DEI in Life Sciences and Health Care at Hogan Lovells

I am a French qualified lawyer, first generation French-Senegalese, and my practice at Hogan Lovells is focused on complex contract drafting and negotiation for clients in diverse industries, including in the life sciences industry.

People often say that I have had an "unusual" career. I prefer saying that I am proud of having a diverse identity. I am convinced that this diversity is an asset – that diversity is powerful.

I indeed did not follow the “classic route” and did not take the French Bar exam straight after graduating from university. Instead, I started working for a multinational conglomerate corporation where I gained not only in-depth in-house experience, but also international experience living in Czech Republic and in the United Arab Emirates. Knowing how a company works from the inside, having the “in-house culture” definitively helped me navigate my way around during my secondments at major pharmaceutical and medical device companies. My experience is also often valued by our clients.

The time I spent working abroad taught me the power of inclusion as I was often the only French and Black woman joining the team. There is so much you can learn from others and grow when you are in a diverse environment, working with people with a different culture, education, work background or upbringing. I want others to benefit from the same great experience as mine.

Since I joined Hogan Lovells, I have been given the chance to advocate for more DEI, notably taking part in citizenship or pro bono initiatives around DEI or in the recruiting of trainees. My personal story often leads me to push to recruit young lawyers with a so-called “unusual” career or profile. And I often end up mentoring the ones hired! I am very proud to say though that this has paid off as we have had great success stories for several of these lawyers. So, we should not be afraid of investing (more) in DEI!