Women in Legal Business - Anne-Manuelle Gaillet

Anne-Manuelle Gaillet has practiced M&A at CastaldiPartners long enough to understand something that purely technical lawyers often miss: that a French acquirer and an Italian target reading the same clause are frequently reading different documents. Negotiation styles diverge, assumptions about deal structure are often cultural rather than legal, and the lawyer who can anticipate those divergences before they become disputes is doing something more valuable than legal advice alone. That cross-border intelligence, built across decades of transactions, is what made her practice distinctive. The dual French-Italian identity was not a biographical accident. It was the work.

Looking at your career path, what unique leadership trait has been most instrumental in allowing you to "move the needle" within your organization?

My most instrumental leadership trait has been my determination to operate with a dual French and Italian legal culture at a time when very few foreign lawyers were established in Italy, which has allowed me to build, through years of dual practice, a market recognition and a cross-border legitimacy.

Clients and colleagues increasingly saw me not only as a legal advisor, but as a bridge between jurisdictions — someone able to anticipate differences in legal reasoning, business expectations and cultural negotiation strategies.

Reflecting on the past year, what is the most significant positive change you have observed regarding gender equality and female representation within the upper echelons of the Italian legal market?

Over the past year, the most significant positive change I have observed is the growing visibility and recognition of women in senior roles within the Italian legal market even though much after other countries. More female lawyers are leading complex, high-value transactions although certain areas—such as M&A and Finance—remain largely male-dominated. However, the overall trajectory is clearly positive.

Another encouraging shift is that clients are increasingly attentive not only to the composition of legal teams, but also to the governance and gender-related practices of the firms they engage. Ideally, I believe that women’s leadership should not be driven by quotas or constraints; however, these policies have helped raise awareness of the tangible value that diverse leadership brings—both for corporates and for law firms, which more and more operate as corporates with the same organizational complexity and strategic expectations.

How do you personally advocate for the inclusion of more women in high-stakes decision-making?

I personally advocate for women’s leadership first and foremost through example and sponsorship. This is not only linked to my role within the legal profession—although I am a partner in my firm—but also through my broader leadership commitments: I serve as Vice President of the French Chamber of Commerce in Italy, which gives me a platform to support women’s visibility and encourage younger professionals to aim for high-responsibility roles. I also contribute in a very practical way through mentorship, including my involvement as a mentor in the Inspiring Women program promoted by the French Chamber of Commerce in Italy, which is designed to support women in strengthening their professional development and advancing their careers.

In a sector historically rooted in traditional structures, what is the single most important cultural shift still required to ensure that the Italian legal business becomes a truly meritocratic environment for the next generation of women?

The single most important shift is moving from informal, relationship-based promotions to clear and transparent merit-based criteria. This model is evolving but it can still create structural barriers for talented women whose access to these networks may be more limited. I mean that too often, career progression depends on visibility within traditional circles and subjective perceptions of leadership potential by a few individuals.  If firms define what “merit” means— with clear, objective and transparent criteria for advancement—based on competence, client impact results, leadership, teamwork—and if they apply those criteria consistently, then talented women will have a more fair path to senior roles, and that will benefit to the whole legal market.

Success is rarely a solo journey. How has collaboration with other women (in-house or external) influenced your approach to business, and how are you paying that forward within your team?

My experience has been quite mixed. Early in my career, there were very few senior women in the organizations around me that I could rely on for guidance. And, frankly, women are not always supportive of other women—especially in environments where only a small number of leadership “seats” seems available.

In practice, I was often supported more by men than by women. I also think that, in male-dominated contexts, some of the women who had managed to reach senior positions were not always eager to see other women rise alongside them. The encouraging point is that this dynamic has started to shift in recent years, with more women consciously choosing collaboration over competition with other women.

I’m paying that forward by trying to create real visibility opportunities for talented women, offering sponsorship and building a team environment where progression is assessed against clear, merit-based criteria.

One "hard truth" or piece of advice for young women entering the legal profession today?

Merit is a prerequisite but not always enough—add visibility, confidence, and resilience, and you’ll give yourself every chance.