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"I didn't actually want to become a lawyer until I did a traineeship at AKD"

Sébastien Dauber - Lawyer

Sébastien Dauber is a lawyer at AKD Luxembourg. He advises international clients regarding private equity, corporate/M&A and restructuring. Despite his full schedule, during his lunch break Sébastien likes to jump on his bike to train for his next triathlons. Yet he does not call himself competitive. “Every case I see as a challenge to serve our clients in the most efficient way.”

“I actually ended up at AKD by happy accident. After my double bachelor's degree in law and economics, I pursued a master's degree in corporate law and financial engineering. My main driver was private equity and corporate restructuring. For my final six-month traineeship, I was looking for a leading organisation where I could engage with these fields and learn more about its legal aspects. Initially, I focused on investment funds, but because of my law background, I also delved into law firms. I never wanted to be a lawyer, but I was curious to see what the legal world was like behind the scenes.

 When I googled law firms recognized for their private equity practice, AKD came out on top. For me it was an instant hit when I read about their private equity practice and related client portfolio. It sounded like the perfect combination of finance and legal. In 2019, I started here as a trainee. In fact, I liked the work at AKD so much that I nevertheless decided to enter the legal profession after my studies. After my traineeship, I took my CCDL preparatory exam to be admitted to the Luxembourg bar. I have been a lawyer at AKD since 2021. At the end of this year, I hope to obtain my 'avoué', then I will officially be a senior lawyer (avocat à la Cour) according to the Luxembourg bar. But whatever title I have is not so important to me. Above all, I find it fun and important to keep developing. I have plenty of scope for that here.



Inspiring

Not only in my practice group, but also throughout AKD, there are people who are considered authorities in their field. These talented practitioners and our support team inspire me and allow me to learn every day. Yet I never feel intimidated by their knowledge or track record because everyone is so caring and helpful. Within my department, I work with a senior lawyer and two partners, including the managing partner of AKD Luxembourg. They are busy, but if I have a question or just want to exchange ideas, they always take the time to listen to my suggestions.

Now that I have been working at AKD for an extended period, I have been given more and more personal responsibility. In transactions, I am in the lead more often, which I really like. At first, for example, I always consulted with a partner before meeting with a client, but now I usually do those meetings myself. I always try to adapt the way I work to the client, to best suit their needs. I find it interesting to discover which approach works best for a particular client depending on their size, organisation or even their nationality. I am getting more and more adept at that.

Both my work and my team are very international. We mainly do cross-border transactions and advise clients from all over Europe, the US, the UK, and Asia. So, all documentation is in English. My working language is mainly English, which sometimes must be juggled with French and German, which are essential in Luxembourg. My mother tongue is French, so sometimes it takes some adjustment to read, write or present in English. But now I am used to it. In fact, our Luxembourg office employs some forty people, with over ten different nationalities. Through my international colleagues, I not only brush up my English on a daily basis, but also learn about other cultures. There are probably not many medium-sized offices where you have so much diversity, so I really appreciate that.

Health & well-being

My working week varies from season to season. Whereas winter is busy, summer is relatively quiet. Then I have more time to train for the triathlon. I use the lunch break to go running, swimming, or cycling about four times a week. It's very good that AKD provides the space for this, because to be a good lawyer, mental health is very important, and it’s wonderful to get out of my head and into my body for an hour and a half. I am not competitive – I don't train to win, but to push my limits and be comfortable within myself. That also applies to my work. In a transaction, I am not out to score, but to arrive at a satisfactory deal. Every case I see as a challenge to serve our clients in the most efficient way.

 Because I think it is important for others to feel good about themselves too, I became an employee representative for AKD Luxembourg. For example, I deal with diversity, inclusiveness and safety within the office. Fortunately, in addition to hard work, there is also plenty of opportunity for relaxation and conviviality at AKD. Events include the annual office ski trip and regular office drinks, which we call the ‘borrel’ like the Dutch do.

Every day I am still pleased with my choice to do my traineeship here. In the years ahead, I want to get even better in my field. I would like to continue to use my passion for IT to optimize my work and to attract clients of my own. Five years ago, I never thought I would become a lawyer, but now I definitely see my future at AKD.”

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