IBA PresidentAlmudena Arpón de Mendívil Aldama

Meeting women who are breaking moulds is always exciting and the exuberance and determination of Almudena did not disappoint. Her warm and inviting manner made it easy to discuss her career and recent success in being appointed President of the IBA.

I was immediately struck by the enormous ‘griffiti’ painting hanging in her room: a blind-folded Lady Justice with Roman Law principles scrawled across it. It reflects some of Almudena’s deeply held attachment to basic tenets of Roman law.

Almudena originally studied law as something to do rather than as a vocation, but she certainly developed a passion for it. Studying with the benefit of a scholarship at the renowned College of Bruges was formative for her, opening an international network with a mix of cultures and completely different educational methods.

Almudena then joined the law firm Gómez-Acebo & Pombo, first in Brussels then moving to Madrid doing corporate M and A. She concentrated on telecommunications technology and media, at the time a new area of law, and rapidly became recognised in that sector nationally and internationally. Seven years from joining the firm, Almudena was made a partner. She recognises that this was a rapid ascent but recalls how differently such decisions were taken at that time. The firm was much smaller and there were no measured career stages and reviews, which can have its own advantages but decision-making was much less planned than is usual in a twenty-first century law firm.

Almudena has always worked for the same law firm; a pattern more typical of women’s working lives than for men. She says that “women don’t change if happy and perceive we are being recognised …. and have a good work environment.” She thinks it is a priority for all law firms to change the perception that the effort of partnership is too high and considers flexibility is the way forward. By this she means not only of where you work “but also the timing of your career, you don’t have to become a partner after e.g. eight to ten years”.

You may wish to delay becoming the partner as it is more conducive to your life. “Flexibility has to be understood as a very wide concept”. There are “so many things competing at that critical stage of life.” Life needs space not just for families but, post-pandemic, many of us have a changed perception of life.

Almudena recognises this particularly in younger generations and says “we shouldn’t try and corral everything into a particular structure”.

Of course, the drive often comes from the clients’ demands but Almudena says the key to solving this is “demonstrating to myself and the client that you can be replaced. There is always someone different who is going to deliver”. Managing expectations of clients to accept a change of partner or even change of team is important and it also needs lawyers to accept this. She recognises the difficulty for the lawyer who feels unique and doesn’t want to lose client income. “But of course you can be unique and replaceable”.

In parallel to her private practice, Almudena started her ‘IBA career’, enjoying the exchange of views with colleagues from other jurisdictions. She became an officer of a small committee then a larger one, was a consistent attendee and a turning point was being appointed a member of the IBA management board in 2017. Her progression emphasises for her that when you start something “you know where it starts but you don’t know where it ends.”

All the IBA committee work is by volunteers and is a substantial time commitment, challenging to combine with a partner role. As President, Almudena dedicates 80% of her time to the IBA and delegates much of her practice to her team, although is in touch with them a great deal.

Almudena is very aware of being only the second women to lead the IBA since its inception. She jokes that she is second in a number of ways: “I am the second child in my family, the second woman in my firm, the second female partner at my firm, second female President!”

A second women in 76 years is not an impressive record for the IBA and currently, women represent just over 30% members and attendees. Those participating in the IBA are mainly partners and so the numbers reflect the distribution of the workplace. There are less women partners so less women in the IBA. Membership and attendance is a cost and investment so firms are reluctant to send associates, as they are more likely to move firm than the partners.

Almudena clearly relishes her role and says she hasn’t yet thought about her future after her presidential year “ I know there will be silence but I haven’t reflected on what I would like”. Encouragingly, she says on her appointment she could hear the glass ceiling falling and is convinced that the change is permanent and can point to other senior female lawyers leading within the organisation, that mean it will not be another twenty years before the next female IBA President. ■

By Coral Hill

This painting commissioned by Almudena Arpón de Mendívil Aldama has travelled with her throughout her career. The painting reflects the principles in the Corpus Iuris Civilis: the foundation of civil and common law traditions.

And the President particularly likes to quote: facta non verba - do the things don’t just talk about them. Hic et nunc “now this” - focus; concentrate on what you are doing.

The President has published an agenda for 2023 /2024. Please see page 22 for link and general information on the IBA.