Where did you work before coming to Bucerius?
I worked as an associate at White & Case Mexico City office in the Capital Markets team. Before that I was an associate in a Mexican law firm named Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez. During that time I specialized in advising national and international clients in the fields of regulatory, data privacy and compliance, as well as working in M&A transactions, primarily within the financial sector.
You studied in the Bucerius Exchange and Summer Programs – What made you decide to come back?
I studied at Bucerius 8 years ago, and I can confidently say it was one of the best decisions and most meaningful experiences of my life and ever since then I knew I wanted to come back.
I gained a lot academically from the insights shared by professors and classmates from around the globe and this broadened my perspective, exposed me to new cultures and opinions all of which prepared me for the challenges I would later face in my career at an international law firm.
Also, taking all of my exchange and summer program courses in another language, including a Negotiation class, was a great way to learn the legal and business terminology which I later used in my daily work. This gave me greater confidence in my professional life for in my point of view, speaking a language fluently is one thing but knowing the specialized terminology for a specific field such as law is entirely different.
What makes the MLB Program so special in your opinion?
Without a doubt, the intersection between law and business. The legal and business approaches in many situations —for example a negotiation, an internal discussion within a company or client, or even in class— are all different. During my time working at law firms, we often had to collaborate and discuss several matters with businesspeople, be it from our clients or counterparties. As we did not necessarily “speak” the same language, there were several situations where some unnecessary friction could be felt.
From my experience in the MLB program, this is also true for business courses like financial reporting, cost accounting, capital markets, taxation, etc. The business approach tends to be more practical and direct compared to the legal one. I am not saying one is better than the other, just that they are different. Since these approaches often intersect in the real world, it is important to understand how each works in order to collaborate effectively. In this regard, courses taught by business professors from one of Germany’s top business universities—through the partnership with WHU, Otto Beisheim School of Management—, along with having colleagues from both backgrounds, gives students an opportunity to understand this different way of thinking.
Finally, the mandatory internship is a valuable opportunity for many things, like exploring a new career path, trying something different or gaining a new perspective - for example, if you have worked in a law firm, it could be a great chance to experience working in-house at a company, or vice versa. It is also a great way to begin your working life, whether you are starting fresh or planning on moving to Germany. A really relevant part that I would like to highlight is that the MLB team is always there to offer guidance, insights, and support throughout the process.
