"Already during your studies you should try out as many potential workplaces as possible. By this I mean, for example, an internship at a law firm, an internship at a court, a job at some start-up. This will allow you to find out if the job makes you happy, if this is where we would like to be. I would definitely advise against closing yourself off to learning only: "now I have to study for 5 years, I have to get the highest possible grades, and then I will think about what I will do with it. In my opinion, this “later” after graduation is already a bit too late."

What is your best memory of studying at the Jagiellonian University?

After my first year of university, I had doubts whether law was really the right choice. Then I did a year’s course for tour guides in Cracow. The lectures in art history, given by professor Michał Rożek, were fantastic and full of passion. Paradoxically, it is him that I remember most from that time.

After the course I started to work a lot with foreign groups, I had to combine this with my studies. It was a time of searching for my path. In fact, I didn’t know until my fourth year whether to choose law, tourism or art history. It was a crazy time, but it taught me about life.

It wasn’t until my fourth year that I did an examination of conscience, thought about what I wanted to do. I decided that I would go for an internship at a business law firm and see how law works in real life. It was a very good decision. Studying law is interesting in itself, but you learn how it is applied in everyday life – by working.

In retrospect, I am very glad that I graduated from law at the Jagiellonian University, because people from this university are very well prepared theoreticians, and they acquire practice during internships and at work, especially in specialised law firms.

Was the fourth year and that examination of conscience a turning point in your career decision?

Yes, definitely. I knew early on, going into university, that I wanted nothing to do with criminal law. I never liked it. I knew I wouldn’t become a prosecutor. I also didn’t want to deal with family matters or inheritance. In the fourth year, there was more opportunity to choose my own subjects and I got involved in those on the borderline between finance and law. There was, for example, a subject called Basics of Finance. The lecturer told us about securities, derivatives and the stock market. She even took us on a trip to Frankfurt am Main to see the stock exchange and the European Central Bank from the inside. And then I felt that this was it. I knew the next step would be to apply to become a legal adviser, but I didn't give up guiding. I worked as a guide for seven years. It gave me, for example, language fluency. Later, when conducting various types of negotiations, I had no fear or problems communicating well in English or German. Besides, it was an excellent experience thanks to which I gained confidence in public speaking.

What is your work like at the moment? In addition to your professional work, you are also involved in other important initiatives.

The law firm that my partner and I run was founded 10 years ago. We met at the law firm “Oleś & Rodzynkiewicz”. At that time, it was the only law firm in Cracow that dealt with the capital market. At some point we decided that we wanted to create from scratch a law firm which would be specialised from start to finish. We didn’t want to be a ‘catch-all’ law firm. From the beginning, we had the idea that my partner would deal with the capital market, i.e. with listing companies on the stock exchange, bond issues and everything related to public companies, while I would deal with what I enjoy most in law, i.e. negotiating investment agreements (searching for financing, developing companies from start-ups to their sale to the industry or financial investors, mergers and acquisitions).

A few years ago, thanks to the growth of our clients, we started doing deals on international markets. This gave me another impetus to do what I do with great pleasure. With a lot of experience, we can do M&A all over the world. We have done transactions in India, Canada, the USA, almost all over Europe. I am very happy that as a small law firm of a dozen or so people, we can do a lot of things on an international scale.

I am also active outside the law firm. Nine years ago, a colleague wrote to me that she wanted to start an association because she wanted to help children from poor families. She told me a story about two children. She met them by chance when, on a cold, dreary day, they were waiting alone at a bus stop to go home in one of the villages near Cracow. Their living conditions were dramatic. My friend found out that there were many families in a similar financial situation in this and other neighbouring localities. She decided to create something that would give these children hope. She wanted them to have a warm place to stay, to have their rooms painted, to give them a structure for studying, preparing for school and – last not least – thinking that life could be better.

Of course, I decided to help her set up this association. As far as possible, we help pro bono to set up similar initiatives, or to solve problems that different organisations face on a daily basis. But usually our contribution ends with expert assistance. This is not what happened here. A colleague took me to meet these children. I went there together with my then 6-year-old son. A 6-year-old girl was also among the children we visited. When we got home, my son disappeared into the room, and after a few minutes he came out holding a bag of LEGO blocks in his hand. He wanted me to sell them and buy a bed for the little girl, who in that house slept on one old bed together with her grandmother, because her parents could not afford to buy a separate bed for her. I was so moved by this that I decided to get more involved in my friend’s project. This is how the “Beautiful Angels” Association was established. We operate in many places in Poland. Not only do we renovate children’s rooms, but also rooms in hospitals, hospices, or detention centres (visitation rooms for children and parents). We have engaged people from reformatories and it has worked out perfectly. Some of the boys, after leaving the reformatory, wrote to us that they still want to help us if there is a need.

For some time now, we have also been running coaching programmes for children, primarily to show them that they are not condemned to inherited poverty, that they can develop and do fantastic things in life.

What are your biggest challenges now?

A lot has changed because of the pandemic. Up until now, I have been constantly on the move, on work-related trips. I must admit that last year was a difficult time for me. I had to adapt to the new conditions, also in private life. My son has been swimming since he was a child, he trained a lot. Last March, when the swimming pools were closed, my 14-year-old felt like he was locked in a cage. We had to organise our life in such a way that we could get some exercise and still function normally despite the lockdown. As a remedy, I decided to take up sport and am currently preparing for a triathlon competition. I have been training hard lately and this gives me balance. That means home, sport and work.

What is your definition of success?

For me, success is when I am comfortable with the situation I am in at the moment. When I am happy and satisfied with what I am doing and when I want to do it all the time.

Do you have any tips for people who are just entering the job market?

Already during your studies you should try out as many potential workplaces as possible. By this I mean, for example, an internship at a law firm, an internship at a court, a job at some start-up. This will allow you to find out if the job makes you happy, if this is where we would like to be. I would definitely advise against closing yourself off to learning only: now I have to study for 5 years, I have to get the highest possible grades, and then I will think about what I will do with it. In my opinion, this “later” after graduation is already a bit too late. I also highly recommend going abroad as soon as possible, of course. Staying for a year or half on an exchange or scholarship is very eye-opening and broadens perspectives. It is also important to take part in competitions and academies organised by various law firms.

How do you envision the university working together with graduates?

It’s certainly a good idea to provide training and mentoring for students. In this way, young people would be even better prepared to enter professional life as adults. Such classes would help them understand the labour market and learn about different career opportunities.