8 minute read
Q&A with Patricia Ayodeji
Q&A with Patricia Ayodeji
Q.1. Please tell us a bit about you and your background.
Professional - https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-ayodejidigitallawyer/?locale=en_US
Founder of E-PDP, European Privacy and Data Protection
https://e-pdp.eu/
I work closely with different embassies and governmental departments.
Personal -Runner (10K and half marathons). Keen photographer. Mother. Wife (married to a Catalan). Human mother of 2-yearold chihuahua (my first dog, ever). Barcelona Football Club supporter since 1988.
Fluent in Spanish and Catalan.
Regular conference speaker on data protection and e-evidence. One of my favourite events was where I was able to exchange views and experiences with former telecommunications officer of the White House.
Since the pandemic I have trained Judges in Sofia, Bulgaria, spoken in Prague, Frankfurt, and Munich.
So far in 2024, I have spoken at a Technology and Law event in Barcelona held by the Academy of European Law (ERA) in Barcelona on social media as digital evidence, and in Data Focus held by Insig2 Ltd., in Zagreb, where I spoke about the EU AI Act.
Depending on where I am, I present in Spanish, Catalan, or English.
I learnt Catalan via the Consortium for Language Normalisation which offers free courses in Barcelona.
Spanish. I have never thought about it, but the truth is that I have never formally studied it. I learnt by listening, doing language exchanges, and speaking at every opportunity. There came a point, around the two-year mark, where I decided to stop translating into English in my head and to think directly in that language).
Let’s not underestimate living in a country and needing to do even the most basic things in the national language, as a driving force for learning.
On any given day I can switch from speaking, writing, drafting, negotiating in English, Spanish, and Catalan without any difficulty.
I converted my English Degree into a recognized Spanish degree through the Open University (UOC) mostly in Catalan (with references to jurisprudence in Spanish).
I am currently studying (in Spanish) a Masters in Compliance with the Barcelona Bar Association and I am looking to make a move to a unique in-house head of compliance position in an international company.
2. Being dual qualified is very unique, how did you find the process?
Yes, its unique. It’s important to stand out in this profession.
The most daunting aspect about the process was having to do it in Spanish and Catalan.
To practise as a lawyer in Spain, a civil law jurisdiction, I needed to get my English law degree officially recognized by the Qualifications Division of the Spanish Ministry of Education. This involved a lot of paperwork (e.g. application with a certified copy of the document attesting my identity and nationality, certified copy of the academic transcript of the studies completed, inter alia, the official duration in academic years of the study plan followed, subjects taken and hours etc).
In my case a favourable decision was dependent on the prior completion of studying twelve additional legal subjects including constitutional law, in a Spanish University, with a time limit of four years to complete. I opted to finish all in one year and start to practice in my own right as soon as possible.
Once the degree was officially harmonized, before pursuing my activity as a lawyer I was required to register in the Bar Association corresponding to the area in which I would establish my only or principal professional location.
Once registered I was able to practice law with the same rights and obligations (without any restrictions) as Spanish nationals, using the Spanish professional title of Abogado. (lawyer) bound by the same professional, administrative, ethical, and legal regulations and standards that define and govern the profession in Spain.
I am entitled to practice in Spain as self-employed lawyer or salaried lawyer in the whole of Spain.
Since I entered the Barcelona Bar, rules have changed and anyone wishing to have their qualification recognized would be required to complete all the pre-requisites indicated and in
addition be required to complete specialized training (internship) period of two years plus a one-year master’s degree in access to the legal profession or training course in access to the legal profession. There may also be other issues I am unaware of following our withdrawal from the EU.
3.What are your four top tips for building your professional network?
Go to events and actively engage. It’s Important to be yourself. I am always fore and foremost, me. Never network with a view to selling your services. It’s about building long-lasting relationships. My experience shows that services are contracted once trust has been established and this sometimes takes time. Don’t pitch. Ask questions.
Only give out business cards to those who ask for them rather than forcing them on to anyone who is polite to take them. The only reason I still have business cards is that some people are old school and prefer them. Personally, I think a better option is to learn to use the QR Code to your Linkedin profile.
Build multidisciplinary contacts for future collaborations and long-lasting effective business relationships.
Join different associations. I joined the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain, and eventually became a member firstly of its Barcelona Regional Committee and then elected as a member of its Governing Council. I also joined Spanish Association of Directors (AED), and eventually became a member of one of its Social Participation Committee. Format of committee activities: Director Debates for meetings, workshops)Talent Circle (Dinners- with top referential professionals outside the business sphere, e.g., artistic, literary, scientific, or culturalSocial -Volunteer (platform giving AED members the opportunity to help third parties with difficulties via their skills & capabilities as directors. Visits to companies).
4. How do you maintain your professional network?
Actively networking. I’m passionate about it. It has bought me both long term friends and clients.
Client referrals on both a national or international basis. Having a foot in two jurisdictions always results in collaborations as I can’t physically be in two places at once.
Attending conferences both as a speaker and attendee, to reconnect. It I am taking part a conference albeit on a national or international level I am always sure to let my contacts know in advance.
Publications in social networks such as LinkedIn (I have a profile since September 2010) helps my contacts stay abreast of what I am currently focused on. Visuals. Simply seeing my name with my face helps contacts remember who I am and what I have to offer. It works.
Occasional business brunch, or dinner just to catch-up and keep building relationships.
All my family live in the UK. I always try to touch base with contacts in my network and combine seeing the family with business meetings in London on my longer visits.
5. What do you think stops people from building a network?
Character (introverted, shy). Some people are simply scared.
Some people think that it requires a lot of time to build and maintain networks with no guaranteed business coming out of it. Networking and its results are what you put in it. It is never a waste of time.
6. What advice would you tell your younger self and why?
Don’t be afraid to go against others’ perceptions of me.
Be my authentic self without worrying about trying to fit in.
Persevere and trust in my judgment. Being told by a middleaged male career advisor at school that given my somewhat humble background I should limit myself to jobs I could do such as being a secretary, was the catalyst of my determination to prove others wrong. At the time I told him that rather than being a Secretary, I was determined to have one. I did.
Don’t worry you will become the owner and creator of your destiny.
Your hard work and passion will pay off and open doors which seem to be shut.
The change from wanting to be a cartoonist to an architect and then finally from the age of 15, to being a lawyer would all help me to become the lawyer I am today. Starting from representing various types of artists (my creative side), to negotiating a contract for the most iconic symbol (my love of architecture) in Barcelona and the most visited landmark in the whole of Spain, lead to my decision to re-qualify in Spain, were aspects which formed part of my destiny. In fact, my love of Barcelona was what made a difference to me being offered by training contract in a city firm because the Partner also had a love of Barcelona. All was and continues to be connected. Curiosity didn’t kill the cat; it made the cat.
Don’t be afraid to try new things and push yourself out of your comfort zone. It will help differentiate you. ■
