gave me clarity on the career I wanted to forge as an energy lawyer when I returned home to Australia and equipped me with the requisite tools to thrive throughout my legal profession, writes Stephanie Centorame.
I was seven years old when I first heard the name “Sorbonne”. Because I was seven and had an uncontrollable sweet tooth, I liked the word because it sounded like “bon-bon”. It was only when I began studying French in high school that I came to learn that “Sorbonne” is in fact a reference to one of France’s oldest universities, with the likes of Victor Hugo and Marie Curie among its alumni. This was ample ammunition to spark a lifelong dream to study at the elusive Sorbonne University – a dream I was fortunate enough to realise when I undertook an arts/law degree at Bond University, where I majored in French Languages and International Relations.
In 2018, I completed an exchange semester at the Université Paris-1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, studying French law subjects that were taught and assessed entirely in French. Additionally, the watershed moment that informed my career as an energy lawyer at Baker McKenzie was the opportunity I received through my university to undertake a legal internship at the Office of the General Counsel for the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris.
Living abroad gave me several things: firstly, resilience.
Determined to communicate entirely in my second language, I faced many adversities in forging a life for myself in Paris. Such challenges include (but are not limited to) ordering complexly named baked goods in bustling boulangeries, opening a bank account, and finding a new apartment days out from my internship commencing.
Although these experiences were, at the time, harrowing and difficult (and believe me when I say that the tension in those boulangeries was always palpable), they also developed the skills I needed to become unfazed when faced with difficulty. I have applied these lessons to my approach at work and always strive to remain centred and calm under pressure, no matter the task.
The second thing living abroad gave me was exposure. At the Sorbonne, I studied French civil law, French administrative law and public international law subjects. These courses not only strengthened my French-speaking and writing abilities but also broadened my understanding of different legal frameworks, which I could benchmark against Australia’s common law system.
At the IEA, I advised on international treaty law issues and gained an insight into the IEA’s significant work in reporting on current and future energy market trends and making recommendations on international energy policy. I returned home with a newfound determination to learn more about Australia’s energy markets, regulatory framework and policies. My internship at the IEA is fundamental to my being an energy lawyer today, and the reason why I am so passionate about working with clients at Baker McKenzie to navigate Australia’s energy transition.
To any students or young professionals, I would always recommend seeking opportunities to spend time abroad. My time living overseas gave me clarity on the career I wanted to forge as an energy lawyer when I returned home to Australia and equipped me with the requisite tools to thrive throughout my legal profession.
Stephanie Centorame is a senior associate with Baker McKenzie.
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