To celebrate Cleary Gottlieb’s 75th anniversary, alumni around the globe are taking time to reflect on their experiences at the firm.
Clemente Sardi, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Giftable in Luxembourg, shared his thoughts below.
What lessons did you learn at Cleary that prepared you for your future career?
I started my career in what could be characterized as law firms with an “eat what you kill” mentality, where a fierce internal competition was encouraged. Therefore, when I joined Cleary, I was a bit disconcerted with its collegial values. Over time, however, I can say that those values have deeply shaped me and they have undeniably influenced my leadership style. Furthermore, the sense of belonging to a community of colleagues that works cooperatively and that respects and values each of its members was crucial for building the confidence that has allowed me to take on many new professional challenges after Cleary.
What Cleary person and/or experience had a lasting impact on you personally?
It is impossible to reduce the impact that Cleary has had on me to just one person or one experience. I believe that Cleary’s formula for success lies in creating a unique environment that makes it easy to build deep and long lasting professional and personal ties. Personally, I have made some of my best friends during my time at Cleary and I have also found mentors that have provided me with advice and help in every step of my after-Cleary career.
Why do you participate in the alumni network, and what would you say to someone who is considering getting involved?
I participate in the alumni network because it offers a lot of interesting opportunities and because it is a way to still be part of and give back to a structure that has done a lot for me, both personally and professionally. And to those that are considering joining Cleary’s alumni network I would say: go for, it is definitely worth it!
To learn more about Cleary’s global alumni network, click here.