I hold a double Masters and a Bachelors (LLB) in both French and English Business Law; these diplomas were earned as part of a joint programme at King's College in London and Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. After receiving a "Master 2" degree in Anglo-American Business Law at Paris 1, I completed an internship as legal adviser focusing on in-house projects as well as contract negotiation, working in the Fixed Income Derivatives unit with the BNP Paribas financing and investment bank based in Paris. I then found a job with Crédit Agricole CIB as junior legal financial adviser in capital markets trading, also located in Paris. Following this initial 6-month employment contract, I was given the opportunity to continue my mission in London, where I've been working for the past seven months.

Despite its international stature, the Bank has been able to retain a human quality in its relations, whether internally or in interactions with clients. I've found there to be a real sense of cohesion between the London and Paris legal teams. The 2011 Prize for the best European Regulatory team (in the Financial Services sector), awarded by the International Law Office to our Legal department, offers ample proof. This distinction is the most highly coveted among professionals in the field of In-House Counsel.

I'm involved in negotiating framework contracts between Crédit Agricole CIB and its international clients. These contracts govern the over-the-counter transactions concluded on derivative products; they lay the groundwork for future relations with the client, by defining for example the default conditions that would allow for termination of transactions (payment default, higher counterparty risk, case of force majeure / market crisis). Moreover, such contracts are intended to take or "post" collateral (currencies or sovereign bonds) as a guarantee during transactions, for the purpose of limiting the payment default risk to the greatest extent possible. I provide legal support to the commercial line teams for any questions or concerns regarding these contracts. I'm also involved in the updating process relative to Crédit Agricole CIB's legal protection, as well as in numerous projects undertaken internally by the Legal department.

Facilitating interactions and communication across the Bank's business lines. I'm always cognisant of their differing preferences and concerns while keeping overall interests in mind. I also get great satisfaction out of bridging this internal organisation with external demands: anticipation of the full range of risks, and reconciliation of Bank interests with client goals. I enjoy adapting negotiation approaches to market conditions and/or the Bank's objectives, in addition to setting up a variety of negotiating strategies depending on the type of client.