Women in Legal Business - Simona Lavagnini

Simona Lavagnini is a founding partner of LGV Avvocati, the firm she built from the ground up with a focus on intellectual property. Founding a firm means being responsible for every decision simultaneously: the quality of the legal work, client relationships, the team, the business model, and positioning in a competitive market. There is no institutional structure to absorb the consequences of a bad judgment. That responsibility has shaped her approach to leadership in a distinct way. She does not theorize about it; she describes it as the practical ability to identify the right outcome, find the path to it, and lead people along it until the result is achieved.

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

I believe it is the “ability to make things happen.” Beyond technical skills, you need to quickly understand which of the possible outcomes is the right one, determine the best way to get there under the given conditions, and then lead people along the path until that result is actually achieved.

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?

One year is not enough to see the differences. I can say that throughout my career I have seen many things change, and in particular the presence of women increases, especially among younger generations. More generally, young people have changed and today even male colleagues are showing that they attach greater importance to balance in their personal lives in a way that was once exclusively female and actually considered a handicap in the profession. However, I still think that at the highest levels of the profession, women are not yet on an equal footing.

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

It is important to work constantly to include young female professionals in the various initiatives that arise, always aware that in some areas it is necessary to impose this more inclusive approach. Even today, it is not uncommon to find oneself in contexts that are predominantly, if not exclusively, male. This also happens in highly technological and innovative sectors, despite what one might think.

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?

I believe it is essential for the male mindset to complete a change that is already underway. Some time ago, I was discussing with some talented female colleagues the fact that in the past, for a woman to work on an equal footing meant giving up many parts of her personal life, because that was what her male colleagues did. For example, mothers of young children could not join them at the beach on weekends in the summer because they had to stay in the city to work, just as their male colleagues did. Today, it is the male colleagues who ask to join their children at the beach on summer weekends.

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?

I must say that I have not had any female mentors in my career. However, I have tried my hand at some experiences in this regard: recently, for example, in the context of AIPPI (International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property), of which I am the chair of the Italian Group, I had the opportunity to mentor a young Chinese colleague, who has really grown in recent times. I was amazed at how productive this type of relationship has been, despite the differences in the working environment between Europe and China. I hope I have made at least a small difference in the career of this young colleague.

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

You will sometimes feel pressure to prove more than others. Work first on your self-confidence. A measured dose of self-assurance — something male colleagues often display more naturally — helps in negotiations, in career progression, and in preserving both balance and lightness along the way.